"Understanding the Future of Sustainable Energy"

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Natural gas electric generation has been immensely popular in the 1990's.   Natural gas can be effectively burned in premix fuel and air combustion resulting in very low pollutant emissions without the need of pre or post combustion clean up.  Due to the limited need of pre or post combustion clean up, natural gas plants can be started-up quickly and can change in power rapidly.  In addition, natural gas (CH₄) has high hydrogen to carbon ratio.  This means that much less carbon dioxide gases are emitted per power generation in natural gas generation compared to petroleum and coal electric power generation.

The drawback of natural gas generation is the fuel volatility in price.  Natural gas prices have been difficult to predict and increasing in cost with increased demand.  In addition, most of natural gas proven reserves are not in the U.S., which is a national security risk. 

Natural gas electric power generation became popular in the late 1990's as public perception  differed installation of nuclear and coal.  While the U.S. Department of Energy is pushing for increased coal generation (for natural security since large amounts of coal are available in the U.S.), it is likely that natural gas generation continue to be popular with investors. Investors might see natural gas price volatility less risky then public perception and environmental challenges of coal and nuclear. 

North American Electricity Capacity Additions Since 1950 in Megawatts (Source: 2007 Energy Information Administration Data.) [Taken from California Energy Commission]