International Energy Agency says rules are needed because of the risks associated with fuel.
A report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) released today (29 May) has called for more regulation on shale gas extraction to counteract the potential risks.
Shale gas exploration and extraction is a controversial topic in Europe. Some member states, including France, have banned it. But the European Commission has said that shale gas-specific legislation is not necessary.
The IEA report, called ‘Golden rules for the golden age of gas’, predicts that globally the share of gas will triple to 25% of the global energy mix by 2035. Unconventional gas such as shale gas will make up 32% of the 1.6 trillion tonnes predicted for that date, the report says. Much of this increase will be due to the need to find cleaner sources of fuel. Natural gas is cleaner than coal or oil.
But unconventional gas does have drawbacks, the report warns. It also says that specific rules should be put in place for extracting shale gas because of the unique risks it poses. These should include limitations on the depth at which hydraulic fracturing – spraying a water/chemical mixture into rock to extract gas – can be undertaken.
The report will be presented tomorrow (30 May) at an event in the European Parliament.
Clean fuel source
The UK’s Guardian newspaper reported today that a specific funding tranche for low-carbon energy sources in the Horizon 2020 programme has been altered to include gas.
According to the draft document seen by the paper, the funding programme, which was originally intended to only support renewables, could now go to efficient power plants using natural gas.
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