<i>Natural gas will stick around until utility scale batteries ramp up...</i><p>Batteries have improved over time, but I&#x27;m not convinced that they&#x27;ll see the vast improvements necessary in order for them to replace natural gas for a <i>long</i> time. If natural gas really must be replaced the most logical alternative might be ammonia.<p>Ammonia has hydrogen&#x27;s good properties: not a greenhouse gas, doesn&#x27;t cause smog, numerous production methods including electrolysis, easily transported in liquid form, can be used in fuel cells or in ICEs. However it doesn&#x27;t embrittle, in liquid form it&#x27;s actually denser in hydrogen atoms than liquid hydrogen is, and due to its agricultural applications there is already an established distribution infrastructure (in the Midwest, at least).