UK - The dash for gas, still on the blocks........
There has been a lot of talk and apparent steer to push the gas agenda ahead of other fuel options - constantly however commentators have pushed for caution on the assumption that gas would be quickly forthcoming and as a nation we should be pushing faster for the clean fuels that are already deployable and proven now to keep up with energy demands and avoid continuing costly and damaging imports.
Controversial plans to extract potentially huge reserves of shale gas from underneath Lancashire have been pushed back by at least year, after the company concerned withdrew its original planning application over environmental concerns.
Cuadrilla initially hoped to restart test drilling for shale gas reserves this year, after fracking was deemed safe by the government late last year. A ban had been imposed in 2011 following two earthquakes near Blackpool that were caused by drilling activity, but ministers eventually ruled it was safe for test drilling work to continue.
The new planning application will include a more detailed environmental impact assessment, covering the drilling phase, as well as the fracking and flow testing that had been included in the first application.
It is now unlikely that drilling activity will start until 2014.
2016 is now the earliest date gas will be fed into the grid.