Renewable Energy and the Smart Grid: The Natural Gas Conundrum

The Energy Collective: Natural gas seems to invoke a win/win perspective as the solution to all problems in some discussions about energy policy and the best fuels for electricity generation and transportation.  In these scenarios, the only downside is the pressure it puts on renewable energy technologies.  Yes, natural gas is cleaner than coal.  It exhausts about half the carbon dioxide or CO2produced by coal.  It does not have a nasty byproduct called coal ash, which can have toxic consequences of its own – both environmentally and financially – as we lack good answers to disposal of its waste.

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