Natural gas is a fossil fuel formed when layers of buried plants and animals are exposed to intense heat and pressure over thousands of years. The energy that the plants and animals originally obtained from the sun is stored in the form of carbon in natural gas. Natural gas is combusted to generate electricity, enabling this stored energy to be transformed into usable power. Natural gas is a nonrenewable resource because it cannot be replenished on a human time frame.

How Do You Get It?

The natural gas power production process begins with the extraction of natural gas, continues with its treatment and transport to the power plants, and ends with its combustion in boilers and turbines to generate electricity. It is also piped directly into homes and businesses after it is processed for heat, cooking, and many other different uses.

Natural Gas is Clean

Natural Gas is "cleaner" than other fossil fuels. The use of natural gas to create electricity does not produce substantial amounts of solid waste. Natural gas produces half as much carbon dioxide, less than a third as much nitrogen oxides, and one percent as much sulfur oxides at the power plant than coal-fired generation. New technologies have made obtaining natural gas safer, easier to get, and cheaper to produce. Natural Gas is the “greenest” fossil fuel we have.

Natural Gas Market

The natural gas market is affected by four primary factors: weather, natural gas inventory, natural gas production, and what’s occurring in the market place with other fuels – primarily oil. Changing supply/demand fundamentals, unpredictable weather, the emergence of a global liquid natural gas market, and dynamic natural gas storage data have all contributed to the recent increase in natural gas volatility. The market ebbs and flows much like the stock market. Anyone of these factors can have great influence on how natural gas is priced.

Natural Gas and Deregulation

Many states have deregulation on natural gas supply. With deregulation, a householder or business can buy gas directly from a supplier at a competitive price. Before deregulation, consumers received supply and delivery of natural gas from a single company. This utility company had a monopoly for the region in which they lived. These utilities still have the single authority to distribute gas and charge a regulated fee. Deregulation has separated the sale of natural gas as a commodity from its distribution. Natural gas is available at a competitive price but the delivery is a standard regulated charge. The distribution will remain regulated, but the natural gas supply will be a free market with suppliers competing with each other.

Helping You Choose

With so many different variables when it comes to the price of natural gas, how are you supposed to figure out what you should be paying? It’s a difficult task but companies like Energy Price Choice. and H. P. Technologies, Inc. H. P. Technologies can help. They have years of experience in the energy industry. They understand all the nuances of the energy industry and can do all the research for you. They will work for you to find the best possible price that will fit your energy needs. This is a great thing because you no longer have to waste hours upon hours searching for the best price when it comes to choosing a natural gas supplier. Let them do all the work for you, all for free. You don’t have to pay a dime. All you have to do is enjoy the savings.