The Center for American Progress Action Fund and the Energy Future Coalition have released a memo about natural gas titled Natural Gas: A Bridge Fuel for the 21st Century. They argue that natural gas is the cleanest fossil fuel—it produces less than half as much carbon pollution as coal. Yet despite affordability improvements through recent technology advancements, and the potential energy, economic, and security benefits of natural gas, the recently House-passed American Clean Energy and Security Act, H.R. 2454, does not include enough opportunities to expand its use.
The authors therefore propose a number of policies that would increase the use of natural gas and low-carbon energy sources while providing additional protection for our climate and communities. The memo takes a comprehensive approach to energy generation from use of natural gas, which includes some policy recommendations of interest to the NGV industry, including:
- Expansion of the market for natural gas as a heavy-duty transportation fuel by increasing incentives for gas-powered buses and heavy trucks.
- Creation of incentives for communities to develop bus rapid transit systems that employ buses fueled by natural gas.
- Expansion of the Natural Gas STAR program where natural gas producers voluntarily capture and resell methane instead of releasing it into the atmosphere. Current participants make money on these methane sales. Medium and large emitters must undertake this practice.
Print 
PDF 