The Solution to Rising Gas Prices in an Industrial Economy

The industrial economy, just like every other economy or vertical, is driven by fossil fuels. Without a non-renewable fuel source, production and business would grind to a halt. Most modern engines use diesel or other crude oil based fuels to power massive industrial machinery. It doesn’t matter if it is a mining drill, a farming tractor, or a power generator. For better or worse, industry needs fuel.

There are several issues with traditional crude oil fuel products. First and foremost, it is a non-renewable resource. As oil consumption grows, the amount left in our world decreases until industry will no longer function under the high fuel prices.

The second issue is that oil is a dirty fuel that releases heavy amounts of pollutants as it is burned for power. This is not a new issue, but has been seen as manageable up till recently. Traditionally, machine manufacturers have engineered new, more efficient machines rather than find a new fuel source to deal with this issue.

The third issue is oil spills or combustion hazards. The extraction and transportation of crude oil is not immune to accidents – sometimes deadly, always costly. The effects are long lasting on the local wildlife and the ethics of industry can create some difficult grey areas.

The best solution is to use compressed natural gas as a fuel source. It is not a new technology, but certainly a growing technology in recent years.

Every year, adoption of compressed natural gas (CNG) engines increases by 30%. The select barrier of the technology so far has been lack of adoption, and this barrier is quickly eroding. Most early adoption comes from the industrial economy, and investing in this new technology means preventing an eventual gas-out.

The benefits of CNG compared to crude oil gasoline are numerous. Since the gas does not have lead, spark plugs are not fouled. The engines have lower maintenance costs. The entire fuel system is sealed, preventing leakage and loss of fuel. It is also much less likely to ignite, and if it does, it produces far fewer damaging chemicals into the air.

Finally, the vehicles are safer and the methane can be gathered from cows. The naturally occurring gas is renewable thanks to a growing biotech sector, and it brings much less risk to the natural world. In the end, much of the industrial costs from safety, ecology, and even fuel prices are reduced.

The lower price point and increased safety make a natural gas driven industrial economy much healthier. As adoption increases, prices will begin to decrease. This will in turn drive down the demand and cost of oil gasoline. A strong economy starts with the industrial economy and choosing clean natural gas engines could efficiently grow both.

Rln Energy Services is an Edmonton, Alberta based corporation providing sales of heavy industrial or commercial power equipments.