NREL director sees lesser role for natural gas

DENVER (AP) - The director of the National Renewal Energy Laboratory says the world needs to phase out scaled-up investments in natural-gas fired power plants to blunt manmade climate change.

Dan Arvizu spoke Monday in Denver at the World Renewal Energy Forum.

Natural gas-fired power plants emit less carbon dioxide and other air pollutants than coal-fired plants. Carbon dioxide is linked to climate change.

The Denver Post reports (http://bit.ly/JDgVjk ) Arvizu said natural gas may be the bridge between using coal and renewable energy sources to generate power, but the world needs to start phasing out a scale-up of natural gas by 2040 or 2050 to meet goals for reducing carbon emissions.

He says what happens now in developing energy matters, especially in growing, developing countries, such as India and China.