3 ms·

if utilities move to natural gas we don't solve the emissions issue

• throwaway0a5e 5y ago
  Gas is a massive improvement over coal. The supply chain has tons less carbon per MW (pumps and pipes vs trains and trucks and drilled wells vs mines) Obviously there's huge pollution improvements. And most importantly gas can be throttled so it leaves lots of room for renewables to pick up load.
  • throwaway894345 5y ago
    It's an improvement, but insufficient to meet emissions objectives. Of course, if we taxed carbon we could actually rely on the market sorting itself out without gaping loopholes (e.g., virtually the entire transportation sector).
• belltaco 5y ago
  CO2 isn't the only pollutant. https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/coal/coal-and-the-environment.php#:~:text=Several%20principal%20emissions%20result%20from,respiratory%20illnesses%20and%20lung%20disease https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/coal/coal-and-the-enviro... https://www.psr.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/coal-ash-hazardous-to-human-health.pdf https://www.psr.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/coal-ash-haza...
• imtringued 5y ago
  Natural gas produces less emissions and act as a flexible backup for renewables. There is no good reason to support coal anymore and natural gas plants need expensive fuel which means they can't compete when wind and solar are producing power. It's the perfect compromise.