fracking can improve our energy security, create jobs and support the development of renewables - electricity storage

In recent days, opponents of shale gas development have held an exaggerated event.
But the facts do not support their enthusiasm for thought.
Because the reality is that many environmental activists ignore the importance of natural gas to the UK, ignore the energy security, economic and environmental benefits of domestic gas sources, and ignore the evidence of experts.
Standard shale gas production is safe.
That's why at least 10 different fracking suspension proposals have been rejected in the past few months, from the UK to California, South Africa and New Zealand.
Natural gas is one of the most versatile sources of energy we have, and it is used in five main ways to support modern life. 1.
Heating: gas accounts for about 80% of household, commercial and industrial heating, and 84% of households use gas for heating.
In each unit of energy, the price of natural gas is about the third place in the price of electricity, so for a long time to come, natural gas is still an important source of heating.
2. electricity: electricity generated by natural gas in the UK for more than a quarter. Gas-
The thermal power plant can operate continuously or as a flexible backup power supply
For intermittent power supplies, such as wind and solar, up to a large
Large-scale power storage is developed and it is difficult to have renewable energy without natural gas.
3: Food: Natural gas is a key component of nitrogen fertilizer for farmland in the UK for about three quarters to help produce food.
4. consumer goods: at some point in the production process, it is difficult to find finished products that do not use natural gas.
One of the most common processes is to "break" ethane into ethylene, which is then used as building blocks for everyday products such as food packaging, textiles, adhesives, tires and window frames.
More than 800,000 people work in the UK's energy-intensive industries and their supply chains.
5: Transportation: compared with diesel and natural gas-
Electric vehicles emit less carbon dioxide, less harmful air pollutants, and are quieter.
Reading now has a batch of CNG-
There is great potential to expand the number of buses and trucks driven by natural gas rather than diesel.
That's why most of the scenarios for future energy use in the UK envision gas continuing to work.
The State Grid has dispelled the idea of not being able to use natural gas with renewable energy and emission reduction targets.
Its "green" vision includes all the environmental targets that have been achieved, reducing emissions by 34 by 2020 and 60 by 2035, while, according to projections, by 2020, renewable energy will account for the UK's total energy, an increase of 32 by 2035.
In this case, the overall gas usage in the UK is expected to be 71.
In 2015, it was 9 billion cubic meters, down to only 64 m³. 1 bcm in 2035.
Ten years ago, Britain was a self.
Gas supplies are plentiful, but since then production has fallen sharply in the North Sea.
We now import about half of our gas, and UK import dependency is expected to rise to three quarters by 2030.
This is the key reason for the development of shale gas-replacing imported natural gas with domestic natural gas.
This can bring economic and environmental benefits.
A study by Ernst & Young found that 33 billion pounds could be invested in the next 20 years, creating 64,500 jobs during peak production periods.
A lot of such work will be very
Skilled in technology
Many of the 450,000 jobs created by the UK's offshore oil and gas industry are paid.
In addition, enter the competition-
Pricing raw materials is a key factor in the survival of major petrochemical plants such as Grangemouth-which is why major manufacturing companies like Ineos are preparing to import ethane from the United States and explore shale Britain in the United States.
Domestic production of natural gas can reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Importing natural gas through tankers in the form of liquefied natural gas is an energy-intensive process because natural gas needs to be frozen, transported, and thengasified.
Many overseas countries do not have the same environmental controls as we do in the UK, which means that methane leaks during production can be much higher.
Shale gas is no threat to renewable energy.
Natural gas is mainly used for heating, while renewable energy is mainly used for power generation.
So they perform different functions throughout the energy system.
As the US energy secretary, Ernest Moniz, recently said, "we should not forget that in the past four to five years, during the shale gas boom, we see solar and thermal energy double in the US and we expect to double in the next five years or so.
But what about safety?
There are a large number of independent reviews in the UK, including the Royal Society of England and the Royal College of Engineering, the British School of Public Health, Professor MacKay and Dr. stone of the British water society, and the Chartered Institute for Water and Environmental Management has concluded that the environmental and health risks of shale production are low in an appropriately regulated industry.
Independent studies at Duke University and other universities in the United States have found that fracking does not cause water pollution in any case.
The chief medical officer of the Colorado School of Public Health recently denied claims that fracking caused birth defects.
The conclusions of these independent reviews are supported by the recent assessment of Cuadrilla's two planning applications by Lancashire council planning officials.
Despite the rejection of these applications, the rationale for this recommendation is noise, traffic for a site-both of which are local common development issues.
With regard to all other environmental and health issues raised by opponents of shale gas development, the report of the planning officer found that the risk or impact was low and there was no reason to suggest a rejection.
The shale gas produced in Britain is not a panacea for all of our energy needs,
This is what one of the industry once claimed.
But it can improve our energy security, create jobs and support the development of renewable energy.
We should not give up this opportunity easily.
UKOOG is the representative agency of the UK onshore oil and gas industry, including exploration, production and storage. www. ukoog. org.