Lancashire shale gas and the zero emissions economy

By Lancashire For Shale

08 May 2019

The Committee on Climate Change recently reported on pathways toward a net zero emissions economy by 2050.

Reducing the UK's greenhouse gas emissions to such an extent, in just 31 years, is going to prove a huge challenge and require buy-in from businesses, residents and local government alike. 

It's challenging because it will require the scrapping of all petrol and diesel vehicles and their replacement with electric alternatives, big curbs on aviation, a massive expansion in renewables and new nuclear power, and the electrification of home heating or the use of hydrogen and biomethane as fuels instead.

For perspective:

At the end of 2018, there were 39.4 million licensed vehicles on UK roads, over 80 per cent of which were cars. Just 200,000 were Ultra Low Emission Vehicles or ULEVs, 56 per cent of which were plug-in petrol-electric hybrids and 35 per cent were battery electric - which means we're currently 39.2 million short of the required target when it comes to ditching vehicles powered by the Internal Combustion Engine and swapping them for electrically-powered equivalents.

But even this assessment doesn't reveal the true scale of the problem, and that's because, currently, UELVs are more expensive, limited in style and size (most are 'city cars' which might be OK for singletons and couples, but what about larger families that holiday in the UK in a touring caravan, is there a 7-seat 4x4 for them?) and are cars when we also need to think about vans, buses and HGVs. Then there's the charging infrastructure that will be needed and the extra strains placed on the electricity grid.

When it comes to home heating, four-fifths of houses use gas central heating. That's around 23 million properties, all of which will either require that their heating systems are scrapped altogether and replaced with air or ground source heat pumps, or that their boilers are upgraded to run on hydrogen or, more likely, a mixture of fossil fuel gas, hydrogen and biomethane (gas produced from biodegradable materials like food and farm waste). According to the Energy Saving Trust, a typical air source heat pump installation will cost homeowners £9,000 on average - multiply that up for the UK as a whole to replace all those gas heating systems and that's an eye-watering £207bn. 

The expense and upheaval this transition will require are going to be epic.  And it's going to take decades to accomplish.

The role for Lancashire shale gas

While all this is happening, it's clear that we are going to continue using large amounts of natural gas - whether that's to generate electricity, around 40-50 per cent of which is produced in gas-fired power stations right now, or to heat our homes and factories. 

The problem is that more than half the gas we use is imported, and that's set to rise - particularly imports of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) that arrives in ships.

That LNG is responsible for twice the pre-combustion emissions of UK shale gas, and also 10 per cent higher lifecycle emissions. Which means that all the while we're trying to move to a footing where CO2 emissions are eliminated, we're actually going to see real-world emissions go up. Unless, of course, we stem the tide of those LNG imports and displace them with our own gas instead.

 

In responding to the Committee on Climate Change report last week, Cuadrilla's Francis Egan said they noted the assumption in the report "that the CO2 and methane emissions generated in importing natural gas into the UK over huge distances by ship and by pipeline are not to be accounted for in the UK. Imported gas therefore lands into the UK effectively emission free. This smacks of creative carbon accounting and is not a credible or safe assumption."

"This smacks of creative carbon accounting and is not a credible or safe assumption"

He's not wrong. Those rising imports will still be responsible for creating climate-changing emissions, even if we aren't accounting for them within our own borders. 

If we're serious about emissions reduction, then we need to urgently switch from imported LNG to UK shale gas.

Opportunities for county businesses too

The transition to a net zero emissions economy has more than its fair share of challenges, but creates opportunities for Lancashire businesses too.

For a start, there are all the contracts that can be performed by local businesses when it comes to extracting shale gas from beneath our feet - Cuadrilla has already pumped over £13.5m into the Lancashire economy from just two exploratory wells, and there's more where that came from. 

But then there will be all the opportunities for car breakers and car dealers, renewables installers, electrical contractors that can install EV charging points, developers of anaerobic digestion of food and farm waste to produce biomethane and, perhaps, even Gas Safe engineers that can convert existing domestic heating boilers to run on hydrogen in the future. 

These opportunities will be bigger if the various actors collaborate more.

For instance, the onshore oil and gas industry that will be responsible for extracting gas from shale needs to be working closely with the biomethane sector and those that are eager to develop hydrogen networks (producing hyrdogen cost-effectively at the scale required will rely on a process called Steam Methane Reforming, in which natural gas is the main feedstock) to ensure that shared supply chains are developed. 

The more 'clustering' of expertise we see, the better it will be. 

Enjoyed this? Read more from Lancashire For Shale

Latest news

1

Councils back Combined County Authority proposals Lancashire Devolution

Councils back Combined County Authority proposals

18 Mar 2024

2

Red Rose Awards honours best of Lancashire business Red Rose Awards Winners 2024

Red Rose Awards honours best of Lancashire business

15 Mar 2024

3

RfM Transform helps business park achieve carbon negative status HR Trends from RfM Transform (9).png.png

RfM Transform helps business park achieve carbon negative status

19 Mar 2024

4

Derelict Darwen site transformed into fully-occupied business park Mill Bank Business Park

Derelict Darwen site transformed into fully-occupied business park

18 Mar 2024

5

Ways to increase flexibility in the workplace Flexible Working LBV.jpg.jpg

Ways to increase flexibility in the workplace

18 Mar 2024

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Reach 50,000 members of the Lancashire business community

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Company profile
Social reach
Magazine coverage
Sign-up
Events
LBV115 Magazine Launch Event
DSC9389
Networking
20 Mar 2024

LBV115 Magazine Launch Event

Delta Hotels by Preston Marriott, Garstang Road, Broughton, PR3 5JB

16:00 - 18:00

Business Networking in Blackburn - BNI Vista
EVENT LISTING SIZING Vista.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
19 Mar 2024

Business Networking in Blackburn - BNI Vista

Hampton by Hilton, 2 Frontier Ave, Blackburn, BB1 3AL

06:45 - 08:30

Business Networking in Chorley - BNI Endeavour
EVENT LISTING SIZING Endeavour.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
19 Mar 2024

Business Networking in Chorley - BNI Endeavour

Oak Royal, Bury Lane, Chorley, PR6 8SW

06:30 - 08:30

Business Networking in Lancaster - Eden Business Network
EVENT LISTING Eden Business Network.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
20 Mar 2024

Business Networking in Lancaster - Eden Business Network

The Borough, 3 Dalton Square, Lancaster, LA1 1PP

18:30 - 20:30

North West Apprenticeship & Careers Expo 2024
APP EXPO 23 IMAGE.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
20 Mar 2024

North West Apprenticeship & Careers Expo 2024

Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre, Preston, PR1 2HE

12:00 - 19:00

Business Networking in Preston - BNI Diamond
EVENT LISTING BNI Diamond.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
20 Mar 2024

Business Networking in Preston - BNI Diamond

The Marriot Hotel, Garstang Road, Broughton, PR3 5JB

07:15 - 09:00

Business Networking in Accrington - BNI Zeus
EVENT LISTING SIZING Zeus.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
20 Mar 2024

Business Networking in Accrington - BNI Zeus

The Mill House, Corn Mill Yard, Accrington, BB5 5HX

06:45 - 08:30

Creative Lancashire PowWow networking
Creative Lancashire icon.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
21 Mar 2024

Creative Lancashire PowWow networking

Society1 Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

17:30 - 19:30

Business Networking in Lancaster - BNI Castle
EVENT LISTING BNI Castle.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
21 Mar 2024

Business Networking in Lancaster - BNI Castle

Vale of Lune RUFC, Powder House Lane, Lancaster, LA1 2TT

06:45 - 08:30

Business Networking in Burnley - BNI Kudos
EVENT LISTING BNI Kudos.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
21 Mar 2024

Business Networking in Burnley - BNI Kudos

Prairie Sports Village, Windemere Avenue, Burnley, BB10 2FU

06:45 - 08:30

The Allo Allo Comedy Dining Experience
Allo-Allo-Comedy-Dinner-Crow-Wood-Burnley.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Social
21 Mar 2024 - 21 Mar 2024

The Allo Allo Comedy Dining Experience

Crow Wood Hotel & Spa, Burnley, BB12 0RT

18:45 - 23:00

Business Networking in Preston - BNI Brunch
EVENT LISTING SIZING Brunch .png.png
LBV Hub Networking
22 Mar 2024

Business Networking in Preston - BNI Brunch

Samlesbury Preston Hotel, Preston New Road, Preston, PR5 0UL

09:30 - 11:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more Lbv115 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin