Italy Favors Shale Gas Development

The development of European shale gas would help reduce the need for imports, hence lowering prices and strengthening the hand in negotiations for other fossil fuels, said Stefano Saglia, State Secretary, Ministry of Economic Development.

Participating in a conference entitled Impact of Shale Gas in the Global Marketplace: Energy Security in Europe, Saglia said Italy, should boost supplies of shale gas.

The country which depends heavily on energy imports due to scarce natural resources and feeds more than 50 percent of its power stations with natural gas.

"Shale gas could open new ways of energy supplies in a particularly delicate moment on the global level. Italy is in favour of looking into it."

Exploration of shale gas in Europe would have a positive effect on the European energy sector, help to reduce prices and would create a more competitive European energy market, Saglia said.

Source: Il Velino (In Italian)