And exactly how much energy do these cryocoolers consume per hour? If your power plant is using NG to generate your electricity, then you're still on a depletion curve. If NG becomes difficult to get hold of, then you're looking at another problem, but that one too, is related to resource depletion.

One of the points made is that the inputs for many of our materials are fossil energy - steel alloys, stainless, magnets, ceramics, silicon...  The question posed is: Can these materials be manufactured without NG. I think it is a very valid question. Heating with electricity has typically consumed more energy than heating with NG in manufacturing.

Replacing NG with electricity actually consumes more NG at the electricity generating end, and throws a very large load on the grid - that's why manufacturers have a special electric meter (called a demand meter) when they use large amounts of electricity. You get billed at the highest rate of consumption - if it's 10kw an hour for 2 minutes, then you get billed as if you are drawing 10kw an hour for everything you use. It definitely affects the bottom line, and it's there to discourage pulling a lot of juice.

These are the things a lot of us are thinking about and discussing - energy inputs and how to offset them or find alternative sources that are workable. The fossil fuel train is slowing down - we have to get off if we are to continue our journey forward.