Advantages & Disadvantages of Natural Gases

Advantage: Cleanliness

• One of the greatest advantages of using natural gas as a fuel source is its cleanliness. Once the hydrocarbons butane and propane are refined from it, it can be consumed either in its liquified state as liquified natural gas, LNG, or as compressed natural gas, CNG. It produces 30 percent to 40 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions when it is burned, making it an ideal fuel source for power-producing electric companies.

Advantage: Relative Abundance

• The United States has many natural gas and and oil fields that are considered underutilized. Many other domestic deposits of natural gas have yet to be tapped. This makes natural gas an attractive fuel source for economic and political reasons, as it decreases the need for foreign energy partnerships. It also offers another advantage of being a possible resource for export.

Advantage: Low Cost

• Natural gas, as a fuel source, is less expensive at the pump than gasoline, which is an advantage for personal consumers. Personal automobiles have the capability of being converted to natural gas as their main fuel source. The car manufacturer Honda has a "dedicated" natural-gas-burning Civic model, the GX CNG, meaning the vehicle will only run off natural gas. Other vehicles, called bifuel or dual-fuel, run off both natural gas and diesel.

Disadvantage: Limited Availability for Personal Consumption

• The disadvantage for consumers who would like to take advantage of natural gas's financial and environmental benefits is its limited availability at traditional gas stations. Another disadvantage is that natural-gas-burning vehicles get fewer miles per gallon. So while there are some saving at the price per gallon, the benefits must be weighed against the hidden costs. Also, a final disadvantage of natural gas is that it is a nonrenewable resource.