"Market Forces" not .Gov regulation lead to dramatic drop in CO2 levels

[Melensdad]

Oh go figure, turns out the the massive drop in CO2 levels has little to do with an intrusive government and pretty much everything to do with simple economics. Natural Gas is cheap. NG is clean. So power producers have figured out that its better for their bottom line (profit) to use NG instead of coal.

Wonder of wonders, the free market not only works, it employs people and cleans the environment too Now if we could get rid of those giant windmills that are driving up the price of electricity, costing us tax dollars, and killing birds we'd make another step forward.

. . . Many of the world's leading climate scientists didn't see the drop coming, in large part because it happened as a result of market forces rather than direct government action against carbon dioxide. . .

. . .While conservation efforts, the lagging economy and greater use of renewable energy are factors in the CO2 decline, the drop-off is due mainly to low-priced natural gas, the [EPA] agency said.

A frenzy of shale gas drilling in the Northeast's Marcellus Shale and in Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana has caused the wholesale price of natural gas to plummet from $7 or $8 per unit to about $3 over the past four years, making it cheaper to burn than coal for a given amount of energy produced. As a result, utilities are relying more than ever on gas-fired generating plants.

Link to story >>> http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/storie...ME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-08-16-22-39-40

 

[tiredretired]

Of course. The economics of the free enterprise system. A concept that is totally alien to this current administration. Doesn't matter. They are short timers anyway.

 

[muleman]

Gas is so cheap they are capping most all the wells they are drilling. Pipeline construction is another major hurdle and while some is going on a lot has been pushed back because the low prices won't allow them to recover the cost quick enough. Once it goes above $5 they will bring a bunch of wells online. Ohio is the hot spot now because they can barge it for overseas sales.