Penn State researchers have detected a massive natural gas reservoir in the northern Appalachia. The Marcellus black shale covers hundreds of miles in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio and West Virginia, and is estimated to contain a substantial reservoir of natural gas, somewhere in the neighborhood of 516 trillion cubic feet.

The potential to produce more than 50 trillion cubic feet of natural gas annually would be nearly double current U.S. production, and could greatly impact the natural gas market once the gas is extracted, though it's too early to speculate whether natural gas prices would drop due to the supply increase. What is evident is that the find is a significant step in pushing this country toward energy independence with an abundant fuel resource that produces a smaller percentage of greenhouse gases as well.

The South Georgia Division of the Clean Cities Coalition is encouraging residents in South Georgia to adopt alternative fuels at work and home. Offering the potential of propane, natural gas, ethanol and even fuels made from yeast waste, the options for switching from traditional fossil fuels are becoming more and more viable.

Natural gas is a unique way to power your vehicle, with many companies offering small converters that can be installed in existing vehicles. The tax incentives for purchasing a natural gas or ethanol-based vehicle are reason enough to consider the switch. All of these options are likely to be part of Clean Cities' push in Georgia for a reduction in petroleum consumption.

One additional possibility is producing biofuel from excess chicken fats, and considering Georgia is the chicken capital of the world, it to could be an alternative energy that is cost-effective to produce for commercial and consumer use.

Recent reports from the Energy Information Administration shows that U.S. natural gas reserves have now reached over 211 trillion cubic feet, a three percent increase in 2006, and the highest level since 1976. Yipee!

With the recent depletion of oil reserves in the Gulf and Alaska, and the obvious strain on foreign oil imports driving prices up, it's refreshing to know that natural gas supply is consistently growing. Considering 21 percent of total energy consumed in the U.S. comes from natural gas, it's comforting to know that there is a cleaner, safer alternative to oil, coal and nuclear power in an often volatile energy industry.

So Georgians, enjoy the benefits of cleaner, more affordable energy with natural gas. With the lowest carbon emissions of any fossil fuel, a high standard of maintenance and safety, and a competitive, deregulated natural gas market, Georgia is a great place to order natural gas.

Local Texas dairy farms are supplying Huckabay Ridge—the nation's largest manure-to-natural-gas plant— with truckloads of cow manure, as the facility aims to convert enough manure into methane and eventually natural gas, to power nearly 11,000 homes.

The process is relatively involved, taking the substance through a production process that uses 10 manure truckloads per day. The average dairy cow produces more than 15 gallons of manure per day. 900,000 gallon tanks digest the waste for weeks to generate methane, which is then sent through the purification process to be distributed through a gas pipeline.

California utility Pacific Gas and Electric is expected to begin purchasing natural gas from Huckabay Ridge next year, with more companies expected to follow suit as the agricultural industry looks for additional ways to produce natural fuel resources.

Everything you ever wanted to know about natural gas in Georgia is just a click away. With the suite of tools provided by Squidoo.com, Georgians now have a great resource for natural gas literacy. Learn about deregulation, natural gas history, ways to save on your gas bill, natural gas and the environment and so much more. Visit, rejoice, dance, click with abandoned constraint and connect to your natural gas Mecca today.

Power Your Georgia Home with Natural Gas

One of the biggest landfills in Georgia's Dekalb County is working with Atlanta Gas Light (AGL) to convert methane into natural gas. The $25 million project estimates producing enough natural gas to power 20,000 homes, and is expected to produce fuel for 18-20 years.

Atlanta Gas Light—a natural gas distributor in Georgia—operates and maintains gas pipes and meters, allowing gas marketers such as Catalyst Natural Gas, SCANA Energy, MXenergy and Gas South to sell natural gas to consumers. With the landfill projected to produce 1.4 billion cubic feet of natural gas annually, Georgians will continue to have access to a low-cost, renewable fuel source in the near future.

Nearly three-quarters of American homeowners are concerned that home energy costs will strain their household finances over the next year, according to a survey conducted by Impulse Research for MXenergy. And while energy costs are very top-of-mind and of great concern to Americans, the research found that only 30 percent have come to understand how home energy prices are set, and a whopping 90 percent feel they have limited or no control over their home energy costs.

The themes of confusion and lack of control were common threads in the survey findings. For example, less than one-quarter of respondents said they completely understood the different sections of their energy bill.

And, despite being mandated in several states and local utility districts, energy deregulation is neither understood nor even heard of by 60 percent of homeowners surveyed.

"This study shows that consumers sense a real loss of control when it comes to managing their energy bills," said MXenergy President and Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Mayer. The extreme volatility we've seen in energy prices in recent years is likely to continue, so it's important that consumers understand the steps they can take to keep costs under control."

Ninety percent of respondents reported making lifestyle changes in the past year due to higher energy prices, such as using efficient florescent light bulbs and turning off electronic equipment when leaving a room. More than one-third reported that they have cut back spending in other areas to offset high home energy costs.

"It is wonderful to see that consumers are making changes in their energy habits that also happen to be good for the environment,"continued Mayer. "We urge all homeowners to evaluate whether they are taking full advantage of all opportunities to manage their home energy costs."

Are you confused about natural gas deregulation in Georgia? Looking for tips on conserving energy? Check out GasGeorgia.com's Natural Gas Consumer Resources.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Alexander Karsner announced in September that DOE will award $6 million to fund 22 federal-state partnerships that will create innovative initiatives to increase energy savings in residential and commercial buildings. These state partnership grants will help implement training programs, and provide technical assistance and education that will ultimately result in the construction of more energy-efficient buildings.

"This $6 million dollars...will help reduce our reliance on foreign energy sources, increase energy efficiency and help implement alternative methods of changing ways to power our homes and businesses," said Karsner. "The Energy Department is eager to assist with increasing energy efficiency throughout states as well as contributing to the construction more state-of-the-art energy efficient facilities."

DOE's Building Technologies Program, within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, will oversee funding for these partnerships. DOE anticipates providing $3.9 million for these projects in FY 2006, with the remainder funded in FY 2007 and FY 2008.

Included in the state partnerships selected, subject to negotiation, is the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (GEFA) - Southeastern High Performance Buildings. The GEFA is an agency of the state government of Georgia, created by an act of the Georgia General Assembly in 1983, whose purpose is to improve the quality of life in Georgia through greater energy efficiency, improved water quality, improved solid waste management and recycling, and reduced fuel storage tanks on state property.

For more information, visit www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/.