American Gas - July 2013 - (Page 12)

digest Continued from page 11 solution. compared to Ge’s micro LnG plant, the new system offers a more standardized, modular approach for production of 10,000 to 50,000 gallons a day. The plug-and-play solution is designed to minimize engineering and civil requirements to lower initial technical, permitting, and cost risks. Owner/operators can deploy the system in about two months, Ge says. The modules can be redeployed as needed. The U.s. government hopes to accelerate development of methane hydrates in Alaska. The Department of energy and Alaska’s Department of natural resources have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop unconventional energy resources in the state, including methane hydrates. essentially natural gas trapped in ice crystals, methane hydrates offer enormous potential, with up to 85 Tcf of recoverable gas on the Alaska north slope alone. cleveland-based chart industries has introduced a high-capacity, fully integrated LNG fuel system for heavy duty trucks and buses that extends driving range without the use of an additional tank. The new system has been integrated into a self-contained unit for simplified and expedited installation on high-volume assembly lines. in addition, the maximum single tank capacity has been increased to a level greater than a 100 diesel gallon equivalent. The federal Advanced research Projects Agency-energy has set aside $20 million to fund development of biological technologies to convert natural gas to liquid fuel for Continued on page 13 12 AmericAn GAs JULY 2013 need to knoW Addressing Climate Change C2ES study finds that expanded use of natural gas offers key opportunities A new report from the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) has concluded that the expanded use of natural gas offers significant opportunities to help address global climate change and grow the economy. Commenting on the report, “Leveraging Natural Gas to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions,” AGA President and CEO Dave McCurdy noted that “this exciting new analysis further bolsters the case for natural gas as a foundation fuel for a clean energy future. Working alongside renewables and energy efficiency, our domestic abundance of natural gas provides an incredible opportunity to deliver the essential energy that will help drive economic growth while protecting the environment.” The report demonstrates that natural gas offers opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and spotlights the efficient use of natural gas for space and water heating to achieve substantial near-term, low-cost carbon emissions reductions. The report’s findings are supported by the efficiency of natural gas distribution and applications. It points out that 92 percent of the energy contained in natural gas produced at the wellhead is delivered to customers as usable energy, and that natural gas appliances are generally much more efficient and less carbon intensive than those fueled by other energy sources. And consumers can save more while reducing emissions. A household that uses natural gas for space heating, water heating, cooking, and clothes drying spends, on average, almost 30 percent less than a household with all-electric appliances. The report notes that such advanced technologies as microgrids, distributed generation, and combined heat and power also have considerable potential to reduce emissions in both the buildings and manufacturing sectors. In addition, the study found that fuel substitution in fleets and heavyduty vehicles provides a key opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector. It recommended the expansion of transmission and distribution pipelines to ensure adequate supply for new regions, championing increased policy support and innovative funding models that support “rapid deployment of this infrastructure.” need to knoW In the Eye of the Storm Hurricanes now pose less threat to gas prices t Fuel substitution in fleets and heavy-duty vehicles is key to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. he shift of energy production from the Gulf of Mexico to inland shale formations means the upcoming hurricane season poses less risk to natural gas prices than in the past, according to a leading commodities analyst. Indeed, cold weather has emerged as an equally important risk factor, since it can cause well freeze-offs and demand spikes that result in rapid price hikes, as happened this past winter. “I used to circle the date each spring for when Colorado State University would issue its first major forecast for the Atlantic hurricane season,” Teri Viswanath, director of commodities strategy for BNP Paribas SA in New York, told American Gas. “Today, we put less weight on the threat posed by hurricanes in our market analysis, because so much production has moved onshore.”

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Gas - July 2013

American Gas - July 2013
Contents
President’s Message
Subject Index
Shining a Light for Gas Efficiency
Digest
Issues
Issues
Update
Need to Know
By the Numbers
Places
Scratch, Sniff—Evacuate?
Capitol Hill
Cape Canaveral
The Corner Office
AGA Ops Conference
Elm Street
Work in Progress
Profile
For Good Measure
Law
Jobs
Marketplace
Buyer’s Guide
Headway

American Gas - July 2013