A recent survey indicates strong opposition in Australia to gas fracking, and majority support for expanding renewable energy with battery storage over expanding gas-fired power generation generally.
What Is Gas Fracking?
Gas fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is a process used to extract natural gas (methane) from rock formations by injecting fluid consisting of water, sand and chemicals under high-pressure into the rock to create fractures. This then allows the gas to flow to the surface.
Many chemicals used in gas fracking are considered toxic or potentially so to human health and the wider environment. The Western Australian Government has a list of chemicals/substances used in fracking here. There’s a lot of them – various biocides, friction reducers, acids, salts, solvents and more.
These chemical cocktails can poison ground/surface water and threaten wildlife. Among other fracking issues are flaring and fugitive emissions (leaking) of methane; a powerful greenhouse gas with more than 28 times the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of carbon dioxide. And on the consumption side, using gas appliances in the home – whether the gas is extracted using conventional or unconventional methods – poses health risks and creates more greenhouse gas emissions.
In Australia, fracking is permitted in the Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales, a small slice of Western Australia and some parts of South Australia. There’s a permanent ban on the practice in Victoria and a temporary ban in Tasmania until at least 2030.
Gas Fracking Survey Says …
Market Forces commissioned a survey carried out by YouGov in February this year in relation to the views of Australians on fracking. The survey involved 1,880 Australian citizens aged 18+.
A summary of some of the results:
- 46% of Australians surveyed were opposed to fracking, while only 28% supported it.
- 56% believe that it would not benefit all Australians given the vast majority of gas extracted in Australia (estimated at 80%) is shipped overseas.
- Only 38% believed gas fracking is needed to bridge gas “shortages” in Australia.
- 31% agreed it would reduce household energy bills, while 31% disagreed.
- 51% agreed gas fracking brings more problems than benefits to local communities (20% disagreed).
- 65% agreed the practice is harmful to the environment, including water sources (11% disagreed).
- 41% think arguments from companies in favour of gas fracking are untrustworthy, compared with 20% who disagree with this.
And in a strong signal to financial institutions, 35% of bank and 38% of superannuation fund customers would consider switching if they learned the institution they currently deal with were funding companies involved in the expansion of gas fracking.
“The results from this survey are clear: there is no social license to expand gas fracking in Australia,” says Market Forces.
Renewables Vs. Gas Power
59% of Australians participating in the survey agreed expanding renewable energy such as wind and solar power backed by battery storage is preferable to expanding gas-fired power generation; while just 23% disagreed (18% neutral). The very interesting aspect here was the proportion of fracking supporters preferring renewables over gas power expansion was 45%. 41% disagreed and 14% were neutral.
The full survey report can be viewed here.
On a related note, learn how getting off gas saves you money (and how much); and how getting into solar energy for your home instead can save you even more.
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