| The
power of fuel cells
While
electricity contributes to our quality of life, current generation
methods create environmental impacts that are not globally
sustainable. Current generation technology is not very efficient
- it only converts roughly 30% of the fuel's energy into electricity.
Two-thirds of energy in the consumed fuel is wasted.
During
the last 30 years, environmental policies have focused on
the cleanliness of the waste, ignoring the environmental benefits
that would result if less fuel were utilized. New policies
should consider efficiency. This would encourage investment
in more efficient generation technology. And our parent company,
NiSource Inc., in playing a leading role in developing these
evolving technologies.
Fortunately,
today's energy market offers the promise of new, more efficient
generation technologies for residential, commercial and industrial
consumers. These technologies, including fuel cells and micro-turbines,
use clean-burning natural gas.
Associated
technologies improve efficiencies by converting the waste
heat into useful products, including heating and cooling.
Because natural gas-fired energy systems can be twice as efficient
as traditional generation, the consumer can benefit from lower
energy costs until renewable fuel technologies become commercially
viable.
The United
States has reason to take a leadership role in promoting energy
efficiency. There is an abundant domestic supply of natural
gas, the United States has excellent natural gas distribution
infrastructure, the technology has tremendous environmental
benefits and the United States can create an exportable product.
To realize the environmental and economic advantages, the
United States should be a leader in forming new policies and
programs that encourage energy efficiency.
To learn
more about how NiSource electric and gas utilities help our
customers compete successfully while enhancing environmental
protection and social responsibility, read
the NiSource Environmental, Health and Safety Progress Report.
You can
also visit the Web
site for Primary Energy, a NiSource subsidiary that develops,
engineers, and installs cogeneration plants in large and medium
scale industrial and commercial operations.
More
information
Fuel
Cells 2000: The Online Fuel Cell Information Center.
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