Nature published a new study that finds hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, isn't going to be the answer to our energy problems.
This is bad news for those who wish to see natural gas as a 'bridge' fuel to a clean energy future. The story's gotten wide coverage, with the AP, Guardian, National Journal, Discovery, and others weighing in with this inconvenient news.
The study is model-based, finding that a gas boom could increase use of the fuel by 170% by 2050, which would increase overall emissions. So while some tout it as an important part of an 'all of the above' energy strategy, this study shows that despite its being cleaner than coal, natural gas is still a dirty source of energy that will not reduce emissions to the levels we need.