Here on Earth, we tend to visually associate the sources of energy that fuel our lives and businesses with a particular image that we project in our minds.
For example, when we think of wind power, we think of wind turbines. The same goes for solar power, which we associate with solar photovoltaic panels. Likewise, visually associating traditional power sources like coal and oil makes us think of dark rocks and black liquids.
However, when we think about natural gas, the visual association process doesn't come as easy. This could be due to the fact that natural gas, which primarily consists of methane, is a colorless and odorless gas when found in its natural state. In fact, an odorant is added to natural gas to give it a strong odor for safety reasons.
Perhaps natural gas wouldn’t be so difficult to visualize if we were to visit Saturn’s moon Titan. In 2008 NASA’s spacecraft Cassini fulfilled its mission to tour and document Saturn and its moons, capturing some truly amazing photos. As a result of this mission we also learned that lakes and oceans of natural gas cover the surface of Saturn’s largest moon Titan. Perhaps even more interesting, we learned that it rains on Titan, but instead of water; it rains liquefied natural gas.
The determining factor for whether natural gas is in liquid or gaseous form has to do with temperature and pressure. As a result of Earth’s atmospheric pressure and global temperature, natural gas is found in a gaseous form. At minus -260® Fahrenheit, natural gas becomes a liquid. Titan’s temperature is a frigid minus -290® Fahrenheit, just the right temperature for natural gas to form and gather into flowing seas.
Regardless of whether or not you choose to visualize the notion of natural gas as a flowing ocean on a distant moon in our solar system, or simply as a gas on our planet, one thing is for sure. Those responsible for owning and operating commercial buildings and facilities know natural gas to be a reliable energy source that allows their businesses to reduce their carbon footprint and reduce their energy costs.
Florida Public Utilities Company (FPUC) wants its commercial customers to rest assured, and know that the supply of natural gas will be available for the long term, and that this abundance of natural gas will mean lower energy cost for the foreseeable future and beyond.
So the next time business owners and operators consider which energy source to choose for heating their water and cooling their buildings, take comfort in knowing that natural gas will be abundantly available here on earth, and even elsewhere in the solar system.
To take advantage of current commercial rebates, contact an FPU Representative at (888) 220--9356 or visit http://offer.fpuc.com/naturalgasbiz .
