This Week's Wackiest Energy Story Has an Investment Lesson

What is Reinheitsgebot and why does it matter? Well, it's also known as the "German Beer Purity Law", and it has come up recently because German brewing companies are protesting against using hydraulic fracturing for natural gas exploration in Germany because they are afraid it will contaminate water sources and put them in violation of this purity law.

This story may sound made-up, but there is something for investors to gather from it: the struggle to produce gas is much greater than we think. Several countries have banned the practice of hydraulic fracturing outright, and those who allow it are struggling to produce. In this video, Fool.com contributor Tyler Crowe looks at some of the recent struggles to get Europe's shale gas industry off the ground and what it means for investors here in the U.S.

With domestic natural gas production growing faster than consumption, the United States is expected to become a net exporter of natural gas by the end of the decade. Cheniere Energy will become the first LNG exporter approved to ship to high-margin countries that are not members of a free trade agreement. With natural gas prices expected to rest in the $4-$5 range per MMbtu, Cheniere is primed for solid gains once the initial LNG trains start chugging in the first half of 2015. Don't wait until then - this 2013 darling continues to outperform the broad markets. Be sure to read all the details in this premium research report.

The article This Week's Wackiest Energy Story Has an Investment Lesson originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Tyler Crowe has no position in any stocks mentioned. You can follow him at Fool.com under the handle TMFDirtyBird, on Google +, or on Twitter, @TylerCroweFool.The Motley Fool recommends Dominion Resources. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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