Summary
Shale gas has the potential to aid progress on climate change, despite what environmentalists may believe. Policymakers should support shale gas. Without natural gas, energy companies may revert back to the burning of coal, a more damaging fossil fuel. I propose three actions the Environmental Protection Agency can take to use shale gas to its advantage in climate change goals. First, EPA should strengthen natural gas regulations and specifically base policies at the state rather than the federal level. Next, EPA should incentivize emissions cuts of all kinds to reward producers who move away from coal. Finally, EPA should promote innovation through aggressive research, development, and subsidies to make renewable energy more cost-effective in the long run.
Opposition to shale gas
Shale gas is natural gas trapped within shale formations. Fracking is a relatively new process of drilling down into the earth before a high-pressure water mixture is directed at the rock to release the gas inside. Its safety is not entirely certain. Theories show that fracking can directly contribute to seismic activity. Reports also demonstrate that fracking occasionally leads to the release of carcinogenic chemical pollution.
Environmentalists decry shale gas as a disaster to the environmental movement towards a clean energy future. Natural gas is a fossil fuel, and activists believe it will keep the United States from pursuing 100% renewable energy. Although shale gas emits roughly half the carbon dioxide levels of coal, it also releases significantly more methane, another potent greenhouse gas. Inexpensive shale gas also furthers economic growth, which ultimately translates to more emissions in this country. However, despite these objections, natural gas can be effectively applied to the United States’ energy portfolio as a bridge to renewable energy and a sustainable future.
Coal as the alternative
Shale gas should be an integral factor of a complete energy policy striving towards zero carbon emissions. Unfortunately, energy companies would revert back to coal rather than pursue renewables if the United States were to reject natural gas as a domestic energy source. Natural gas is preferable to coal, a fossil fuel responsible for three-quarters of the carbon dioxide generated in United States electricity production. Although shale gas emits more methane than coal, methane has a shorter lifespan in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide: 12 years for methane versus 200 years for carbon dioxide.
Already the shale gas boom has hindered the creation of new coal-fired power plants across the country. Policymakers’ ultimate goal should be to encourage legislation that discourages coal at all costs. A strategy of displacing coal is the best way to lower the nation’s carbon emissions. Currently natural gas is one of the few energy sources that appear more attractive than coal because of its affordability. This should be used to policy’s advantage.
Recommendation 1: Strengthening state and federal regulations
Strengthening regulation at the state level should be the first step. Rigorous energy policies are essential if shale gas is to help progress on climate change. Without stringent policy, consumers will capitalize upon natural gas’s low price tag and ultimately end up using more of it (which translates to increased emissions). Consistent measurements of gas development along with comprehensive reports of actions are a must.
Basing policy in the states rather than at the federal level will prove to be more effective. States are different from one another politically and geographically; a one-size-fits-all regulation will not work. Safety standards should be implemented federally but otherwise policy should be appropriately incorporated into the communities where extraction occurs.
Recommendation 2: Incentivizing emissions cuts
The United States government should endorse regulation that incentivizes and awards emission cuts of any kind. The hope is that coal plants will transition to natural gas while natural gas plants might switch over to renewables. Emissions reductions will follow a decline in coal production. Cap-and-trade programs and carbon taxes will support natural gas production in favor of coal. Despite current stalling of the Clean Power Plan, these two strategies should not be forgotten as effective ways to reduce emissions.
Recommendation 3: Promoting innovation for renewables
New legislation should advance policies that encourage technology innovation and zero-emission-based energy. Renewables must be made more cost-effective and feasible. Emphasis should be placed on research and development along with subsidies to encourage faster development of renewable energy technologies.
Bottom line
The nation is not yet ready to completely embrace renewable energy. In the interim, EPA should look to shale gas as a means of reaching its climate change goals. Without shale gas United States greenhouse gas emissions would be greater and the likelihood of progress on climate change unlikely – especially with the current political climate. Fossil fuels are not always the enemy. Policymakers should take advantage of shale gas’s abundance to renovate United States climate policy and to move away from coal.