Scott Benson

Natural Gas & Wind Power - The Pickens Plan

In the 1990s, we already tried the natural gas vehicles (my organization had CNG pickups and vans that I helped manage). They didn't work for a number of reasons. And the wind, while it will play a role in electricity supply, doesn't work if it isn't windy, and you end up keeping all the coal-fired plants on-line (and hot) anyway for when the sun isn't shining and it isn't windy. The plan is fine on paper. In the real world, I don't see this coming together. But we are gonna need to electrify transportation, one way or the other. Nukes probably.

Will Automakers Switch to Natural Gas?

(You are wrong about the "tanks exploding." I believe the industry when they say the tanks are relatively safe. I don't think NG vehicles will work for the reasons stated above.)

Will Automakers Switch to Natural Gas?

I'm sorry, I forgot to mention also that there is no future for natural gas in North America. The U.S. has been on a natural gas (NG) production plateau for the last 30-40 years, drilling more and more wells to get out the same amount of gas. The U.S. produced 22,000 bcf in 1973 with 125,000 wells. We produced 19,000 bcf in 2005 with 425,000 wells. And, the newest wells deplete faster than the older ones. Canada, where we get 1 out of every 5 therms of NG, is running low as well. Even if we get the liquid natural gas (LNG) rocking more effectively, the price for the stuff won't be cheap (for one thing, we'll have to outbid Japan, Spain and S. Korea for LNG, plus everyone else trying deperately to avoid having to buy Russian NG). Electricity is the only hope for the future, and even that is problematic. Blah.

Will Automakers Switch to Natural Gas?

(Yes, Putin is stupid)

Will Automakers Switch to Natural Gas?

As someone involved with natural gas (NG) vehicles in the 1990s, I can say that NG vehicles are a non-starter. We've already tried this (NG Chevy pickups, Ford & Dodge vans). Even BP/Amoco saw the handwriting on the wall and closed all of their NG stations in the 1990s (huge electric expense in compressing the gas, as well as for maintenance of the stations). NG is not a problem-free energy source. All NG vehicles need tank inspections every 3 years from inspectors that don't exist -- and if a cylinder is damaged, it has to be removed. Drivers (picture 50 y.o. secretaries) are not happy sitting on 3,600 psi+ cylinders (that take up space). If you've never heard the explosion caused by a pipe breaking on a vehicle during a NG fillup, you are lucky. The cost for installing the heavy tanks (made with pricy metals) is in the thousands. There are no NG stations anymore -- which is the biggest problem. This is the next great alternative vehicle fuel? Forget it. Boone Pickens is out of his mind.