Natural gas has been in the news a lot lately, being hailed as the solution to our energy problems on the one hand, and a potential environmental disaster on the other. Let us try to sort out the reality behind this old friend with a new face. Before we start, it might be useful to make a distinction between the natural gas that has historically been collected as a byproduct of oil drilling and the more recently promoted source known as shale gas.

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One of the main stories the New York Times ran on its front page on Friday was on how the United States is getting closer to becoming independent from foreign energy sources. Another story the newspaper ran was on Obama’s support for the southern leg of the Keystone XL oil pipeline. Both articles show how energy independence became extremely connected and depended on the rise of domestic gas and oil production.

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“Is the emergence of shale gas a positive or negative development with respect to sustainability?” This was one of the most interesting questions discussed on one of the panels at KPMG’s Global Summit last week in New York. Given the growth of both interest and dispute around shale gas, the question was basically if shale gas is a bridge to a sustainable future or a bridge to nowhere.

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President Obama made his energy vision very clear, explaining that “this country needs an all-out, all-of-the-above strategy that develops every available source of American energy. A strategy that’s cleaner, cheaper, and full of new jobs.“ Under the definition of American energy he included natural gas, offshore oil and clean energy sources like solar and wind, letting us to believe that for him these are all important parts of the energy future of the U.S. In a way, he wants to have the cake and eat it too. Is it possible? I doubt.

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I must admit that I have been heavily focused on renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, hydro and biofuels as the medium-long-term path towards meeting our growing energy needs while minimizing our impacts on the climate and the environment.  And recently I spoke out against nuclear’s role in the long-term energy mix. I am [...]

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