Why is the United States economy booming? Well there is one man who would say it is because he was elected to the White House. I’d say that is fake news.

Over the last decade the States have been developing a strategy for exploration and extraction of shale gas, to ensure continuous supply for their business and domestic requirements. This production has given energy security to the region and provided the power requirements to industry to produce goods on a more economical basis. Reducing the cost of energy has led to cost effective production of goods, increase in national GDP and allowing business to create new jobs. But it also provides an ability to make foreign policy without handcuffs and the ransom to future energy needs.

In 2016 the UK imported 12% of its gas and 5% of its electricity from the European Union, although it was first drilled in Russia. Once we leave the EU could it be that misaligned rules would make each trade just a little less efficient, which comes at a financial cost being passed on to consumers.

The greatest issue for the domestic energy policy is nuclear generation, with 21% of the UK’s electricity coming from nuclear reactors. With Hinkley Point a long way off producing energy, the work undertaken at The Advanced Manufacturing Park (on the Sheffield/ Rotherham border) building small mobile generator systems would appear an answer which needs rapid consideration and implementing into the UK energy framework.

Nuclear fuel generation relies on the movement of nuclear construction workers, nuclear research and obviously nuclear fuel for the reactors. But in the post Brexit environment unless Government puts replacement measures in place, in time, some countries would be lawfully unable to trade nuclear material with us, leading to a fuel deficiency that puts 21% of the UK’s electricity supply at risk.

With our financial future reliant on energy, the emergence of the Russian GRU conducting manoeuvres on UK soil, with the incidents in Wiltshire. More recently the activities in the Netherlands, where the Dutch Government removed four GRU officers for alleged espionage, requires us to ensure that we are not held to energy ransom.

Is there a coincidence that the Americans’ actions and sanctions against the Russians have been more aggressive than the UK’s response, due to our reliance on gas from Putin’s homeland?

Seldom am I in a position where my judgement is divided, where my professional observations identify benefits, but these are diametrically at odds with my personal opinions. Should we consider shale gas exploration in the UK?

Having seen the financial benefits to the economy in the United State and Canada, the energy security it has provided, the creation of jobs, I can see the benefits. In the post Brexit world, with cyber attacks and death on our streets attributed to the Russian Government and the GRU how long can we be held to ransom, particularly with winter just around the corner?

However, my business and home are located in areas where licences are being sought to explore for shale. I can already identify locations where properties are remaining unsold due to the uncertainty of whether or not licence will be granted and shale drilling begins. I have read both sides of the arguments and I am totally confused as to what to believe, what is fact and/or fiction. I do not want shale exploration in my backyard if it going to affect me personally. But, I want my home to be warm in the winter, fuel prices controlled and potentially reduced and I don’t want political decisions to have to be muted because we need to do a deal with the ‘devil’.

Is it time to start a balanced discussion as to the merits or otherwise of shale production in the region?