Germans eye frack switch

By

 20 December 2012 23:59 GMT

Germany could become the latest European country to lift a ban on hydraulic fracturing.

Just as the UK government approved fracking, a vote in Germany’s Bundestag late last week saw Chancellor Angela Markel’s coalition government defeat motions put forward by the Green Party and Left Party that called for a ban on fracking.

The pro-fracking supporters secured 309 votes, while 259 backed the Green and Left party motions and there were two abstentions.

“We need the technology and we need natural gas as a resource won domestically,” said Andreas Laemmel of the Christian Democrats.

Assuming the fracking ban is lifted, players such as Exxon­Mobil and RWE-Dea can restart…

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