If you want to understand the reality behind the politically-motivated energy policies being bandied about by Democratic presidential candidates, let Houston Chronicle columnist Chris Tomlinson spell out the absurdity of them for you in simple, forceful and factual detail:
“On my first day as president, I will sign an executive order that puts a total moratorium on all new fossil fuel leases for drilling offshore and on public lands. And I will ban fracking — everywhere,” Warren tweeted, attracting 118,000 likes. But for a candidate renowned for her meticulous plans, this promise is just stupid.
A ban on fracking is as wise and as likely as President Donald Trump’s border wall, if the president even has the power to do such a thing.
Fracking is what provides the U.S. with cheap gasoline. Fracking is what makes OPEC powerless. Fracking is what makes electricity affordable. Fracking is what makes it possible to shut down coal-fired power plants. Fracking is what gives Europe a choice besides Russian natural gas.
A ban on fracking would reverse those things, send energy prices skyrocketing and crash the global economy.
Tomlinson goes on to explain why we need natural gas and greater renewable growth, and how extreme activists are actually shooting themselves in the foot with unrealistic demands:
More importantly, the environmentalists pressuring candidates refuse to acknowledge that a fracking ban would hurt the climate far more than regulating it more effectively.
Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar have grown dramatically, but all they have done is keep up with new electricity demand. The only reason why generators can close coal-fired plants is because natural gas offers a lower-priced alternative with lower emissions.
If fracking is banned, natural gas prices will triple, and electric utilities will switch back to coal. There is not enough wind turbine or solar panel manufacturing capacity to replace natural gas generation within the next decade. And our natural gas supply depends on fracking.
Read more – Houston Chronicle
