Power Generation's Transition to Natural Gas Spells Energy Production Demand

SUGAR LAND--May 25, 2016--Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Power generation represents roughly one-third of demand for natural gas. In a market plagued by oversupply, news of increased demand could not be more welcome. Environmental regulations grow ever tighter, and coal grows less popular as a fuel choice in developed nations. Conversions to natural gas, coupled with new-build natural gas-fired power plants, means new demand for the abundant fuel. While improved efficiencies at natural gas-fueled power plants and combined-cycle configurations mean that demand may not spike as severely as some may hope, the abundance of natural gas in the U.S. makes it an economically sound choice for both new power stations as well as conversions. Within this article: Includes the amount of money spent on fuel conversions in the power industry in the U.S. as well as the number of megawatts (MW) of coal-fired power generation capacity that was retired in 2015.