In this article we examine the two main energy sources and ask can gas and electricity be the environmental solutions that business needs.
Renewable, environmental, conservation, and
green energy are among the buzzwords often heard when referring to energy
sources used by business. Commercial demands for energy are constantly growing,
and the expectation that these sources will provide fewer emissions and
particulates is growing daily. Can gas and electricity be the environmental
solutions that business needs? Examining these two energy sources provide a wealth
of information about their present commercial uses and where they are headed in
the future.
The manufacturing industry is a huge
consumer of energy. From assembling automobiles to baking cookies, large
commercial enterprises are producing merchandise 24 hours a day. It requires
vast amounts of reliable energy to keep the manufacturing industry and all its
machinery running smoothly. Power outages can bring manufacturing to a
standstill in just seconds. Both gas and electricity play important roles in commercial
manufacturing, and as the demands for clean and renewable energy continue to
grow, their role is being examined and compared.
The non-manufacturing industries, including
construction, mining, and farming, also use a considerable amount of electricity
to run equipment and to power energy-dependent services. Large dairies require
huge refrigeration units to keep milk and its byproducts at cool temperatures.
The mining industry uses electricity in the smelting and refining process, and
the construction business uses electricity for their heavy-duty power tools.
There are many more uses for electricity in the non-manufacturing industries.
Power plants are changing to be more
environmentally friendly and are using fewer non-renewable fossil fuels to
produce electricity. By cleaning up their act electricity producers are
reducing their carbon footprint, while still producing and providing
electricity to the most demanding consumers. These five manufacturing
industries use more than 60% of all the electricity produced.
An electric power grid is the method used
for moving electricity around the United States. Blackouts in recent years have
grown concern for the need to update the power grids. The frequent reference to
the United States national power grid is a misnomer. Within the contiguous 48
states are found three independently operating electrical grids.
The U. S. power grids are old and face many
challenges, including a large number of new power lines that must be set,
meeting federal regulations procedures for payment, and solving the issues
facing the private sector for raising construction funds.
The United Kingdom faces similar issues
with the upgrading of their power grid. Storage of surplus energy is one of the
problems they are addressing. The U. K. is planning a £24.2 upgrade to
expansion project to connect the new low carbon energy technologies, such as on
and offshore wind power to the power grid.
Over 45% of natural gas use is in the
industrial sector, and its proponents expect to see that percentage increase
considerably in the coming years. Second in consumption only to electricity,
natural gas gains are attributed to its versatility, low cost, and efficiency.
Natural gas is a clean fossil fuel. One of the areas of growth for natural gas
in industry is in the production of electrical power. When coal fired power
plants are replaced, the replacement is made with natural gas power plants.
They are cheaper to build and much cleaner. Natural gas is being used in
industry in a variety of areas. The primary ingredients for diverse products,
such as anti-freeze, fertilizer, plastic, and fabrics are produced from natural
gas.
Commercial Uses For Natural Gas
Many of the commercial uses of natural gas
are similar to residential uses on a larger scale. Natural gas is the perfect
commercial business solution to address government standards for clean energy
regulations.
Both electricity and gas play a major part
in current energy production for industrial uses, and technology continues to
develop new and cleaner uses for both in the future. If you want to find out which provider offers the cheapest gas and electricity visit the price comparison website uSwitch.
Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sam Jones the author of this article is often asked by readers where to find the cheapest gas and electricity. He suggests the price comparison website uSwitch where all the main energy providers can be compared.