Today, inexpensive natural gas limits the market for renewable energy. Yet, substantial opportunities for renewable remain; the availability of gas is uneven across the world and accelerating climate change will require a conversion to carbon-free energy sources. Happily, competition between the two resources does not preclude cooperation since both technologies will benefit from similar policies and market structures. In the long term, natural gas can serve as a bridge to a renewable energy future if each community, acting in its own interest, supports the development of the other.

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Dr. Serchuk is Research Coordinator of the Renewable Energy Policy Project; he can be reached in College Park, MD at (301) 405-4191 or by e-mail at aserchuk@bss2.umd.edu.
Dr. Means served the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission from 1981 to 1984 as Director of Regulatory Analysis. He is now President of USI, Inc., a natural gas consultancy; he can be reached in Washington, DC at (202) 333-8505, or by e-mail at 74357.423@compuserve.com.

Abstract A Message from the REPP Article