Posted on 11/04/2011 11:09:22 AM PDT by neverdem
The United States is a country that has received many blessings, and once upon a time you could assume that Americans would come together to take advantage of them. But you can no...
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The shale gas revolution challenges the coal industry, renders new nuclear plants uneconomic and changes the economics for the renewable energy companies, which are now much further from viability...
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These problems are real, but not insurmountable. An exhaustive study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology concluded, “With 20,000 shale wells drilled in the last 10 years, the environmental record of shale-gas development is for the most part a good one.” In other words, the inherent risks can be managed if there is a reasonable regulatory regime, and if the general public has a balanced and realistic sense of the costs and benefits.
This kind of balance is exactly what our political system doesn’t deliver. So far, the Obama administration has done a good job of trying to promote fracking while investigating the downsides. But the general public seems to be largely uninterested in the breakthrough (even though it could have a major impact on the 21st-century economy). The discussion is dominated by vested interests and the extremes. It’s becoming another weapon in the political wars, with Republicans swinging behind fracking and Democrats being pressured to come out against. Especially in the Northeast, the gas companies are demonized as Satan in corporate form.
A few weeks ago, I sat around with John Rowe, one of the most trusted people in the energy business, and listened to him talk enthusiastically about this windfall. He has no vested interest in this; indeed, his company might be hurt. But he knows how much shale gas could mean to America. It would be a crime if we squandered this blessing.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Interesting thread bump. Thanks for the read.
I'm also waiting to see LNG-powered locomotives. The Russians are working on LNG powered aircraft
Ought to be a relatively trivial exercise. After all, the "gas turbine" part of a combined cycle natural-gas fired generating plant "is" a jet engine.
While I agree trucks are the most likely “first step” it won’t be “long-haul” units ! Most likely are urban/suburban delivery aps ! The weight penalty and power density issues will preclude NG in that ap unless desperation - or government stupididty - sets in! >PS
Well, obviously I agree (see post upthread). My position is more correctly that long-haul trucks will probably be the first "extra-urban" application to switch. It's a lot easier to install natgas facilities at interstate truck stops than in every existing service station.
"The weight penalty and power density issues will preclude NG in that ap unless desperation - or government stupididty - sets in!"
THIS I don't agree with. I think the cost differential is already causing movement to adoption (viz. "PapaBears" comments upthread).
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