Hobart Mercury
23 June 2011, Page: 20
I AM astonished that the Federal Government is classifying natural gas and "clean" coal as clean energy. That is absurd: both are carbon fuels that release CO₂ on burning. Further, clean coal has yet to be made and it uses a lot of energy in becoming so, if it ever does.
Gas opens up the nightmare of coal seam gas fracking fracturing a rock layer which destroys the water table and perfectly good farmland with it, not to mention methane release, which is worse for greenhouse than CO₂ and the health risks of the chemicals used in fracking.
The Government is heading down a nightmare scenario for all, except for the short term interests of mining companies. The Government is being disingenuous. Clean energy includes sources that leave no carbon footprint, like wind, tidal, solar and thermal. These are the way to go.
John Biggs, Sandy Bay
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