Technology:
¶ The US Navy is working on technology to convert carbon dioxide in seawater into fuel for its ships. The object is to increase both range and security. Nevertheless, there was an attempt in congress to curtail the research. [CleanTechnica]
¶ The National Renewable Energy Lab has produced a bacterium that makes ethylene through photosynthesis. It exudes the ethylene, which makes harvest much more efficient. [Platts]
Japan:
¶ There will be no more nuclear reactors going online in Japan between now and next summer, according to the chief of the Nuclear Regulation Authority. [The Daily Yomiuri]
¶ TEPCO says the steel beam that fell into the Fukushima Daiichi Unit 3 spent fuel pool did not damage anything. [The Daily Yomiuri]
World:
¶ Total SA, one of the five largest oil companies in the world, warns that the environmental impact of oil drilling in the Arctic would be too great to be done. The company’s CEO says, “Oil on Greenland would be a disaster.”A leak would do too much damage to the image of the company”. [CNN]
¶ Mecca will be the first city in Saudi Arabia to run entirely on solar power. [EcoSeed]
¶ So far this year, the Co-operative Bank, which operates in the UK, has loaned £232 million for renewable projects. Last year’s total, for the entire year, was £79 million. [AOL Money]
US:
¶ The US military is going renewable. The reasons are simple: reduce casualties, improve logistics, and improve security. [Business Insider]
¶ A proposed federal law would prevent the NRC from granting a renewal of an operating license until ten years before the old license expires. This would prevent Seabrook from getting renewal until 2020. [Boston Globe]
¶ The NRC approved a 17% uprate for St. Lucie Unit 2. The reactor has been down since early August, preparing for the uprate. [World Nuclear News]
¶ GE-Hitachi has won NRC approval for a new uranium enrichment plant in North Carolina. [Power Engineering]
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