Is Boris Johnson really going to bring back fracking?

An ‘energy independence plan’ will hint at lifting the ban on shale gas exploration – but that does not mean drilling will begin, writes Rob Merrick

Fracking is hugely unpopular, because of earthquakes and the noise, pollution and disruption (PA Media)

Tory hearts began to beat a bit faster when, asked if fracking is coming back because of the energy crisis sparked by the Ukraine war, No 10 pledged to “look at all options”.

For some reason, drilling for shale gas – like grammar schools, measuring in pounds and inches and being beastly to the BBC – is an issue that excites many Conservatives in a way bewildering to most people.

Combine that with a prime minister still battling for his political future, even if Russia’s invasion has temporarily stabilised his position, and it is no surprise that the ban on fracking is now in doubt.

But is the controversial move really on the agenda, or is this simply “red meat” dangled for show before hungry Tory backbenchers? And is fracking the answer to our energy headaches anyway?

The answer to the second question appears to be a clear “no”, because the problems that led to the ban in the first place still haunt the pro-frackers, more than two years later.

Iain Conn, the former boss of energy firm Centrica, poured scorn on the idea, arguing it is impossible to “drill enough wells to make a material difference to the UK’s supplies”.

The business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng – who would have to drive forward a fracking policy – appears to agree, arguing only last month that “fracking is not the answer to the energy crisis”.

If such views do not convince Mr Johnson, he will definitely focus on the firm opposition of local people in areas with shale gas, often in red-wall seats crucial to his re-election chances.

Fracking is hugely unpopular, not just because of the earthquakes that make the headlines, but because of the noise, pollution and disruption from all the lorries needed to haul wastewater to disposal sites.

No doubt, when the government’s delayed “energy independence plan” finally appears, it will include a nod towards fracking – but that does not mean the drillers will ever move in.

Instead, the real action is likely to be a big expansion of solar power, some new – even more controversial – North Sea oil and gas fields and, perhaps, a rebirth for onshore wind farms.

Such projects are being allowed to bid for subsidy contracts, alongside other renewables, a quiet shift away from David Cameron’s ban, and planning hurdles could also be relaxed.

There are, we are told, nearly 650 onshore wind and solar schemes with planning permission that could go ahead if given government financial support.

Experts say they – unlike fracking – could deliver the prize of replacing Russian gas, while creating skilled jobs, but they are hated by the increasingly noisy Net Zero Scrutiny Group of Tory MPs.

Is the idea to distract with the dead cat of fracking, while the real plan is a very welcome shift to green energy?