Natural Gas: An Unconventional Story

Analytical Brief

This analytical brief explores the remarkable episode of growth that occurred in natural gas-based electricity development in the U.S. between 1990 and 2008. This boom was the product of a complex convergence of factors, including electricity restructuring, relatively low gas prices, technological innovation and a host of other interacting factors. Together, these factors drove a rush of capital investment that significantly altered the capital stock of the U.S. electricity industry. Understanding this history is critical to better understanding the competitive landscape facing renewable energy technologies today.