Can gas be our saviour?

The Moniz Challenge by Energy Opportunities

October 17, 2011

The US is rich in gas supplies, but use only a small percentage each year. Moving from carbon-intensive coal and oil to gas (which emits far less carbon per unit of energy) could cut that country's carbon emissions by 20% overnight, argues Ernest Moniz, Cecil and Ida Green Distinguished Professor of Physics at MIT. Undersecretary for Energy in the Clinton Administration, Moniz is aware of the political challenges to overcome before this can happen, but believes that a carbon price is possible and necessary to achieve this change.

Is a carbon price a good idea? Is it at all reasonable to expect the US to push for one, or does it have to be a global project? How could carbon pricing ever be fair? Is moving to gas a worthwhile option even in the medium term?

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Of Interest

MITEI Research: The Future of Natural Gas

Watch: The Future of Natural Gas: Press Conference

Brookings Energy Security Initiative Event
On June 27, 2011, the Energy Security Initiative at Brookings hosted the Washington, D.C. launch of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's "The Future of Natural Gas."
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Length: 01:42:00, 47 MB