If you find yourself more concerned with US energy independence and not just global warming, the prospect of clean burning natural gas (methane) has to sound pretty good.  Even a number of dedicated environmentalists include the use of methane, albeit recovered from agriculture and landfills, as part of a green energy plan.  Unfortunately, that’s where the similarities end.  The energy industry and the domestic development industry aren’t interested in recovery methane that currently leaks into the atmosphere.  The industry is particluarly interested in drilling to release gas trapped in rocks under Pennsylvania another nearby states, called the Marcellus Shale.

There are numerous problems with this approach, first and foremost is that it adds greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. It is true that methane burning generates about 30% less CO2 than a gasoline engine, mile for mile and that it would be better for the planet to displace gasoline with methane, but unless and until the vast majority of methane leaking from landfills, coalmines, oil wells and agriculture is being burned for power, drilling new gas well, just adds more GHGs to the atmosphere.  The second problem and the scariest one right now, is that the method for recovering this gas from the rock formations, commonly called “Hydro Fracturing”.  Hydro fracturing sounds innocent, just pump water down the hole under pressure, crack the rock and free the methane to float to the top of the well where it is collected, cleaned and sold.  Well this is where the dirty secrets come into play, the “Hydro” in Hydro Fracturing, it’s more than just water, it also includes benzene, methanol, diesel fuel and other toxic chemicals, which the exploration companies are refusing to indentify, citing their formulas are trade secrets.  It is feared that these known carcinogens and others yet to be indentified will contaminate underground water tables, destroying the resource. The leading exploration companies using these method in the US include Haliburton, Schlumberger and BJ Services.

So, while it would be great reduce dependence on foreign oil and reduce CO2 emissions by burning methane, it really only makes sense if it takes advantage of leaking methane.  When you add in the possible damage to the water tables in the exploration areas, green energy seems worth the extra efforts and costs upfront.

Anyone who has railed against the close ties between the current administration and the fossil fuel industry has to be breathing a sigh of relief as President Elect Obama fills out his cabinet with people who believe in Global Warming and want to institute a cap on greenhouse gas (ghg) emissions.  understand that energy independence is much more likely from alternative sources than thru use of fossil fuels.

Secretary of Interior nominee, Ken Salazar, is a long time proponent of renewable energy and an opponent of developing oil shale in the western US.  The Colorado Senator told yesterday’s press conference that the country needs a technical effort equivalent to the “moon shot” to bring energy independence to the US.  He is thought to be open to the idea of business exploiting Interior Department lands, while seeking to protect wilderness and the environment.  He appears to be impressed by both the environment and the need for economic growth and the need to balance them.

The choice of Lisa Jackson for EPA administrator brings a veteran of the EPA and more recently the NJ Dept. Evironmental Protection.  She seems to be an enforcer who feels the EPA has gone easy on the US auto mileage standards, but is also criticized for “caving into business”  on enforcement issue.  Add in former Clinton admin EPA administrator Carol Browner as Presidential advisor on energy and climate change, you see a team of moderates that leans towards new environmental and regulatory changes that have been adopted by the rest of the industrial world’s countries.

I can’t tell you how angry the term “Clean Coal” makes me.  People in the coal and fossil fuel industry trumpet the term “Clean Coal” as their solution to global warming.  The idea is to take the CO2 from the coal burning plant smokestack and sequester (store) it so it doesn’t enter the atmostphere.  The idea is to pump the CO2 into the ground where it will then supposedly stay forever.  The only problem is that 1) it doesn’t exist, 2) it’s an untested theory and 3) the “science” behind it sounds a bit silly, since it assumes the stored CO2 will not leak back into the atmosphere.

The US Energy Lobby has been running ads telling us how great fossil fuels are, here is an ad for “Clean Coal” that helps to get the real message out.