Vince Cable says Shale gas won't be a reality in UK for at least a decade

Experts and drilling companies have been saying this all along yet in UK Govt, particularly and worryingly at very senior level this advice and wisdom has been constantly ignored.  This is without the need really face and tackle the environmental and logistical concerns fracking bring.  Its really heartening to at last hear this from a senior politician.

Vince Cable, the business secretary, has said shale gas would not be a reality in the UK for at least a decade, and that energy policies should focus on renewable energy.

Shale gas is a long-term possibility for the UK and should not be a key plank of energy policy for the next decade, one of the most senior Liberal Democrats in the cabinet has warned.
               
His views are at odds with the attitude of many senior members of the Tory party, who have spoken out in favour of shale gas exploitation as a form of indigenous energy that could bring down energy bills and an alternative to investment in renewable energy. Not even the Govt's own research committee's appear to have accepted that as a possibility.

David Cameron, the prime minister, recently announced that the government was going "all out" for shale gas. But Cable was notably cooler, telling the Guardian: "Shale gas is a long-term possibility - no more than that."

He said renewable energy offered more immediate opportunities. "Big renewable energy commitments in offshore wind, and nuclear - these are things that are actually happening, are going ahead."

He added: "I do realise there are some people who are a bit carried away with shale gas."

Sensibly, Cable also strongly criticised Ed Miliband's pledge that energy companies would face a freeze on domestic energy bills if Labour should win the next election.

"The Labour party freezing energy has freaked out some energy companies. They do not know if they will be allowed to make money. That is a political intervention that has not been helpful."

Lets hope that the ''others'' start to listen.  If you search fracking and shale gas on this blog you will see many entries on this topic over the past months.

From the Guardian