The British Committee on Climate Change (CCC) said burning shale gas should be allowed to meet heating demand and as a back-up for intermittent technologies like wind turbines. The controversial fossil fuel is forced out of the ground by blasting water into rocks. The committee was set up to advise the Government on how to meet a legally-binding target to cut greenhouse gases by 80 per cent by 2050.
As long as regulations are in place to stop methane leaking, CCC representative said shale gas will have lower emissions than liquefied natural gas (LNG) imported thousands of miles from abroad.
It is estimated there could be enough shale gas under the UK to heat people’s homes for 100 years, although it could be extremely difficult and expensive to access.
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