Conclusion
Texas is a state of great renown; celebrated for its leadership in energy, space exploration, commerce, medicine, and education, Texas is synonymous with innovation. Home to four of the top twenty fastest growing cities in the United States, and three of the top ten, Erin Carlyle of Forbes summarizes the economic climate quite succinctly: “Given its business-friendly regulatory environment, lack of state income tax for corporations or people, and highly educated labor market, it’s perhaps not surprising that Texas continue to grow.” With such a large, mobile populace burgeoning at an astounding rate, Texas’ infrastructure is constantly under strain. This, in turn, results in excessive pollution in the form of carcinogens and greenhouse gases as political instability causes volatile market fluctuations in the energy sector, all of which costs Texans billions of dollars every year.
Although natural gas may not solve all of these issues, it is our best next step. As long as Texans are dependent on OPEC for petroleum, there will never truly be stable supply that can meet the ever increasing demand. The vast majority of the natural gas Americans consume is produced right here; our reserves of natural gas are our greatest natural resource and we must treat it as such if America ever hopes to achieve energy independence. Even after eighty-two years of engineering and innovation, diesel fuel continues to trail in emissions, requiring multiple, extraneous systems in order to meet EPA regulations. Once the technology currently used in diesel vehicles is applied and perfected with CNG, diesel will be unable to compete. If we are to avoid the more undesirable effects of global climate change (famine, extreme weather anomalies, flooded coastal cities, barren oceans, etc.) greenhouse gas emissions must be mitigated by 50-80% in the next 35 years. That will be impossible if we continue with the status quo. And of course, the most compelling argument for natural gas, especially to politicians and executives, is the enormous economic benefits that result in capital reimbursement, in some cases, in less than one year!
Now, having come to the inevitable conclusion that natural gas is a far superior fuel for transit vehicles, would it not be prudent to begin harnessing these advantages in an immediately palpable manner? Mass transit is the natural fit for CNG and an imperative step towards a cleaner, healthier, and a more profitable and secure future for our great state. The implementation of cooperative fueling stations across the state that benefit all involved appears to be a perfect fit for Texas, and Texans.
Texas is a state of great renown; celebrated for its leadership in energy, space exploration, commerce, medicine, and education, Texas is synonymous with innovation. Home to four of the top twenty fastest growing cities in the United States, and three of the top ten, Erin Carlyle of Forbes summarizes the economic climate quite succinctly: “Given its business-friendly regulatory environment, lack of state income tax for corporations or people, and highly educated labor market, it’s perhaps not surprising that Texas continue to grow.” With such a large, mobile populace burgeoning at an astounding rate, Texas’ infrastructure is constantly under strain. This, in turn, results in excessive pollution in the form of carcinogens and greenhouse gases as political instability causes volatile market fluctuations in the energy sector, all of which costs Texans billions of dollars every year.
Although natural gas may not solve all of these issues, it is our best next step. As long as Texans are dependent on OPEC for petroleum, there will never truly be stable supply that can meet the ever increasing demand. The vast majority of the natural gas Americans consume is produced right here; our reserves of natural gas are our greatest natural resource and we must treat it as such if America ever hopes to achieve energy independence. Even after eighty-two years of engineering and innovation, diesel fuel continues to trail in emissions, requiring multiple, extraneous systems in order to meet EPA regulations. Once the technology currently used in diesel vehicles is applied and perfected with CNG, diesel will be unable to compete. If we are to avoid the more undesirable effects of global climate change (famine, extreme weather anomalies, flooded coastal cities, barren oceans, etc.) greenhouse gas emissions must be mitigated by 50-80% in the next 35 years. That will be impossible if we continue with the status quo. And of course, the most compelling argument for natural gas, especially to politicians and executives, is the enormous economic benefits that result in capital reimbursement, in some cases, in less than one year!
Now, having come to the inevitable conclusion that natural gas is a far superior fuel for transit vehicles, would it not be prudent to begin harnessing these advantages in an immediately palpable manner? Mass transit is the natural fit for CNG and an imperative step towards a cleaner, healthier, and a more profitable and secure future for our great state. The implementation of cooperative fueling stations across the state that benefit all involved appears to be a perfect fit for Texas, and Texans.