Fracked gas is a bridge to nowhere. Reports (1, 2) suggest fugitive emissions of methane are so substantial that they completely outweigh any climate benefits of gas as compared to coal. Further, the flood of cheap natural gas in the market is having unintended consequences for renewable energy, which is being further squeezed out of the market place.

Gas is already displacing renewable energy. The costs of wind and solar are coming down all the time but they are battling for parity with fossil fuels on an asymmetric playing field. Until fossil fuels have prices that reflect their true costs to society - via a carbon tax, for example - renewables will continue to face stiff odds. The glut of cheap gas is only making these odds stiffer.