The energy crisis in Europe may give the green light to shale gas production, which was shelved in the past due to the reactions of environmentalists, as in coal and nuclear energy.
For many years, European Union (EU) countries have turned to environmentalist transformation-oriented policies against climate change instead of energy supply security.
The energy crisis after the Russia-Ukraine war led Europe to evaluate alternatives that prioritize energy supply and security rather than environmentalist approaches in its energy strategy, and to make different choices.
– COAL EXIT STOPPED
In the last 30 years, European countries have put into practice plans and programs to give up coal resources, especially with the effect of increasing climate and environmental sensitivity.
Many EU member states have turned to shutting down or reducing production from coal mines and power plants that have contributed to energy supply security for many years and have been operating cost-effectively.
The share of thermal power plants, which provided 40 percent of electricity production in the EU in 1990, decreased every year, and the share of coal declined to 13 percent in 2020.
However, the economic revival after the Kovid-19 epidemic, the tension in relations with Russia and the problems experienced in alternative energy sources increased the interest in coal again.
While electricity production from coal increased to 15 percent in 2021, this situation accelerated especially with the war.
This year, the share of coal in the electricity production of EU countries is expected to reach 20 percent.
Leading European countries such as Germany, France, England and Austria prepared coal plans against a possible interruption in natural gas supply from Russia.
These countries have turned to reopening their coal plants or extending the operating periods of the plants that are planned to be closed.
– RETURN OF NUCLEAR PLANTS
The energy supply crisis also caused changes in the plans and programs to exit nuclear energy.
European countries began to worry about the safety of nuclear power plants after the 2011 leak at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan.
During this period, the reasonable prices of fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas and coal in global markets, environmentalist public pressure in Europe and the decrease in renewable energy investments to reasonable prices started the process of exiting nuclear power plants.
The energy crisis has changed the approach of many countries towards nuclear energy, especially in Europe.
France has announced its plan to build 14 new nuclear reactors and invest in small modular reactor (SMR) technologies by 2050.
In the UK, the government has approved the Sizewell C nuclear power plant, which is planned to be built in the southeast of the country.
Germany has started to work on extending the operating periods of 3 nuclear power plants.
Belgium has extended the operating period of 2 nuclear power plants, which were previously planned to be shut down, by 10 years.
The Netherlands started planning 2 new nuclear reactor investments.
Poland also turned to preliminary studies for nuclear investments.
The Russia-Ukraine war is pushing the EU countries, which are in a difficult situation in energy, into a corner.
European countries are considering every option to combat the rapidly rising energy bills and security of energy supply, and question the choices they made in the past.
– ROCK GAS OPTION
At this point, the change of European countries’ approaches and programs towards coal and nuclear created a similar possibility for shale gas.
Especially with the shale gas revolution of the USA, it has become a self-sufficient country in both oil and gas, and its exportation of these products is followed closely in Europe.
The rapid rise in natural gas prices in the recent period, technological progress in the field of shale gas extraction and the fact that the cost of extracting this gas has decreased to more reasonable levels than supplying it from other countries increases the interest in this resource.
Currently, there is no shale gas production in Europe.
Making evaluations to the AA correspondent on the subject, EU Commission Spokesman Tim McPhie stated that there is no ban on the use of shale gas by member states.
“According to EU agreements, member states are free to choose their energy sources, including shale gas.” McPhie pointed out that if their country decides to use shale gas, they should apply the relevant EU legislation.
– ROCK GAS IS ON THE AGENDA
“Shale gas has clearly re-emerged on the political agenda of some European countries,” said Simon Dekeyrel, Energy Expert at the Brussels-based think tank European Policy Center (EPC). said.
Dekeyrel pointed out that both prime minister candidates in England support the shale gas works in the country.
Noting that the structural restrictions that prevented shale gas activities in Europe at the beginning of the 2010s still continue, Dekeyrel stated that they expect these to direct the governments to other measures such as accelerating the use of renewable energy sources and increasing energy efficiency against the current crisis.
Dekeyrel stated that there is a more unfavorable geological structure, higher population density, strict regulatory frameworks, opposition and strong environmentalist groups in Europe compared to the USA, and that these prevented the shale gas revolution in Europe.
Stating that environmental concerns about shale gas still continue, Dekeyrel said, “As the energy crisis in Europe intensifies, it is likely that short-term security of supply will surpass these environmental concerns.” he said.
European countries have also focused on various studies on shale gas in the last 10 years.
In the EU reports containing the data of the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), it was determined that the shale gas reserve, which is technically possible to extract in Europe, is approximately 13.3 trillion cubic meters.
The largest reserves are in Poland with 4.2 trillion cubic meters, France with 3.9 trillion cubic meters and Romania with 1.4 trillion cubic meters, Denmark with 900 billion cubic meters, England and the Netherlands with 700 billion cubic meters, Germany with 500 billion cubic meters. and in Bulgaria.
In the current situation in European countries, there is a very negative public perception about shale gas. In order to extract shale gas, a large amount of water under high pressure must be mixed with sand and chemicals and given to the ground.
This process and the risks it entails are harshly criticized by environmentalists.
In Europe, the high population density and the availability of fertile agricultural lands in the regions where shale gas reserves are determined reveal another problem.
When a step is taken on the issue of shale gas, the people of the region organize violent protests against it and prevent the work.
European countries, which do not extract shale gas on the grounds that it has harmful consequences for the environment, do not hesitate to take the resources extracted by the USA using the same method.
The liquefied natural gas (LNG) that the USA has recently exported to EU countries is supplied from shale gas resources in the country.
If the war in Ukraine continues, energy prices stay at high levels for a long time, and the problems in energy supply security continue, the approach of the public and authorities in Europe to shale gas is likely to soften.