Methane leaks could negate climate benefits of US natural gas boom: report

[xchrom]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/jun/04/methane-leaks-negate-climate-benefits-gas


There is also a growing body of evidence that the release of methane gas from well sites and pipelines is far higher than previously thought. Photograph: Daniel Acker/Getty Images


Methane leaks could undo the climate change benefits of America's natural gas boom, a new report said on Tuesday.

The report, produced by the Centre for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES), said America's shift from coal to gas had produced important climate gains.

Carbon dioxide emissions fell last year to their lowest point since 1994, according to the Department of Energy. Energy-related carbon dioxide emissions were 12% below 2005 levels.

But the report said those reductions were not enough, on their own, to escape the most catastrophic consequences of climate change.

[limpyhobbler]

1. It seems like USA Inc. is already committed to natgas drilling no matter what.

I doubt it matters what scientists say or what people want. The industry has enough money to sell their lies and buy politicians so it seems like drilling is going to continue as long as it is profitable.

[eppur_se_muova]

2. No one could have predicted that gas could leak out ...

[Socialistlemur]

3. I thought we had discussed this a couple of days ago

This item was brought up a couple of days ago. I concluded there's a need to investigate this further, but I still support natural gas development because it does reduce CO2 emissions. When I pointed out the need for additional research I brought up a concern: if natural gas production emits methane, what about coal mining? Coal is known to have adsorbed methane, this is the reason for coal mine explosions. Therefore killing natural gas to encourage coal burning sure seems crazy if the coal mining operations do emit methane.

I would also like to mention that I saw references to intense lobbying in the UK by nuclear power interests. They want the UK to decarbonize and build nuclear power plants. I suspect many innocent environmentalists are having their opinion shaped by powerful industrial behemoths who want subsidies or a preferential treatment. Be careful.

[Trainer12]

4. Extracting More Fossil Fuel is too expensive, too dangerous and totally unnecessary for our energy

If you think that natural gas extracted by fracking is better than coal or oil, I think you need to look again. If you look at the NY Times "Drilling Down" series, the articles and stories in the StateImpact.NPR.org/PA and read the research of Jacobson and Delucchi starting with the Nov 2009 issue of Scientific American, the Feb 2011 and the March 2013 issues of Energy Policy, you can only come to the conclusion that fossil fuel is too dangerous, too expensive and totally unnecessary for our energy needs. Germany will reach 80% renewable energy by 2016 and shut down all of the nuclear power plants by 2022. Why is it that all the political parties in Germany are united behind this plan, from left to right? The German Parliament building, the Bundestag, is powered by solar and biomass diesel generators fueled with canola oil. In contrast the US Capital Building in Washington, DC is powered by coal. What we lack is not the technology or resources to get off fossil and nuclear fuel, but the political will.