Shale Gas: Pros and Cons
You might have been hearing a lot of news about shale gas, but in order to truly grasp the pros and cons of this potential energy source it is important that you first understand what shale gas is. Shale gas is a natural gas that is derived from shale rock through a process known as hydraulic fracturing.
As far as advantages go, shale gas gives off half the carbon emissions of coal. And unlike our dwindling supply of fossil fuels, shale gas can be found in great abundance right here in the good old USA. It’s estimated that there could be as much as 1,000 trillion cubic feet of usable shale gas, which could easily supply our natural gas needs for around 50 years. This could also mean a decrease in energy cost and a strengthening of our energy security as well.
Of course, there are disadvantages, as well. One of the major disadvantages ties-in largely with a major problem most green energies are facing. If you get your green energy from places like http://www.newyorkenergyrates.com/ then you might be familiar with issues such as the general lack of speed or funding in green energy research. As it stands, shale gas is far more expensive to produce. What this means for other green energy sources is that research and study into these could be slowed considerably in favor of shale, and while shale gas does have fewer emissions than coal, it still produces a significant amount of carbon emission which is still harmful to the environment.