The Good, the Bad and the Ugly about Natural Gas
The Good:
Natural gas has many good qualities including a high energy intensity, major reservoirs locked underground just waiting to be removed and refined, and one of the largest advantages natural gas holds is the cost: according to CNG NOW!, as of May 11, 2015 the average cost of a gallon of compressed natural gas in the United States is $2.11 and in Texas the average cost is $2.09 per gallon.
Economics:
As of May 4th, 2015, the average cost per gallon was $ 2.664 for gasoline and $ 2.854 per gallon for diesel fuel. As you can see, if you use compressed natural gas instead of gasoline you would save $0.554 per gallon and $0.744 per gallon if you replace diesel with natural gas. As a University of Houston commuter student, I personally drive 62.2 miles every day, 5 days a week which comes out to just over 310 miles driven per week of school. If you use the standard sixteen week semester, I drive, on average, almost 5,000 miles every semester. The national average for fuel economy is around 23 miles per gallon. Using this information I can calculate how many gallons of gasoline I consume per semester. If I drive a total of 4,976 miles at 23 miles per gallon I can expect to consume around 216 gallons of gasoline at an average price of $2.664 this costs me a total of $576.35 on fuel just to go from my house to school every day. For two semesters this comes out to a surprising total of $1,152.70 every year if I only drive to University of Houston and back to my house, assuming that I achieve an average of 23 miles per gallon which is very hard to do in the city of Houston.
In a situation such as this, it would be financially beneficial for me to use compressed natural gas as a fuel source because I would save about $240 per year, depending on fuel prices. For large companies this benefit is even larger, especially if the current fuel source is diesel. (Anselmo)
The Good:
Natural gas has many good qualities including a high energy intensity, major reservoirs locked underground just waiting to be removed and refined, and one of the largest advantages natural gas holds is the cost: according to CNG NOW!, as of May 11, 2015 the average cost of a gallon of compressed natural gas in the United States is $2.11 and in Texas the average cost is $2.09 per gallon.
Economics:
As of May 4th, 2015, the average cost per gallon was $ 2.664 for gasoline and $ 2.854 per gallon for diesel fuel. As you can see, if you use compressed natural gas instead of gasoline you would save $0.554 per gallon and $0.744 per gallon if you replace diesel with natural gas. As a University of Houston commuter student, I personally drive 62.2 miles every day, 5 days a week which comes out to just over 310 miles driven per week of school. If you use the standard sixteen week semester, I drive, on average, almost 5,000 miles every semester. The national average for fuel economy is around 23 miles per gallon. Using this information I can calculate how many gallons of gasoline I consume per semester. If I drive a total of 4,976 miles at 23 miles per gallon I can expect to consume around 216 gallons of gasoline at an average price of $2.664 this costs me a total of $576.35 on fuel just to go from my house to school every day. For two semesters this comes out to a surprising total of $1,152.70 every year if I only drive to University of Houston and back to my house, assuming that I achieve an average of 23 miles per gallon which is very hard to do in the city of Houston.
In a situation such as this, it would be financially beneficial for me to use compressed natural gas as a fuel source because I would save about $240 per year, depending on fuel prices. For large companies this benefit is even larger, especially if the current fuel source is diesel. (Anselmo)
Cleaner Fossil Fuel:
Combustion of natural gas is one of the cleanest ways humans can harness the power held in fossil fuels. If natural gas undergoes complete combustion, it will emit a very limited quantity of greenhouse gases. If the issue of leaky pipelines can be solved through a dedicated effort from many different sectors to improve and upgrade our aging national infrastructure, we could see a major decrease in greenhouse gas emissions which eventually will lead to our plant’s climate begin to normalize.
Domestic availability:
According to the Energy Information Administration, during 2014, the United States continued to be the world’s largest producer of petroleum and natural gas is the largest consumer of natural gas ("U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent Statistics and Analysis"). If energy independence is an economic priority of the United States, as has been suggested by US politicians, then natural gas can provide a conceivable method for achieving that goal.
Less Traffic:
As natural gas becomes a more effective, efficient, and economical as a fuel, local governments around the world are looking to power the next generation of buses and public transportation with natural gas. With this comes encouragement of the use of these public transit methods and this should remove more traffic from roadways. Considering the many headaches that are caused by traffic congestion, less traffic translates into easier parking situations and to less hazardous pollutants being emitted into the atmosphere we all share.
Combustion of natural gas is one of the cleanest ways humans can harness the power held in fossil fuels. If natural gas undergoes complete combustion, it will emit a very limited quantity of greenhouse gases. If the issue of leaky pipelines can be solved through a dedicated effort from many different sectors to improve and upgrade our aging national infrastructure, we could see a major decrease in greenhouse gas emissions which eventually will lead to our plant’s climate begin to normalize.
Domestic availability:
According to the Energy Information Administration, during 2014, the United States continued to be the world’s largest producer of petroleum and natural gas is the largest consumer of natural gas ("U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent Statistics and Analysis"). If energy independence is an economic priority of the United States, as has been suggested by US politicians, then natural gas can provide a conceivable method for achieving that goal.
Less Traffic:
As natural gas becomes a more effective, efficient, and economical as a fuel, local governments around the world are looking to power the next generation of buses and public transportation with natural gas. With this comes encouragement of the use of these public transit methods and this should remove more traffic from roadways. Considering the many headaches that are caused by traffic congestion, less traffic translates into easier parking situations and to less hazardous pollutants being emitted into the atmosphere we all share.
The bad
Environmental:
Another, often overlooked, impact is the cost to the environment, which is what is called an externality, or the cost or benefit that affects a party who did not choose to incur that cost or benefit. These costs are passed on to the consumer, hidden by the price of the good or service, by corporations. As it stands now, the topic that is brought up in the energy industry along with externalities are the negative impacts to the environment. Burning fossil fuels of any kind releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere where they then reflect, refract, scatter, absorb and reemit the outgoing terrestrial radiation, better known as infrared radiation, thus causing the temperature of Earth to increase.
This is known as a negative externality where the cost of purchasing a product, in this case gasoline, includes the cost of emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. It is extremely hard to quantify the exact cost of this externality because, currently, the United States does not impose a carbon tax or a cap and trade market for greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxides and many other pollutants. Information from the Environmental Protection Agency tells us that in 2013, nitrous oxide (N2O) accounted for about five percent of the total United States greenhouse gas emissions due to human activities. With an atmospheric lifetime of 114 years this means even if we stopped emitting N2O at this very moment, we would see nitrous oxide in the atmosphere for the next one hundred and fourteen years.
Carbon:
The primary driving force behind man-made climate change, carbon, is not emitted as heavily by natural gas vehicles. But diesel buses were never the primary source of carbon. Ridding ourselves of diesel fueled vehicles, and going with natural gas instead, would be beneficial, but it cannot be emphasized enough that this is not a magic bullet for decreasing anthropogenic carbon. More needs to be done to curb carbon rates and soon, or else we could see a planet where it is increasingly harder to live upon.
Scarcity of fuel stations:
At this point, CNG filling stations are scarce, with many being operated by private entities, and not open to public use. Until natural gas accounts for more of the fuel market share, stations will continue to be scarce. This creates a Catch-22: more CNG vehicles need to be owned by individuals for more public fueling stations to be built; but more public fueling stations are required before the public at large is willing to invest in a natural gas vehicle. Furthermore, until publicly accessible stations are operations, businesses utilizing CNG vehicles will be forced to build their own facilities, or negotiate for the use of another station, which may be subject to a mark-up in price.
Environmental:
Another, often overlooked, impact is the cost to the environment, which is what is called an externality, or the cost or benefit that affects a party who did not choose to incur that cost or benefit. These costs are passed on to the consumer, hidden by the price of the good or service, by corporations. As it stands now, the topic that is brought up in the energy industry along with externalities are the negative impacts to the environment. Burning fossil fuels of any kind releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere where they then reflect, refract, scatter, absorb and reemit the outgoing terrestrial radiation, better known as infrared radiation, thus causing the temperature of Earth to increase.
This is known as a negative externality where the cost of purchasing a product, in this case gasoline, includes the cost of emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. It is extremely hard to quantify the exact cost of this externality because, currently, the United States does not impose a carbon tax or a cap and trade market for greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxides and many other pollutants. Information from the Environmental Protection Agency tells us that in 2013, nitrous oxide (N2O) accounted for about five percent of the total United States greenhouse gas emissions due to human activities. With an atmospheric lifetime of 114 years this means even if we stopped emitting N2O at this very moment, we would see nitrous oxide in the atmosphere for the next one hundred and fourteen years.
Carbon:
The primary driving force behind man-made climate change, carbon, is not emitted as heavily by natural gas vehicles. But diesel buses were never the primary source of carbon. Ridding ourselves of diesel fueled vehicles, and going with natural gas instead, would be beneficial, but it cannot be emphasized enough that this is not a magic bullet for decreasing anthropogenic carbon. More needs to be done to curb carbon rates and soon, or else we could see a planet where it is increasingly harder to live upon.
Scarcity of fuel stations:
At this point, CNG filling stations are scarce, with many being operated by private entities, and not open to public use. Until natural gas accounts for more of the fuel market share, stations will continue to be scarce. This creates a Catch-22: more CNG vehicles need to be owned by individuals for more public fueling stations to be built; but more public fueling stations are required before the public at large is willing to invest in a natural gas vehicle. Furthermore, until publicly accessible stations are operations, businesses utilizing CNG vehicles will be forced to build their own facilities, or negotiate for the use of another station, which may be subject to a mark-up in price.
The Ugly
Greenhouse gas effect:
Unfortunately, any time combustion occurs particulates, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrous oxides and other gases are released. Increasing efficiency through technological advancements are helping to reduce the amount that humans emit but these gases will still be around for hundreds or even thousands of years. One of the most notorious greenhouse gas is Carbon Dioxide, CO2, a colorless and odorless gas that allowed for the evolution of life to occur. Plants use carbon dioxide to make energy and through this process, photosynthesis, they release oxygen molecules which is beneficial for us because carbon dioxide is harmful to us while oxygen is absolutely essential for human life. With just this simple knowledge, one can draw the conclusion that plants are the organisms that maintain the natural balance of carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere.
When humans breathe in oxygen we exhale carbon dioxide, but before it leaves our bodies carbon dioxide has an important role to play for human life. This harmful greenhouse gas regulates the pH of our blood. Increased levels of CO2 in the atmosphere means the pH of our blood becomes more acidic due to chemical reactions that occur in the body. An increase in the acidity of our blood causes a decrease in respiration which, if exposed to high enough amounts for a long enough time, could lead to unconsciousness and eventually respiratory failure. Fortunately for the human race, we are able to withstand very high levels of CO2 in our blood before we see these effects.
On the other hand, the environment in which we live in is harmed by rapid increases in carbon dioxide concentrations.
Greenhouse gas effect:
Unfortunately, any time combustion occurs particulates, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrous oxides and other gases are released. Increasing efficiency through technological advancements are helping to reduce the amount that humans emit but these gases will still be around for hundreds or even thousands of years. One of the most notorious greenhouse gas is Carbon Dioxide, CO2, a colorless and odorless gas that allowed for the evolution of life to occur. Plants use carbon dioxide to make energy and through this process, photosynthesis, they release oxygen molecules which is beneficial for us because carbon dioxide is harmful to us while oxygen is absolutely essential for human life. With just this simple knowledge, one can draw the conclusion that plants are the organisms that maintain the natural balance of carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere.
When humans breathe in oxygen we exhale carbon dioxide, but before it leaves our bodies carbon dioxide has an important role to play for human life. This harmful greenhouse gas regulates the pH of our blood. Increased levels of CO2 in the atmosphere means the pH of our blood becomes more acidic due to chemical reactions that occur in the body. An increase in the acidity of our blood causes a decrease in respiration which, if exposed to high enough amounts for a long enough time, could lead to unconsciousness and eventually respiratory failure. Fortunately for the human race, we are able to withstand very high levels of CO2 in our blood before we see these effects.
On the other hand, the environment in which we live in is harmed by rapid increases in carbon dioxide concentrations.
pipeline leaks:
Methane, the primary component of natural gas, is a greenhouse gas that is actually better at trapping terrestrial heat than carbon. At this point in time, carbon is a watchword on the lips of the public, as humans pump more carbon into the atmosphere than any other greenhouse gas. While its fuel combustion in vehicles is relatively clean, methane leaks from aging pipes, never intended for the delivery of natural gas, puts at risk the status of natural gas as the cleanest fossil fuel humans have access to. Without correcting the thousands of miles of aging infrastructure, switching to compressed natural gas would yield little to no benefit over the continued us of diesel, the common fuel buses in America are run on.
Methane, the primary component of natural gas, is a greenhouse gas that is actually better at trapping terrestrial heat than carbon. At this point in time, carbon is a watchword on the lips of the public, as humans pump more carbon into the atmosphere than any other greenhouse gas. While its fuel combustion in vehicles is relatively clean, methane leaks from aging pipes, never intended for the delivery of natural gas, puts at risk the status of natural gas as the cleanest fossil fuel humans have access to. Without correcting the thousands of miles of aging infrastructure, switching to compressed natural gas would yield little to no benefit over the continued us of diesel, the common fuel buses in America are run on.
Fracking
The process commonly used to extract natural gas, hydraulic fracturing, carries with it its own dangers and controversies. Large quantities of water are required to engage in fracking, and this water is injected with numerous chemicals, some extraordinarily toxic. Questions have been raised as to the risk of this polluted water leaking into local groundwater around the drill site, releasing thousands of carcinogens into drinking water, and risking public health.
Fracking has also been linked to increased seismic activity. At this time, only small earthquakes have been attributed to fracking. But concerns have been raised that, as drilling activity increases, so will the quantity and severity of seismic events("What is fracking and why is it controversial? - BBC News").
The process commonly used to extract natural gas, hydraulic fracturing, carries with it its own dangers and controversies. Large quantities of water are required to engage in fracking, and this water is injected with numerous chemicals, some extraordinarily toxic. Questions have been raised as to the risk of this polluted water leaking into local groundwater around the drill site, releasing thousands of carcinogens into drinking water, and risking public health.
Fracking has also been linked to increased seismic activity. At this time, only small earthquakes have been attributed to fracking. But concerns have been raised that, as drilling activity increases, so will the quantity and severity of seismic events("What is fracking and why is it controversial? - BBC News").
"Average Prices." CNGnow.com. CNG Now, 2015. Web. 11 May 2015. http://www.cngnow.com/average-cng-prices/Pages/default.aspx.
Anselmo, Kevin. "GPM - The MPG Illusion Website: Calculate Your Gas Consumption and Costs." GPM - The MPG Illusion Website: Calculate Your Gas Consumption and Costs. Duke University's Fuqua School of Business, 1 July 2013. Web. 11 May 2015. http://www.mpgillusion.com/p/calculate-your-gas-consumption-and.html.
"Nitrous Oxide Emissions." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, 2013. Web. 11 May 2015. http://epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/gases/n2o.html.
"U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent Statistics and Analysis." U.S. Remained World's Largest Producer of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hydrocarbons in 2014. U.S. Department of Energy, 7 Apr. 2015. Web. 11 May 2015. http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.cfm?id=20692.
Anselmo, Kevin. "GPM - The MPG Illusion Website: Calculate Your Gas Consumption and Costs." GPM - The MPG Illusion Website: Calculate Your Gas Consumption and Costs. Duke University's Fuqua School of Business, 1 July 2013. Web. 11 May 2015. http://www.mpgillusion.com/p/calculate-your-gas-consumption-and.html.
"Nitrous Oxide Emissions." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, 2013. Web. 11 May 2015. http://epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/gases/n2o.html.
"U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent Statistics and Analysis." U.S. Remained World's Largest Producer of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hydrocarbons in 2014. U.S. Department of Energy, 7 Apr. 2015. Web. 11 May 2015. http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.cfm?id=20692.