How will the U.S. economy recover?
That’s the question every business owner and facility manager is asking now, as we deal with the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. While signs of hope can seem few and far between, the U.S. Department of Energy believes that, among other efforts, natural gas will have a sizable role in our economic recovery.
As stated in a recent report on the Appalachian energy industry:
“A major component of the United States economic recovery will be the abundance of reliable, affordable energy to enable United States manufacturing and other sectors of the economy to reignite the pre-pandemic boom,” the report said. “Appalachia’s economic viability during this recovery will serve as a key indicator of the prospects for, and overall health of United States economic recovery.”
Writing in Real Clear Markets, George Landrith agrees with this assessment. Landrith, the president of Frontiers of Freedom, a public policy think tank, sees hope for the country’s economic recovery.
“Fortunately, America's energy sector was well prepared to survive the coronavirus outbreak. Having weathered the storm, natural gas producers will help get the economy humming in a way that benefits American consumers and the environment alike.”
He goes on to predict that natural gas “will remain the nation's go-to energy source for the foreseeable future.”
Speaking of the future, but in another part of the globe, the World Economic Forum (WEF) listed 12 reasons why natural gas should be a part of Africa’s clean energy future. One reason? “Gas pairs especially well with wind and solar as a technology and a financial model.” Natural gas can also power up and down quickly during local shifting weather patterns to balance renewables sources.
In an article for Real Clear Energy, David Holt of the consumer advocacy group Consumer Energy Alliance, points out that energy plays a pivotal role in economic recovery from historic disruptions, helping to generate middle-class jobs.
“This post-disaster recovery,” Holt writes, “will prove to be no different. It will depend more than ever on maintaining a secure, reliable and affordable supply of energy from a combination of oil, natural gas, wind, solar, hydro and increasingly efficient technologies.”
Echoing the WEF’s assessment of natural gas, Holt goes on to add:
“Increasing our reliance on renewables will require that we build and develop co-energy sources, such as natural gas, to power our homes when solar and wind resources that depend on certain weather or external conditions beyond our control cannot generate.”
We support the transition to cleaner, more renewable sources of energy, and believe that natural gas has an important, integrated role to play in that transition. Natural gas is far better for the environment than coal, and it provides steady backup to the more intermittent solar and wind sources.
Our natural gas-powered Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems are certified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and are proven to power a facility at 85% efficiency, compared to 30% of traditional energy sources. Has your facility made the switch to more efficient energy? With cities and states introducing carbon emission restrictions, it’s a good time to get ahead of the curve. Contact us to start with a free energy analysis today.