Lynne Freeman, partner at international law firm Reed Smith LLP,
comments on the recent discovery of shale gas in the UK and its
potential impact on energy supply, renewables investment, and
the environment: Diversifying the UK energy supply "Based on US
experience, fossil fuels will remain a significant component of
the energy picture for the foreseeable future. However, the
shale gas developments certainly demonstrate part of a move away
from a reliance on coal powered energy. Natural gas from shale
could be a growing part of that picture for generating
electricity if the preliminary findings by Cuadrilla are as
significant as they first appear to be. There is even the
potential for shale gas to be used in fleet vehicles and other
modes of transport. "Considerable investment will of course be
needed in shale gas infrastructure if this is to be a viable
energy solution. It would therefore not merely be a
transitionary measure but a clear step away from coal towards
allocating resources to the less carbon-pro