Joshua Fershee, professor of law and associate dean for faculty research and development, recently spoke at the 14th Annual Kratovil Conference on Real Estate Law & Practice in Chicago, Illinois.
Hosted by The John Marshall Law School, the conference focused on “Fracking, Energy Sources, Climate Change and Real Estate.”
Fershee’s presentation discussed the impacts of shale oil and gas on the future of personal and commercial transportation.
“When gasoline and diesel fuels prices were climbing and with concerns about climate change increasing, the appeal of alternative transportation fuels was beginning to grow,” Fershee said. “But hydraulic fracturing for shale oil and natural gas lead to dramatically lower prices for both resources.”
Fershee discussed the challenges and opportunities presented by the various fuel options in this new landscape. He suggested that the most sensible fuel switch for most residential transportation would be to electricity, via plug-in hybrid.
“With one fuel switch, electric vehicles can run on any fuel — coal, nuclear, gas, wind, solar, or hydro — that is used for electricity generation,” he said.
The Kratovil is the only conference presented by a law school that addresses the policy and practical implications of issues of concern to the real estate industry and to the attorneys who practice in the field.
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