FOR those who oppose the renewables industry, the discovery of shale gas is like the US Fifth Cavalry thundering into view. Just when it was becoming difficult to dismiss the role of the renewable sector in easing energy security fears, another argument arrives. We have no need to support or expand other renewables when energy needs can be met cheaply and efficiently through fracking.

It is, of course, good news that additional sources of energy have been identified, although the potential impact of fracking on communities is far greater than that of on-shore wind farms, for example. There is work to be done to ensure shale gas can be harnessed safely in a heavily populated country.

What’s alarming, however, is that long before these problems have been addressed (let alone the first gas extracted commercially), we are seeing demands for cuts in support for existing and new renewable energy. This risks rolling back the real achievement of the sector – which is on course to generate enough energy to power one in ten UK homes by 2015, while also helping reduce carbon emissions. In addition, costs are falling sharply as the industry benefits from economies of scale and technology improvements.

But the sector’s critics claim these impressive results are only being achieved through “Soviet-style subsidies”, which give renewables an unfair advantage and badly distort the market. This is a deliberate misreading of reality.  MORE