American Gas - August/September 2010 - (Page 28)

By Sandra R. Sabo More uppose someone sends you two boxes, each full of a useful product. When you open the first box, it remains almost as full as when it was sent—only 10 percent of its contents are missing. The second box arrives on the same day but isn’t nearly as full; in fact, 73 percent of the contents have disappeared in transit. In this example, the first box contains energy from natural gas captured at the well. By the time the natural gas has gone through a processing plant and traveled through underground pipes, 90 percent of the original energy is delivered to your home. In contrast, the second box contains electrical energy made from coal extracted from a mine or from natural gas. As the energy from coal or natural gas is converted into electricity at a power plant and then moves through overhead transmission lines, to the electric substation and through neighborhood power lines before delivery to your home, all but 27 percent of the energy is lost along the way. Wouldn’t you rather have the first box with the most usable energy? It seems like a no-brainer, yet legislators, regulators and consumers often don’t consider how the source of the energy affects its ultimate efficiency. They look only at the specific site where the energy is used to heat water or space, dry clothes or cook. The site-based approach, however, doesn’t provide the complete picture that the source-based approach, or full fuel cycle, does. “Historically, the public has had limited understanding and interest in where the energy comes from. They often believe electricity is the 28 august/september 2010 AmeRicAn GAS S

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Gas - August/September 2010

American Gas - August/September 2010
Contents
President’s Message - Energy Efficiency: Consider the Source
In the Know - Natural Gas in the Wake of Climate Change Legislation
Industry News
Safety First - Alleviating the Strain
More Power to You
An Online Power Boost
Vendor News
Places to Be
Noteworthies
Marketplace
Advertisers’ Index
Jobline
Facts on Gas

American Gas - August/September 2010