Last month, we began a series of articles that will run over the next several months. Here, we’ll lay out the facts — no sugar-coating and no biases — and explore solutions to bridge the energy gap as the world transitions towards a cleaner, more energy efficient future.
We’ll dive into four of the most practical options: nuclear power, natural gas turbines, geothermal energy, and renewables paired with batteries. We’ll dissect the pros and cons, and, most importantly, the cold, hard
practicality of each option for our communities in southern Colorado. This month, we’ll take a look at natural gas.
Natural Gas’ Role in Achieving 100% Renewable Energy
Natural gas is often positioned as a key solution to bridging the energy gap. It has lower emissions than coal-generated power, and is generally affordable due to its abundance and more efficient ways of producing energy from shale formations. However, prices can spike when demand is high. But reliance is declining due to greenhouse gas emissions regulation, which could negatively impact the economy — especially in southern Colorado.
Reliability and On-Demand Power
Of the four resources we’ll be examining, natural gas is the most flexible “dispatchable” resource – meaning it can quickly adjust to demand or the ups and downs of wind and solar resources.
Natural gas power plants can produce power in several ways. In a simple-cycle combustion turbine, gas is generally used in a generator similar to a jet engine, or an internal combustion engine, to spin a generator. In a combined-cycle power plant, combustion turbines are often paired with a steam turbine. While neither can be turned on instantly, both simple and combined cycle plants can start quicky. Most natural gas plants can reach full power within one hour. This flexibility complements renewables by providing energy when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing.
Affordability
Natural gas is an economical resource because of its current abundance especially with newer drilling techniques. — Because supply could eventually run low. Reserves are expected to last at least a half-century. Plus, price spikes can occur, when demand is high, as seen during winter storm Uri in 2021.
Fortunately, Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association, San Isabel Electric’s power supplier, can mitigate price hikes by changing their natural gas combustion turbines to fuel oil. All their natural gas combustion turbines have dual fuel sources. Even though fuel oil is expensive, it is still significantly cheaper than the cost of natural gas during extreme weather events like Uri. Using fuel oil can shield member- owners from soaring costs and can provide plenty of dispatchable energy to meet demand.
Job Creation and Economic Impact
Natural gas supports jobs in extraction, transportation, and power generation. The sector employs workers in skilled labor positions and offers substantial economic benefits in regions with active gas production.
While both blue- and white-collar workers in the natural gas sector have skills highly transferable to other fields, job opportunities in our region remain scarce. The seven counties San Isabel Electric serves — Custer, Costilla, Fremont, Huerfano, Las Animas, Otero, and Pueblo counties — have struggled to attract and retain high paying jobs for decades.
A zero-carbon economy would result in job losses in our region, particularly in Las Animas County where oil and gas extraction are among the top industries. Renewable energy jobs are growing, but are often temporary and require relocation.
Safety and the Environment
To produce electricity, natural gas emits carbon dioxide. Methane can also leak from the natural gas supply chain. Both gases are highly effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere. Carbon capture or carbon sequestration is expensive and requires large amounts of energy, often reducing the emissions reduction achieved.
In addition, methane leaks are a byproduct during extraction, storage, transportation, and production. Despite this, modern natural gas infrastructure incorporates advanced safety measures to minimize the risk of leaks or explosions.
Natural gas combustion turbines release fewer pollutants and are more efficient when compared to their fossil-fuel counterparts of oil and coal. Communities with natural gas plants also have superior local air quality.
A tremendous amount of funding is driving research and testing of advanced carbon capture technologies which may one day support the use of natural gas in a carbon-constrained energy generation environment.
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