Natural Gas Debate

Discussions center on the efficiency, cost, and environmental impact of natural gas compared to electricity, nuclear, and coal for heating, cooking, and power generation, often debating CO2 emissions and energy transitions.

📉 Falling 0.2x Politics & Society
3,654
Comments
19
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#4328
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

2008
2
2009
8
2010
27
2011
16
2012
63
2013
88
2014
84
2015
67
2016
114
2017
118
2018
158
2019
334
2020
297
2021
444
2022
740
2023
514
2024
276
2025
278
2026
26

Keywords

e.g CNG US NG CNH CO2 UK www.vox i.e PR natural gas gas natural coal carbon co2 plants electricity nuclear emissions

Sample Comments

erikpukinskis Apr 25, 2018 View on HN

Probably less efficient than converting the natural gas to electricity too?

bityard Dec 28, 2022 View on HN

Even in areas where natural gas is much cheaper than electricity?

wiz21c Sep 18, 2018 View on HN

as a totally lambda citizen : natural gaz is a co2 emitter, so it's a no. The fact it's cheap is not enough anymore.

dudeofea Nov 2, 2022 View on HN

how is it a nightmare? if you aren't getting that energy from natural gas, you'd mostly get it from a CO2 producing power plant, with efficiency losses going from heat (steam) -> electric -> heat (cooktop)

mthoms May 14, 2021 View on HN

That's natural gas, not coal.

Manuel_D Mar 4, 2025 View on HN

Using natural gas means climate change still progresses. Not to mention you'll be paying all of the overhead cost of maintaining natural gas plants, but only use them for a fraction of the time. So net cost per watt hour will be very high.

CyanBird May 31, 2019 View on HN

That's a false choice, as natural gas is already being wasted and burnt as a byproduct, if that natural gas were used as an energy source, then we could better control the burning process and reduce emissions. Building nuclear plants would actually just increase the amount of natural gas that ends up being burned as a byproduct all the while not helping us in the grand scheme of things

shafyy Jul 15, 2022 View on HN

Natural gas cannot be replaced by nuclear energy (or any other source of electricity) for many applications, at least not in the short term. For example here in Germany, many homes use gas boilers (heaters) for heating space and water. You would need to rebuild a lot of infrastructure to use electricity (which Germany plans to do, but obviously this will take years if not decades).

henrikberggren Apr 28, 2020 View on HN

*if it wasn't for cheap natural gas

Melatonic Oct 25, 2024 View on HN

Natural gas seems like a better fit for this.....