You’re probably familiar with the obvious benefits of natural gas – if not you can read more here. But you may be surprised by how natural gas significantly strengthens manufacturing in the U.S. Affordable and abundant natural gas encourages manufacturing growth, protects and creates jobs, and benefits communities around the country. Since manufacturers rely on natural gas both as a fuel and feedstock, low natural gas prices can provide a substantial competitive advantage.
This advantage is detailed in a study from IHS Economics and the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) Center for Manufacturing Research. The full study can be found here, but, in a nutshell, the study says that American natural gas has:
Additionally, construction of new pipelines led to more than 347,000 jobs, with 60,000 in manufacturing, in 2015. Total natural gas demand is poised to increase by 40 percent over the next decade. U.S. supply is expected to increase by 48 percent over the next decade to meet this new demand, driven primarily by manufacturing and power generation. Numbers don’t lie – natural gas is good for American companies, workers, and communities.