Resources case study summary
Fracking
Extracting shale gas
2017- work began in Preston New Road, near Blackpool
Halted in 2019 due to a 2.9 magnitude earthquake in Lancashire
Liquid is pumped into shale rock at high pressure = rock crack and gas is collected as it exits
the well
5trillion m3 in Lancashire
½ amount of CO2 than burning coal
Pollution
Small earthquakes
Investment likely to decrease and people chose renewables
Microhydro in Nepal
Diverts water from a stream/ river which is channelled to a forebay tank which removes
damaging sediment. The water then falls to a turbine via a pipeline (penstock) and a small
turbine drives a generator which produces electricity
Inaccessible settlements = economic development = metal/furniture shop, poultry/ dairy
farm, noodle factory
51kW of micro-hydro supplies 700 homes in 5 villages
Wood was previously used = deforestation = so not sustainable
Economically sustainable
Socially and environmentally sustainable – does not carry as bigger social/environmental
issues as large HEP schemes
Fracking
Extracting shale gas
2017- work began in Preston New Road, near Blackpool
Halted in 2019 due to a 2.9 magnitude earthquake in Lancashire
Liquid is pumped into shale rock at high pressure = rock crack and gas is collected as it exits
the well
5trillion m3 in Lancashire
½ amount of CO2 than burning coal
Pollution
Small earthquakes
Investment likely to decrease and people chose renewables
Microhydro in Nepal
Diverts water from a stream/ river which is channelled to a forebay tank which removes
damaging sediment. The water then falls to a turbine via a pipeline (penstock) and a small
turbine drives a generator which produces electricity
Inaccessible settlements = economic development = metal/furniture shop, poultry/ dairy
farm, noodle factory
51kW of micro-hydro supplies 700 homes in 5 villages
Wood was previously used = deforestation = so not sustainable
Economically sustainable
Socially and environmentally sustainable – does not carry as bigger social/environmental
issues as large HEP schemes
