Trucking companies in California have begun ordering and switching their massive fleets of trucks over to Natural Gas. In particular, Cummins has began shipping large new Natural Gas burning engines to companies in California. Leading companies such as Procter and Gamble have begun partnering with shipping companies switching over, noticing the great potential for cost minimization transportation expenses. The New York Times has published a new article going in-depth on the companies transferring to Natural Gas and the future plans for expansion.

Of all states California is by far the leader in expanding access to Natural Gas fueling stations. As well as developing an infrastructure that supports the transfer from traditional means of transportation to a more energy-efficient and sustained process. This has a significant cost in the short-term, but if the efficiency of energy extracted from Natural Gas continues to increase, California could see substantial returns on its investment.

For years California has struggled with its tense energy policies, in hopes that renewable technologies would take over as cost-effective measures and replace California’s vast energy industry. However, many of these processes have not developed at the speed California has hopped and Natural Gas can be an investment that allows the state to continue the production of its renewable resources while staying competitive.

This micro-experiment could lead to big changes on the national level. If California’s experiment with Natural Gas succeeds the state could be a model of how the Federal government could implement a policy of research and development into renewables while adapting our current energy infrastructure into a natural gas-powered energy structure.

There are some dangers to allowing Natural Gas to grow to such a grandiose extent. In many ways the country could fall back into the same trap it fell into with “Big Oil“. However, in a recent Energy Summit I attend I heard an interesting quote I believe applies to both situations and one every American should know.

“We didn’t leave the stone age for the bronze age because we ran out of stones.”

Representing that we won’t leave the oil age because we run out of oil or Natural Gas; it will be because we found something substantially better.

If we continue to invest in our future we will see substantial returns. It is obvious not all investments will pan out, but the benefits we could gain greatly outweigh the risk of inaction. Hopefully, California’s experiment will provide a model for the nation.