Written by Michael Vrtis President of Realgy Energy Services in response to “IBM’s Battery 500 project”

The known amount of natural gas in the US has increased over the last 5 years to the point that it now represents over 20% of all the US’s energy reserves (remember some call the US the Saudi Arabia of coal). The natural gas recoverable by the use of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) is a game changer for the US.

Map of Shale Gas in the US courtesy of US EIA (July 2011)

There is discussion among business leaders (not politicians) that the conversion to natural gas vehicles and investment in natural gas distribution could reduce oil imports over 60% within 5 years! This is not a political aspiration it’s business.

How has the electric energy industry responded?

Well electricity and natural gas have always been competitors through technology.  Natural gas heating applications have been constantly targeted by electric heating. Electric motors have been challenged by natural gas driven engines. Large electric driven air conditioning systems have competed with natural gas driven absorption technology.

So given that natural gas resources (from fracking) has allowed natural gas to truly challenge gasoline as a transportation fuel I am not surprised that an electric option will not be far behind!

Let’s keep competing.

Huffington Post, Tech “EV’s Holy Grail: 500 Miles on a Single Charge”