EXCLUSIVE: 75% of Scots would prefer to use onshore UK shale gas rather than imported LNG 

EXCLUSIVE by Scottish Energy News 

The vast majority of people in the UK (79.5%) – and also in Scotland (76%) – have said they would prefer to use UK shale gas over imported Liquefied Natural gas (LNG). 

The survey of 500 people by market research company Usurv on 24 October, on behalf of CNG Services, found nearly eight in 10 Britons (and 3 in 4 Scots) would use shale gas for their central heating rather than imported LNG.

The survey also showed that:

• The lower the income, the more favourable people were in terms of using UK gas – with 84% in the less than £10,000 groups choosing UK shale, and
• More than 90% of over 65 year olds gave the thumbs up to shale, as did 85% of 18–24 year olds, showing support for using UK produced gas extended through all age groups.

Plans have recently been approved for fracking at Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road site at Little Plumpton in Lancashire – where 75% of people in North West England said they are in favour of using UK shale for heating.

Question

If you had gas central heating, would you prefer your home to be heated by safely produced low GHG shale gas from the UK (that pays production tax) or imported LNG shipped from the Middle East (that pays no tax on production)?

AREA                           ANSWER

                                    UK Shale           Imported LNG from the Middle East

East Anglia                   79%                  21%

East Midlands               80%                  20%

London                         83%                  17%

North East England       81%                  19%

North West England      75%                  25%

Scotland                       76%                  24%

South East England       73%                  27%

South West England      79%                  21%

Wales                           80%                  20%

West Midlands              92%                  8%

Yorkshire                      71%                  29%

N. Ireland                     85%                 15%

UK AVERAGE              79.5%               20.5%

John Baldwin, Managing Director of CNG Services –  who is one of the architects of the renewable gas industry in the UK – commented: “The overwhelming preference for UK shale clearly demonstrates that the public are positive about building an onshore gas sector in the UK.

 “It doesn’t make sense to import LNG thousands of miles when we are standing on natural gas which we can safely extract and inject straight into our gas grid to heat our homes.  It seems that, with the assurance that regulation will ensure safe extraction, people are enthusiastic about building a UK shale industry.”

“It has always been very difficult to understand why environmental activists are opposed to shale gas – as gas is the ideal fuel for back-up generation for intermittent wind and solar, especially if produced in the UK with a much lower carbon footprint than imported LNG.

 “Shale gas will give the UK a massive financial boost and the tax received can be used to fund gas demand reduction and renewables. Even better if the US and Qatar LNG that is not needed in the UK goes to China and helps coal to stay in the ground. 

“I am thrilled that the gas under our family farm can be used to help the entire planet to reduce its carbon footprint and create wealth for Lancashire folk.”

John Baldwin is Chairman of the Renewable Energy Association Biogas Group and was the instigator of the ‘not for profit’ Green Gas Certification Scheme.

See also: Euro-MPs welcome imports of US shale gas into Scotland/ EU-bloc

http://www.scottishenergynews.com/euro-mps-welcome-imports-of-us-shale-gas-into-scotland-eu-bloc/