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Could Cheap Gas Slow Growth Of Renewable Energy?

NPR -- The boom in cheap natural gas in this country is good news for the environment, because relatively clean gas is replacing dirty coal-fired power plants. But in the long run, cheap natural gas could slow the growth of even cleaner sources of energy, such as wind and solar power.

Natural gas has a bad rap in some parts of the country, because the process of fracking is not popular. But many people looking at cheap natural gas from the global perspective see it as a good thing.

Henry Jacoby, an economist at the Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research at MIT, says cheap energy will help pump up the economy.

"Overall, this is a great boon to the United States," he says. "It's not a bad thing to have this new and available domestic resource."

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Submitted Feb 03, 2012 By: dgerst

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WalRus49 Champion Author Boston Posts:2,220 Points:502,590 Joined:Nov 2010	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 5:41:53 AM Ignore WalRus49 Report Abuse More organized mayhem and pillage...........
Double_Golden All-Star Author San Francisco Posts:725 Points:240,780 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 3:43:22 AM Ignore Double_Golden Report Abuse cheap gas, I just paid $3.65/gallon to fill up my car...
anascom All-Star Author Hamilton Posts:865 Points:316,340 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 12:59:12 AM Ignore anascom Report Abuse that depends on many other factors! i doubt there's "cheap" gas/natural gas!
nurdco Champion Author Colorado Springs Posts:7,211 Points:1,329,335 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Feb 4, 2012 4:15:04 PM Ignore nurdco Report Abuse What cheap gas???
OmeGas Rookie Author Twin Cities Posts:48 Points:589,910 Joined:Jul 2010	Message Posted: Feb 4, 2012 1:35:17 PM Ignore OmeGas Report Abuse yes
Jeff4U Champion Author Atlanta Posts:6,546 Points:1,487,495 Joined:Nov 2004	Message Posted: Feb 4, 2012 12:57:59 PM Ignore Jeff4U Report Abuse Cheap gas? There's no such thing. I saved $243 last winter by heating my home with electric versus natural gas. I've plotted, tracked, and analyzed monthly costs on electric and gas for the last 8 years. Bottom line: natural gas always costs more - a BAD thing.
DanMtz Champion Author Oakland Posts:1,512 Points:878,575 Joined:Oct 2009	Message Posted: Feb 4, 2012 12:39:47 PM Ignore DanMtz Report Abuse Of course.
NGC4565 Champion Author Reading Posts:1,919 Points:385,140 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Feb 4, 2012 7:50:24 AM Ignore NGC4565 Report Abuse Of course it will! The laws of economics still apply in spite of our current administration and their ignorance of them. Renewable energy will only become main stream when it is economically feasible.
esq262 Champion Author Asheville Posts:1,176 Points:294,565 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 7:48:24 PM Ignore esq262 Report Abuse It sure will. But it should be treated as a bridge to renewable energy.
Wanda127 Champion Author Florida Posts:1,491 Points:569,005 Joined:May 2010	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 7:33:40 PM Ignore Wanda127 Report Abuse I agree PathfinderSC.
GRCummins53 Veteran Author Stockton Posts:337 Points:141,010 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 7:11:24 PM Ignore GRCummins53 Report Abuse CNG in automobile is not the panacea it is portrayed to be. You've got to put the high pressure storage vessel somewhere, usually in the trunk. There goes your storage space. It takes 15-20 minutes to fill that storage tank with a $20K compressor system - much longer (hours) if done at home with a smaller unit.
FunMyster Veteran Author Indiana Posts:416 Points:44,835 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 5:42:04 PM Ignore FunMyster Report Abuse I'm ready for my conversion kit.
eomc17 All-Star Author Tucson Posts:881 Points:66,870 Joined:Mar 2007	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 4:38:23 PM Ignore eomc17 Report Abuse With Big Oil investing in natural gas, this energy won't be cheap for long. Look what these bandits have done to our country's gasoline prices since 2003....with the White House's approval, too,?
The_DR Champion Author New Jersey Posts:1,049 Points:229,620 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 4:37:18 PM Ignore The_DR Report Abuse yes
edgarCA Champion Author Oakland Posts:1,536 Points:232,670 Joined:Jun 2009	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 3:40:59 PM Ignore edgarCA Report Abuse Not bad of an article. However, Henry Jacoby does not fully understand who creates policy in the first place that put a stranglehold to cleaner renewable energy.
qwerty17 Champion Author New Jersey Posts:2,032 Points:770,075 Joined:Oct 2009	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 3:25:43 PM Ignore qwerty17 Report Abuse market controls everything.
dabbadu All-Star Author New York Posts:896 Points:391,280 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 3:09:34 PM Ignore dabbadu Report Abuse It usually does.
PathfinderSC Champion Author South Carolina Posts:7,691 Points:1,467,990 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 2:39:29 PM Ignore PathfinderSC Report Abuse Good clean Energy to run this Country will need to come from many kinds of renewable beside what we have today.
RochBear Champion Author Minnesota Posts:9,106 Points:1,515,755 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 2:21:32 PM Ignore RochBear Report Abuse I hope cheap Nat. gas does not stop renewables. Since We need Nat. gas to heat our homes, I don't want us to use huge amounts of Nat. gas, and then when it's gone, what are we going to do? We need to have renewable energy AND nat. Gas. The old adage of "don't put all your eggs in one basket" has never been truer.
Cakes77 Champion Author Harrisburg Posts:3,477 Points:1,328,255 Joined:Aug 2006	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 2:06:55 PM Ignore Cakes77 Report Abuse It certainly will. That is just the way that it works. Great article. Thanks for posting this.
hoosierva All-Star Author Indianapolis Posts:975 Points:236,240 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 1:38:36 PM Ignore hoosierva Report Abuse If this means slowing the growth of renewable, I sure hope so.
djwhit Champion Author Ohio Posts:1,311 Points:862,080 Joined:Jul 2009	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 1:08:35 PM Ignore djwhit Report Abuse THAS GREAT.............
ObieDog All-Star Author Maryland Posts:971 Points:524,670 Joined:Sep 2010	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 12:51:13 PM Ignore ObieDog Report Abuse Good for the short term, but we need to always look long term.
fullcirclethink Champion Author Washington Posts:1,682 Points:130,870 Joined:Jun 2009	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 12:40:43 PM Ignore fullcirclethink Report Abuse Supply and demand, along with market forces, is the true determiner of where the country wishes to go; not government!
badbonita Champion Author Syracuse Posts:4,354 Points:988,555 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 12:33:04 PM Ignore badbonita Report Abuse Dragging the populace to the proverbial water trough of alternative energy is not going to work until we have REALLY accepted it. If taking small steps by utilizing natural gas is what it'll take, than that is what is needed. Otherwise, alternative are going to be a niche market until gasoline is $10 a gallon and people would still try to find a way to get it. [Edited by: badbonita at 2/3/2012 12:33:37 PM EST]
clpassenubye Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:2,165 Points:423,490 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 12:27:47 PM Ignore clpassenubye Report Abuse Maybe but so what!
Norm10 Champion Author British Columbia Posts:1,828 Points:89,545 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 11:37:30 AM Ignore Norm10 Report Abuse Yes!
Gas_Eyes All-Star Author Dallas Posts:859 Points:291,060 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 11:30:39 AM Ignore Gas_Eyes Report Abuse "From an environmental perspective, natural gas could help transition our economy from fossil fuels to clean energy." I agree. It is the cleanest burning fossil fuel. It is to early for electric and hybrid cars because it still is too expensive. More should be done to promote CNG vehicles.
tmib03 Rookie Author Michigan Posts:17 Points:252,265 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 11:29:15 AM Ignore tmib03 Report Abuse I dont see gas getting cheap, they'll just come up with a stupid excuse to raise the price. I also dont think that renewable really pays for itself yet, the tech is expensive, and the payback rate is longer than the tech is expected to last in some cases.
drpepperTX Champion Author Texas Posts:4,896 Points:390,345 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 11:22:21 AM Ignore drpepperTX Report Abuse And that's the crux of the Eco-nazi paradigm, they cannot further their agenda of "green" energy with relatively inexpensive NG.
Papa_Gallo All-Star Author Houston Posts:912 Points:234,775 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 11:14:07 AM Ignore Papa_Gallo Report Abuse Force the proles to pay higher taxes so that the Obama cronies can pocket billions in profits. After all, they rich libs are the ones who fund the propaganda that is NPR. Its all about GREED.
uglytom Champion Author Florida Posts:6,185 Points:1,288,815 Joined:Jul 2007	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 11:12:03 AM Ignore uglytom Report Abuse No problem! Cheap gas..ha,ha,ha
Van_Halen Champion Author Atlanta Posts:1,654 Points:330,155 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 11:09:35 AM Ignore Van_Halen Report Abuse . There IS NO growth in renewable energy. It was imaginary artificial growth that came from wasted Tax Payer Dollars being pumped into companies that have gone bankrupt! One only has to look at Spain to see what happens when government attempts to stimulate a sector that is not viable at this time. They ruined their energy sector, ruined their economy, and ruined the industries that they used to lead the world in! They lost 10 REAL jobs for every green job created! Will new energy sources come, yes they will, but only when they can actually compete in a natural marketplace not one being forced by government!
TripleHs Champion Author Austin Posts:1,822 Points:594,430 Joined:Oct 2009	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 11:08:38 AM Ignore TripleHs Report Abuse consistently low gas prices will absolutely do so
SkyWarnTX All-Star Author Texas Posts:945 Points:56,845 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 11:07:34 AM Ignore SkyWarnTX Report Abuse CHINA is the COMPANY STORE on STEROIDS... workers have to pay the COMPANY for HOUSING, MEALS, "they owe their soul to the Company Store" as Tennessee Ernie Ford would say... No U.S. Company can compete with CHINA where workers live in Company Dorms and work for little or nothing after "Expenses"... Corporate Greed under George W. Bush outsourced Manufacturing Expertise to CHINA... and that's where Solar Panels come from now...
amoshins All-Star Author Trenton Posts:947 Points:309,080 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 11:04:14 AM Ignore amoshins Report Abuse I think it will slow the growth.
doctorindyj Champion Author Santa Fe Posts:2,249 Points:506,630 Joined:Nov 2009	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 11:00:36 AM Ignore doctorindyj Report Abuse Nope, the only thing slowing it down now is that it has become the scam du jour. A way to fleece government and investor out of money with no intention of producing anything. The gravy train starts rolling and everyone wants on board. [Edited by: doctorindyj at 2/3/2012 11:01:04 AM EST]
Cothrom All-Star Author South Carolina Posts:608 Points:381,305 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 10:53:04 AM Ignore Cothrom Report Abuse Well, putting it that way, if the big oil companies suddenly dropped the price by say a dollar or dollar fifty a gallon, then we would have the same problem. People would feel much better to travel more and larger cars would be more common again. Not saying it would stop advancements in renewable energy completely, but would slow the search a lot I bet.
K9LO Champion Author North Dakota Posts:1,403 Points:305,015 Joined:Nov 2010	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 10:44:45 AM Ignore K9LO Report Abuse Natural gas still is not cheap. Any energyis expensive.
OHMS Champion Author Orange County Posts:11,260 Points:1,334,300 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 10:41:06 AM Ignore OHMS Report Abuse Gas is so cheap now that companies that produce it are struggling to make a profit. Expect prices to move up. That will help close the price gap between gas and renewable energy.
humblepie Champion Author Toledo Posts:17,222 Points:2,006,295 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 10:39:18 AM Ignore humblepie Report Abuse we will never find out.
MOREDLEG All-Star Author Missouri Posts:732 Points:259,020 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 10:36:59 AM Ignore MOREDLEG Report Abuse Alternative sources of energy is only good if its the "right" alternate energy. In the end, it must be economically feasible, and sustainable.
playtimeCLE Champion Author Cleveland Posts:6,455 Points:1,182,600 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 10:36:19 AM Ignore playtimeCLE Report Abuse I don't know about anyone else but gas is getting more expensive here, so the whole idea of cheap gas is not very appropriate right now.
Amendes All-Star Author Fresno Posts:754 Points:178,625 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 10:32:46 AM Ignore Amendes Report Abuse OK
Buckeyee Champion Author Maine Posts:2,407 Points:554,630 Joined:May 2010	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 10:31:58 AM Ignore Buckeyee Report Abuse Look at the finding of vast pools of NG as a blessing. It will enable the US to improve renewable resorces when the time comes.