The Disadvantages Of Natural Gas
There are both advantages and disadvantages of natural gas being used as an energy source. This is of course true for all major sources of energy. In some instances, the disadvantages lie in the energy source being finite, as is the case with oil, natural gas, and coal. Eventually, whether it is a few years from now, or a few centuries from now, the supply is non-renewable and will eventually disappear. In other cases, the energy source is essentially infinite, as in the case of wind or solar power. The disadvantages of these kinds of energy use usually revolve about technological requirements, cost, and practicality. Then we have nuclear power. For all practical purposes, this energy source is infinite, or nearly so. The main disadvantage relates to safety, the fear of a nuclear accident, and the effect such an accident could have on the general population.
To make a case for the disadvantages of natural gas, the pros and cons of the other major energy sources need to be taken into account. We can't say using natural gas is bad simply by comparing it to solar power, or that it is good simply by comparing it to the use of coal or oil.
Coal And Oil - Natural gas is often considered a superior energy source when compared to coal and oil, as it burns much cleaner, and is in fact not considered to be a pollutant. Although it is a fossil fuel, when natural gas is burned if produces far less carbon dioxide than do the other fossil fuels. Among the disadvantages of natural gas however is that it is, like coal and oil, a non-renewable resource, In addition, natural gas can be toxic, where as burning coal or oil generally is not. Also, unlike coal and oil, natural gas is far more flammable and, if allowed to build up within a structure, can violently explode if ignited by something as small as a tiny spark.
Electric Power - How does natural gas stack up against electricity? When electricity is being supplied by coal-fired plants, natural gas, being clean burning and abundant, though not as abundant as coal, appears to have an advantage as a source for heating. Electricity is obviously cleaner, but the generation of electricity, if not by hydroelectric means, is a greater cause of pollution. Many homes use natural gas for heating and cooking rather than electricity. Bringing natural gas to homes and businesses and maintaining heating and cooking equipment, especially the former, places natural gas as somewhat of a disadvantage from the standpoint of initial cost and installation.
Solar, Wind, And Nuclear Power - When stacked up against solar power, wind power, or nuclear power, the most significant of the disadvantages of natural gas would be its non-renewable feature, together with the fact that it is a pollutant, though not a particularly bad one. Whereas we have some feelings of apprehension regarding the safety of nuclear plants, electricity generated by nuclear plants is safer in the home for heating and cooking than is natural gas. Natural gas would seem to have an advantage over solar power and wind power at the moment, generally being less expensive overall, but this advantage may slowly fade away.
Summary - In summary, natural gas is going to be with us for the foreseeable future. Any disadvantages of natural gas seem to be, for the moment, significantly outweighed by the advantages. Even though it is a non-renewable energy source, we have plenty of it at the present time, and are likely to run out of oil, though not coal, first. The wind and the sun, two clean sources of electric energy, will of course always be there to harness.