Natural Gas as an Alternative Energy Source

1. HanockMegenta 8th Hour Natural Gas as an Alternative Energy Source

2. What is Alternative Energy? • Alternative Energy is the use of non-conventional energy sources to generate electrical power and fuel vehicles for today's residential, commercial, institutional and industrial energy applications. • This includes emergency power systems, transportation systems, on-site electricity generation, uninterrupted power supply, combined heat and power systems, off-grid power systems, electrical peak-shaving systems and many more innovative applications.

3. Why are Alternative Energy sources important? Economically: • Increased energy demands have contributed to higher prices at the gas station and at the electric meter. Cost effective, sustainable power sources provide industry and consumers with alternative energy solutions. Many alternative energy sources are renewable so the supply never diminishes. • Natural Gas is NOT RENEWABLE!!!! Environmentally: • The relationship between people and the earth is fragile. There is concerns of pollution, ozone layer depletion and global warming, People need to to reconsider our use of conventional fuels such as gasoline, diesel and coal.  Developing the power of clean, alternative energy sources has become a necessity. Socially: • We have a heavy dependence on petroleum products imported from around the world. Increasingly, the political stability of many of these sources is doubtful. This tends to reduce the reliability of supply and increase the volatility of the price.Alternative Energy means Energy Security. Natural Gas is a good alternative Energy Source.

4. PROS of Alternative Energy • Improved Air Quality • Cost Savings • Energy Storage • Revenue Generation • Leading Edge Technology • Renewable Resources • Decreased Emissions • Independent Reliable On-Demand Power Supply

5. What is Natural Gas? • Natural gas is pretty much a hydrocarbon gas which is found on earth. Which has methane, ethane, butane, propane, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, hexane, heptanes, and pentane. • It helps us cook the food we need and the heating used for our homes or buildings and drying our cloths. As well as use of our electricity.

6. How is it Produced? • Natural gas is made due to anaerobic fermentation. In the early ages of the world, plants where being fermented, but the gas was unable to escape out of the ground. This made the bulk of natural gas under the earths crust. • Today waste water treatment plants are also making use of producing natural gas to get rid of certain components in the waste, and to use the natural gas as a method to reduce their electricity bills

7. What country uses this the most? • The United States uses the most natural gas. • U.S = 646,600,000,000

8. Ideal location in U.S • Texas uses the most Natural Gas in the United States .

9. Minnesota • Minnesota has a natural gas line which is run by the Minnesota Energy Resources. • For more than 70 years, Minnesota Energy Resources has been providing natural gas to communities throughout Minnesota. • In MN there are nearly 4,424 miles of delivery system pipeline for Natural Gas.

10. Cost to build Natural Gas Pipelines • In 2012 the cost is $6.80 • The cost to build it is $820 million

11. Nonrenewable Resource • Natural gas is NOT a renewable resource.It can’t be renewed from its original source as fossil fuel. Much of the natural gas we are burning now formed in deposits buried during the Devonian period, 300 million years ago. • It is possible natural gas could form in as little as 50 million years. We don't consider that renewable, in the sense that it is somewhat beyond the typical human life span. Our species has not yet actually existed for a single million years.

12. Waste produced? • Natural gas is a clean burning fuel. • Its combustion emits fewer pollutants into the atmosphere than other fossil fuels. • However, use of natural gas aside, the process of getting natural gas from underground to the end user has the potential for being environmentally destructive. • Because of this, industry members have a number of initiatives, and invested in up to date technology that helps to transport the impact of natural gas production, transportation, and distribution.

13. Waste Produced Continued… • Emissions from the Combustion of Natural Gas • Greenhouse Gas Emissions • Smog, Air Quality and Acid Rain • Pollution from Industry and Electric Generation • Pollution from the Transportation

14. Pros • If people don’t have pipes in there homes they can use little small tanks witch give natural gas. • 45% less carbon dioxide and 30% less than fossil fuel. • It helps you run hot water in your home or else where as well as it helps you cook or generate fire.

15. Cons • When you use natural gas in cars or trucks the mileage natural gas is much lower then gasoline. • If it starts to leak it might cause a fire or explosion. • Natural gas might be cleaner then coal and gasoline but it takes out a lot of carbon dioxide witch contributes to our global warming.

16. Work Cite • http://www.aga.org/Kc/aboutnaturalgas/consumerinfo/Pages/NGDeliverySystem.aspx • http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/ene_nat_gas_con-energy-natural-gas-consumption • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_natural_gas_consumption • http://205.254.135.7/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=46&t=8 • http://www.keyframe5.com/natural-gas-pros-and-cons/ • http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_much_natural_gas_cost • http://www.minnesotaenergyresources.com/home/mn_rates.aspx • http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/jun/04/tva-build-gas-plant-east-tennessee/