New York has already eliminated coal from its electricity grid. Today, roughly 47% of NY's electricity comes from natural gas, with nuclear, hydropower, and renewables making up most of the rest. Petroleum products still serve as backup fuel for power plants and heat millions of homes downstate.
Under the CLCPA, New York must reach 100% zero-emission electricity by 2040. The Governor needs your recommendation: as NY builds out solar, wind, and storage, which fossil fuel — natural gas or petroleum — should be prioritized for phase-out first?
This activity has three parts. Complete each before moving on. Your full work will be submitted at the end. Use the 🔊 Listen buttons to hear any section read aloud. Hover over underlined gold words for instant definitions.
EROEI measures how much usable energy you get back for every unit of energy spent extracting a fuel. The higher the value, the more energetically efficient the source. If EROEI drops below 1:1, extracting the fuel costs more energy than you gain — making it useless as a net energy source.
Click any fuel bar below to read details about it.
EROEI tells us about energy efficiency — but it says nothing about the harm caused by extracting and burning a fuel. Below is real data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Nuclear is included for comparison — NY gets ~22% of its electricity from nuclear, so understanding its trade-offs matters for any realistic transition plan.
| Metric | Coal | Petroleum | Natural Gas | Nuclear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EROEIenergy return ratio | ~46:1 | ~18:1 | ~10:1 | ~14:1 |
| CO₂ Emissions lbs per million BTU | 228 Highest | 160 Medium | 117 Lowest fossil | ~12 Lifecycle ~0 operational |
| SO₂ Emissions SO₂ causes acid rain | Very High | Moderate | Near Zero | Near Zero |
| Particulate Pollution respiratory health risk | High | Moderate | Very Low | Near Zero |
| Water Contamination Risk | High Ash runoff, acid mine drainage |
Moderate Pipeline leaks, ocean spills |
Moderate Fracking fluid, well casing failures |
Low chemical risk High thermal cooling water use (returned to source) |
| Methane Leakage Risk Methane = 80× CO₂ potency (20-yr) | Low | Low | ⚠ High Leaks during fracking & pipeline transport |
Near Zero |
| Radioactive Waste | None | None | None | High-Level Spent fuel rods remain radioactive for thousands of years; no permanent U.S. storage site exists |
| Reserve Life at current global consumption | 200+ years | ~50 years | ~60 years | ~130 years (uranium; longer with breeder reactors) |
| NY Grid Share (2025) | ~0% Already eliminated |
~1% Backup & heating oil |
~47% Largest single source |
~22% Second-largest source |
New York has eliminated coal. Under the CLCPA, it must reach 100% zero-emission electricity by 2040. Currently ~47% of NY electricity comes from natural gas and ~1% from petroleum (which also heats millions of homes). As a state energy analyst, recommend which fossil fuel — natural gas or petroleum — NY should prioritize phasing out first as it expands renewables.
Your memo must: (1) state a clear recommendation, (2) support it with at least two specific data points from your analysis, and (3) acknowledge at least one trade-off or limitation. Minimum: 100 words. Write in a direct, professional tone.