Archive for February, 2013
February 28, 2013
World:
¶ The European Technology Platform on Renewable Heating and Cooling (RHC) states that renewable technologies could meet over 25% of heat demand in the EU by 2020 and 100% by 2040. [solarserver.com]
¶ The WHO says there is a slight increase in the chance of cancer for those who were exposed to radiation from the Fukushima Disaster. [Toronto Star]
¶ An unexploded artillery shell was found on the grounds of a Belgian nuclear plant. [Windsor Star]
¶ Prime Minister Abe says Japan will begin restarting nuclear plants as soon as safety standards are in place. [The New York Times]
… Additional nuclear restarts in Japan are unlikely this year, sustaining record demand for liquefied natural gas in a country that once depended on atomic power for about a third of its energy, according to Wood Mackenzie Ltd. [Bloomberg]
US:
¶ The US Department of Defense is emerging as one 0f the strongest advocates for action on climate change. [Hydrogen Fuel News]
¶ The Kansas House is not ready to change the law on a renewable energy mandate. [Houston Chronicle]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, renewable power
February 27, 2013
World:
¶ Libya could generate five times the amount of energy from solar panels alone than what it produces from crude oil, according to research by Nottingham Trent University. [Blue & Green Tomorrow]
¶ Citizen groups are questioning the accuracy of the government’s contamination data for the area around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. [Deutsche Welle]
¶ China added 50 MW of wind capacity in 2012. [Hydrogen Fuel News]
US:
¶ Solar energy production in the US increased by 138.9% last year compared to 201. [Solar Novus Today]
¶ Three state legislatures have bills that target renewable energy initiatives. [Inside Climate News]
¶ A lobbyist for Koch Industries drew attention for having private talks with members of a Kansas House committee regarding a bill to weaken renewable energy requirements. [Kansas City Business Journal]
¶ A bill that started out as a three-year moratorium on wind projects in Vermont has been changed, but still has the strong opposition of renewable-energy advocates who argue it would essentially halt those projects. [BurlingtonFreePress.com]
¶ The list of fixes needed at Fort Calhoun is growing. [Omaha World-Herald]
¶ The cost of the outage at San Onofre now exceeds $400 million. [Los Angeles Times]
¶ Washington Governor Jay Inslee is demanding that the federal government clean up the Hanford site. [KREM]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
February 26, 2013
World:
¶ The Japanese Environment Ministry will restart the process of selecting candidates for final storage sites for radioactive waste from the Fukushima Disaster, because residents living near the current chosen locations are up in arms. [The Japan Times]
US:
¶ The leading candidate to replace departing energy secretary Steven Chu is Ernest Moniz, director of the Energy Initiative at MIT. [Nature.com]
¶ The Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation is heading a demonstration program for construction of what may prove to be North America’s first freshwater offshore wind farm, on Lake Erie about 6 miles off the coast of Cleveland. [DesignBuild Source]
¶ The Montana Senate narrowly killed a measure to allow homes and businesses to install larger renewable power systems that can sell excess energy they generate back to the utility. [The Missoulian]
¶ American Electric Power will stop burning coal at three power plants in the Midwest and pay $8.5 million as part of a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection agency, states and environmental groups. [Power Engineering Magazine]
¶ The 1st US Circuit Court of Appeals turned down the appeal by the State of Massachusetts of Pilgrim’s license renewal process. [Boston Globe]
¶ Considering the Certificate of Public Good for the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant, the Vermont Public Service Board is rejecting those parts of the testimony from the New England Coalition’s Ray Shadis relating to the plant’s effects on fish. [Albany Times Union]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, renewable power, wind power
February 25, 2013
World:
¶ Estonia is the first country to establish a system of fast-charging stations for electric vehicles. [Nitrobahn]
¶ India has added 10,431 MW of renewable power in the last three years, surpassing a target of 9,623 MW. [SteelGuru]
¶ Analysts at Deutsche Bank predict that the global solar PV sector will transition from a subsidised market to a sustainable market within a year, citing the arrival of “grid parity” in a number of key markets, unexpectedly strong demand, and rebounding margins. [RenewEconomy]
¶ As demand for coal is falling in the US, it is rising in much of the rest of the world. [MIT Technology Review]
¶ The government of Taiwan is willing to accept a referendum on the controversial Fourth Nuclear Power Plant project, Premier Jiang Yi-huah said Monday, amid mounting calls by anti-nuclear activists to have the nearly completed project scrapped. [Focus Taiwan News Channel]
US:
¶ The State of Hawaii, known for being a difficult place for permitting renewable energy projects, is working on making things easier. [eco-business.com]
¶ The biggest obstacle to getting North Dakota windpower to the grid is the lack of high voltage transmission lines. [Public News Service]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
February 24, 2013
Economy:
¶ “Taking a fresh look at solar energy’s benefits” [Highlands Today]
World:
¶ At European power rates, it is less expensive to install unsubsidized solar panels on the roof than to buy power from utilities. [The News International]
¶ Japan’s nuclear reactors are at 16 power plants. At present, none of the plants has met safety standards to become operational. The owners of nine plants say they are not sure when they will be able to pass safety standards. [Asahi Shimbun]
¶ The government of Iran has announced significant finds of uranium ore and that it is planning 16 more nuclear reactors. [Arab Times Kuwait English Daily]
US:
¶ US utilities are increasingly turning to wind power, which is increasingly cost-competitive. The number of utilities owning large wind farms has increased by more than 50% in the last year. [Power Engineering Magazine]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
February 23, 2013
Science and Technology:
¶ NASA has been developing a new form of nuclear power, which proponents claim could put a reactor into every house, car, or airplane. [Forbes]
World:
¶ A goal of 100% renewable power is turning out to be the new normal. It is a goal for communities, companies, and nations. Some are for the near future. At least one has already been achieved. [CleanTechnica]
¶ More than 100 GW of windpower is currently in the production pipeline in China. Current government goals are for 10 GW of solar and 18 GW of wind to be installed in 2013. [Greentech Media]
¶ Germany is getting serious about developing grid-scale energy storage. [Electric Light & Power]
US:
¶ Nine US-based companies have been awarded gold medals for sustainability practices in RobecoSAM and KPMG’s Sustainability Yearbook 2013. They include Molson Coors, Alcoa, Sonoco Products, Waste Management, PepsiCo and others. [Environmental Leader]
¶ The problem with high-level nuclear waste leaking at the Hanford site in Oregon is much worse than had been known, and involves at least six underground tanks. [Huffington Post]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
February 22, 2013
Opinion:
¶ “5 Facts That Sink Nuclear Energy” [Insider Monkey]
World:
¶ The first large-scale renewable energy projects in South Africa are scheduled to begin delivering power in 2014. [EcoSeed]
¶ Saudi Arabia is inviting bids on a contracts in a massive renewable energy procurement programme, which could see 54 GW of new capacity added to the grid by 2032. [Business Green]
US:
¶ Entergy’s twenty year plan includes no renewable power. It is entirely dependent on nuclear, coal, and natural gas. [Examiner.com]
¶ A report from the US DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Alliance to Save Energy Commission on National Energy Efficiency Policy says the US could cut 50% of its energy requirements through efficiency by 2030. [EcoSeed]
¶ Florida has a law allowing customers to be charged for upgrades and construction at nuclear plants. After collecting money for repairs, Crystal River will not go online. In the resulting controversy, four Florida Republican Senators want a law that unspent money be refunded. [The Florida Current]
¶ As the Navajo Tribe is considering renewing a lease on a coal-burning power plant, companies leasing the plant are volunteering to pay an increase of more than $40 million dollars annually to the Navajo Nation. This is up from the current $2.6 million offer. [Farmington Daily Times]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, renewable, renewable power
February 21, 2013
Economics:
¶ Smart big money investors finally see green in the green sector and are putting their money where their mouth is. [Huffington Post]
World:
¶ Sixty percent of Japan’s large thermal power plants stand in areas at risk of a major earthquake, according to a study by Asahi Shimbun. [Asahi Shimbun]
¶ The German Environment Minister Peter Altmaier says he is seeking a consensus for the plans include cuts in subsidies for renewables projects and reduced support for energy-intensive companies to make the switch to renewables affordable, not to reduce them. [Businessweek]
¶ The subsidies for nuclear plants to be built in the UK could be as much as £250 billion over 40 years, under plans to set a ‘strike price’ for nuclear power. [Carbon Brief]
… RWE, one of the UK’s big six power suppliers, has warned ministers not to seal a long-term subsidy deal with the nuclear industry behind the backs of consumers and saddle them with “unnecessarily high bills” for the next 40 years. [The Guardian]
US:
¶ The US DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory has launched a new tool to help communities assess their readiness for electric vehicles. [Phys.Org]
¶ Senate Energy Committee chairman Wyden says that any Energy secretary nominee must agree to clean up high-level nuclear waste at a Washington facility to get his support. [The Hill]
¶ The State of Vermont is launching a new program to make low-interest loans available to businesses for renewable energy and efficiency projects. [Boston.com]
¶ Officials at Vermont Yankee say the plant will go ahead with refueling this spring, ending speculation that it will close this year. [BurlingtonFreePress.com]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, renewable power
February 20, 2013
World:
¶ Following days of protests over high energy bills, the government of Bulgaria is resigning. [CNN]
¶ BMW is just on of many German companies installing wind turbines to reduce costs and protect profits. [San Francisco Chronicle]
¶ Breaking a promise not to subsidize nuclear power, the British coalition government has announced plans to subsidize reactors and extend nuclear power contracts from 20 to 40 years, all to assure future nuclear energy output. [The Upcoming]
… Needless to say, some are not happy. [Morning Star Online]
¶ In the UK, the Cumbrian cabinet has voted unanimously to uphold an earlier decision not to allow a nuclear waste dump in that county. [Grough]
¶ The Polish Treasury Minister has thrown the country’s plans for a nuclear power plant into confusion by saying the state cannot afford to fund it due. [thenews.pl]
US:
¶ Renewable energy sources accounted for 100% of capacity installed in the US in January of 2013. [Grist]
¶ Hundreds of people showed up for a moratorium on windpower in New Hampshire. [NewHampshire.com]
¶ Policies transitioning Colorado’s energy supply to renewables and natural gas will make electricity the cleanest fuel by far for automobiles by 2020. [PR Web]
¶ A restaurant in Kansas City exploded because of a gas leak. Though this happened during happy hour, patrons had already begun to told to leave, and most were out. Two people are missing and fourteen injured. [CNN]
¶ Plans to shut down and decommission the Kewaunee Power Station are moving forward after the Midwest Independent System Operator determined that the shutdown will not hurt energy reliability in the region. [The Business Journal of Milwaukee] (The scheduled date to close is on April 30, 2013.)
¶ A $13.4 billion Hanford nuclear-waste treatment plant may not be completed by a 2019 deadline because of serious, unresolved engineering challenges. [The Seattle Times]
… Meanwhile, there are fears leaking high-level nuclear waste stored at Hanford could get to the Columbia River. [Bloomberg]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, renewable power, wind power
February 19, 2013
Science and Economics:
¶ Fossil fuel prices do not include the costs of their side effects such as air pollution and the associated health care costs for premature deaths or asthma attacks. [ThinkProgress]
¶ Global Warming may be to blame for increased number and intensity of blizzards. [Huffington Post]
World:
¶ French electricity bills are set to increase 30% from now until 2016, with a large part of the increase being due to investment in developing renewable energy supplies. [The Connexion]
¶ Solar power is cheaper in England than nuclear, with the result that growth in the nuclear sector is appearing less and less likely. [CleanTechnica]
¶ The UK Office of Gas and Electricity Markets is warning of power rate increases, as more the nuclear sector is not growing and electricity is to be imported. [Public Service]
¶ The UK’s Government is reportedly set to offer guaranteed subsidies for up to 40 years to energy firms that agree to build new nuclear power stations. [ITV News]
¶ Taiwan’s main opposition political party wants to halt new nuclear projects. [Hong Kong Standard]
US:
¶ Under the provisions of the Sanders-Boxer bill, a fee on carbon pollution emissions would fund what the senators call “historic investments” in energy efficiency and sustainable energy technologies, such as wind, solar, geothermal and biomass. [Renew Grid]
¶ The Waterford nuclear power plant is asking the NRC to allow it to use warmer water to cool its reactors as the water temperature of Long Island Sound hit a record high this past year. [Patch.com]
¶ A spike in fuel costs has driven up bills for Entergy’s New Orleans ratepayers. [NOLA.com]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
February 18, 2013
Not energy, but fascinating sustainability:
¶ Sustainable fish farming can provide some answers on how to feed ourselves in the future. [International Business Times]
Science and Technology:
¶ A seminar discussing the importance of windpower included a range of very interesting views from different science professors, supporting wind for different reasons. [RU Daily Targum]
World:
¶ The WWF has issued a report finding that the EU can and must meet 35% of its heating and 65% of its electricity needs with renewable energy by 2030 in order to be powered 100% by renewables in 2050. [solarserver.com]
¶ A draft report from a panel of the Japanese Nuclear Regulation Authority says portions of major geological faults running under the Higashidori nuclear plant are probably active. [The Japan Times]
¶ After a halt of nearly two years to review safety after the Fukushima Disaster, a new nuclear plant is online in China. [United Press International, Asia]
US:
¶ Microsoft has pledged to be carbon-neutral by the end of 2013. The head of the program making the change is speaking about it. [Helena Independent Record]
¶ Work is going on building new reactors at the Vogtle nuclear plant in Georgia, but it is not a nuclear renaissance. [Atlanta Journal Constitution]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, renewable power, wind power
February 17, 2013
Science and Technology:
¶ Two discoveries involving lithium potentially make for more efficient and more affordable lithium batteries. [Forbes]
World:
¶ The Chinese finance minister, outlining Chinese economic policies at the G20 meeting in Moscow, emphasized China’s sustainable development, which he says contributed to global recovery and growth. [China Daily]
US:
¶ GE Wind is now the world’s largest wind turbine manufacturer. [Nanowerk LLC]
¶ Windpower has set new records in Texas, Washington, and Colorado. [EarthTechling]
¶ American Electric Power expects to spend over $4 billion between now and 2020 making its coal plants compliant with federal environmental regulations, so it is moving toward cleaner-burning natural gas. [Climate Spectator]
¶ According to a report prepared by Entergy, evacuating 90% of the 310,533 people living within Indian Point’s 10-mile evacuation zone would take 5.4 hours on a snowy winter day. [The Journal News | LoHud.com]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, renewable power, wind power
February 16, 2013
Science and Technology:
¶ Reciprocating engines may have a future in electric generation for balancing the grid. They can be put in place quickly, are efficient, and can run on various types of biofuels. [Power Engineering Magazine]
World:
¶ The German opposition is rejecting a plan to limit increases in household electricity bills put forward by the ruling coalition. [Electric Light & Power]
¶ The Scottish government announced approval of construction of a 96-turbine wind farm that could generate as much as 288 megawatts of power. [UPI.com]
¶ China is ahead of schedule in a program to install 140 GW of windpower by 2015. [Greentech Media]
US:
¶ Bipartisan legislation introduced in the senate would streamline the permitting process for renewable energy projects on public lands. [Huffington Post]
¶ News on the attack on renewables in state legislatures:
… Renewable energy advocates are bracing to defend critical policies that have helped Texas become the leading wind-power state. [Fort Worth Star Telegram]
… Lawmakers in both the Kansas senate and house have started to hold hearings aimed at rolling back the state’s existing renewable energy portfolio standard. [ThinkProgress]
¶ The mayor of San Diego has asked the NRC not to allow San Onofre to restart, saying allowing the plant to operate would endanger millions of people. [OB Rag]
¶ An underground tank storing high-level radioactive waste at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in southeast Washington is leaking. [CNN]
¶ An Entergy vice president tried to convince the Public Service Board that problems at the Vermont Yankee plant during the 10 years of Entergy ownership were irrelevant to the question of whether the plant should be allowed to run for another 20 years. [Barre Montpelier Times Argus]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
February 15, 2013
World:
¶ “Fossil fuels ‘may prove worthless.'” Oxford University has begun research to identify carbon-dependent assets that could be devalued or written off if the world takes resolute action to limit emissions of greenhouse gases. [The Daily Climate]
¶ As renewable energy production increases in Australia, burning coal declines, and greenhouse gas emissions are reduced. [DesignBuild Source]
¶ A moratorium on off-shore wind farms in Ontario to do “further scientific research,” is still in place two years later. Resulting reports are not conclusive, and the only result we can be sure about is a $2.25 billion lawsuit. [Toronto Star]
¶ Germany and Spain are cutting funding for renewable energy in order to lower electric bills. [Electric Light & Power]
¶ A new nuclear plant to be built in Turkey is expected to cost $25 billion. [Hurriyet Daily News]
US:
¶ Senators Sanders and Boxer have introduced legislation to curb carbon emissions. [Power Engineering Magazine]
… The WWF has released its take on the legislation. [Power Engineering Magazine]
¶ A policy document released by the White House provides details on points in the president’s state of the union address. They include a proposal to make the renewable energy production tax credit a permanent fixture of the tax code. [North American Windpower]
¶ The US DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory Director and a blue-ribbon panel of 20 energy experts say the United States can double its energy productivity by 2030 in ways that strengthen the economy. [ThomasNet Industrial News Room]
¶ A complaint filed with the California Public Utilities Commission accuses the operator of the San Onofre nuclear power plant of inflating the cost to ratepayers of the defective steam generators. [KPBS]
¶ The expected cost of a South Carolina project to turn weapons-grade plutonium into fuel for nuclear reactors has increased by about $2 billion. [The State]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, renewable power, wind power
February 14, 2013
Science and Technology:
¶ The Most Influential Climate Science Paper Today Remains Unknown to Most People. Nevertheless, it is transforming the climate change debate, prompting the financial world to rethink the value of the world’s fossil fuel reserves and giving environmental activists a moral argument for action. [Inside Climate News]
World:
¶ The World Wide Fund for Nature (formerly World Wildlife Fund) has a report detailing how Europe could cut its carbon emissions by 50% from 1990 levels by 2030, putting it on track to be based 100% on renewable energy by 2050. [Electric Light & Power]
¶ The German environment and economy ministers have agreed on measures to curb rises in energy prices before the national election in September. [Reuters]
¶ The Japanese Nuclear Regulation Authority will inspect a building at Fukushima Daiichi to determine whether the tsunami or the earthquake caused reactor meltdowns. A year ago, TEPCO lied about conditions in the building, apparently to prevent an inspection at that time. [Asahi Shimbun]
¶ The estimated cost of decommissioning the UK’s Sellafield nuclear facility is now £67.5 Billion over the next 30 years. [Spend Matters UK/Europe]
¶ Parts of a wall and roof collapsed at the Chernobyl nuclear plant because of heavy snow. The collapse took place in a protective building outside the sarcophagus for the reactor that exploded, and not in an area where nuclear materials were contained. [Kyiv Post]
US:
¶ One thing was notably left out of the state of the union address. The president talked about climate change, and mentioned solar, wind, and natural gas, but did not mention nuclear power at all. [World Nuclear News]
¶ PacifiCorp and the California ISO will work together to create an Energy Imbalance Market in which large geographic areas will engage in energy sharing to reduce the effects of intermittent power generation and produce a balanced overall grid. [Greentech Media]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
February 13, 2013
Opinion:
¶ A well-funded war on state support for renewable energy is being waged in all 29 states with renewable energy standards. It is financed and waged by a minority of conservatives with ties to fossil fuel interests, but it might give all conservatives a bad name. [Salon]
World:
¶ A coalition of major European energy companies says the EU should to commit to new 2030 renewables targets, arguing that binding targets would lead to economic growth, fewer fossil fuel imports, reduced carbon emissions, more innovation and greater competitiveness. [reNews Europe]
¶ A UK government report expected to be released soon says Britain may have massive gas reserves that can be released by fracking. If true, this could be the final nail in the coffin of the nuclear industry in the UK. [Responding to Climate Change]
US:
¶ President Obama restated a renewed commitment to clean energy and pledged to return manufacturing jobs to the US in his state of the union address. [PV-Tech]
¶ The US military has tested a microgrid called SPIDERS, with energy that is 90% renewable, and found only one glitch, as a piece of equipment failed to perform as expected. SPIDERS is being developed to provide a secure power source for the military, and for adoption by civilians. [RenewEconomy]
¶ The US government says nearly 400,000 off-grid mobile telecommunications base stations run on renewable or alternative energy sources will be deployed from 2012 to 2020. [Utility Products]
¶ US Bancorp has invested $930 million in renewables since 2008, and expects to invest more than that in the next four years. [OilPrice.com]
¶ Microsoft has given a progress report on its pledge to move toward being carbon neutral. [ZDNet]
¶ The NRC is insisting that the San Onofre nuclear plant be known to be safe at full power before it could be started. The owners had been hoping to test it at 70% power. [U-T San Diego]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, renewable power
February 12, 2013
Not specifically Energy, but noteworthy:
¶ North Korea has conducted a new, more powerful, nuclear bomb test. [CNN]
… The Chinese are not pleased. [Wall Street Journal]
World:
¶ Polls show Germans overwhelmingly support renewable energy despite subsidies, contrary to what some politicians and American media say. [RenewEconomy]
¶ Swedish plans for nuclear waste storage have suffered a setback. [The Epoch Times]
¶ A new nuclear plant being built in Finland may be delayed another two years in its construction. [Phys.Org]
US:
¶ The U.S. Department of the Interior has identified 14 solar, 6 wind and 3 geothermal power projects that it plans to push through the permitting process over the next two years. The projects have close to 5,300 MW of combined capacity. [PennEnergy]
¶ The drought has forced twenty ethanol plants to cease production. That is nearly 10% of all such plants in the US. [Indices Media]
¶ A ballot initiative to shut down California’s two remaining nuclear power plants until the federal government has figured out where to put high-level nuclear waste has been cleared for signature gathering. [KCET]
¶ The case on the Certificate of Public Good is now being considered by the Vermont Public Service Board. [Rutland Herald]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, nuclear waste, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
February 11, 2013
Science and Technology:
¶ A low-carbon hybrid energy system is being investigated in China. It would have carbon dioxide emissions captured and reacted with hydrogen to produce more fuel or other carbon-based products. Power to drive the reaction would come from wind, solar, or nuclear. [AZoCleantech]
World:
¶ Greenpeace New Zealand says the country could produce 100% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2025, and be fully reliant on renewables for all its energy 2050. This would save $7 billion a year by 2035, and create 27,000 jobs. [The Dominion Post]
¶ The Australian Green Party is setting a goal of having the country 100% renewable by 2029. [August Margaret River Mail]
¶ The French nuclear industry is already in deep trouble over construction delays and cost overruns, and the chances of building any new reactors in the UK are fading fast. [Climate Central]
¶ The Japanese Nuclear Regulation Authority plans to digitize about 900,000 pages of documents related to the Fukushima Disaster, so they can be made available to the public online. This will take about two years. [The Daily Yomiuri]
US:
¶ Windpower is growing in Texas. The new Texas windpower project will be completed this year, producing 18.456 MW. This is causing problems for nuclear and coal facilities, and has prevented new nuclear plants from being built. [CleanTechnica]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
February 10, 2013
Opinion:
¶ DAVY: Rather see science, not fiction, behind nuclear plants [U-T San Diego]
¶ LOVINS: Climate Change: No Breakthroughs Needed, Mr. President [Huffington Post]
World:
¶ TEPCO has been caught in another lie in its apology on its website for misleading a Diet panel that was investigating the 2011 accident at Fukushima Daiichi. [Asahi Shimbun]
¶ Before being removed from office last month, a senior official of the Japanese Nuclear Regulation Authority met with power company executives thirty times, in violation of authority’s internal rules. [The Japan Times]
US:
¶ General Motors has become an associate member of the Solar Energy Industries Association. The company wants to contribute to support of the solar industry in the US and help in implementation of renewable energy policies. [Rush Lane]
¶ The issue of nuclear waste storage at Yucca Mountain is still likely to cost the State of Nevada a lot of money. [Reno Gazette-Journal]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power
February 9, 2013
Week-old news I almost missed:
¶ J. Wayne Leonard, who just retired as the CEO of Entergy, will continue working to fight against global warming. He has long been passionate on the subject. [WTAQ]
Science and Technology:
¶ An investigation into how carbon dioxide dissolves in water led to looking at how sea Urchins use carbon dioxide to make their hard covering. This led to a discovery that nickel particles catalyze carbon dioxide and sea-borne calcium ions into chalk. And this may help with global warming. [Vancouver Desi]
World:
¶ Renewable energy stimulates economic growth while reducing poverty and relieving hours of hard labor for women, according to Asian Development Bank country director Kenichi Yokoyama at the Energy for All Investor Forum Nepal. [Himalayan Times]
¶ The German government will launch a subsidy program for private solar power storage. [Electric Light & Power]
¶ The government of Scotland is cutting support for big biomass plants unless they operate combining heat and power. [Utility Week]
¶ The UK’s Treasury has opened the door for a bid from EDF Energy for a state-backed guarantee as it comes under increasing pressure to revive the flagging UK new nuclear industry. [Construction News]
US:
¶ The director of the DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory says the US could double energy productivity by 2030, creating a million new jobs, while saving the average household $1,000 a year and reducing carbon-dioxide emissions by one-third. [Phys.Org]
¶ Despite promises, subsidies and tax breaks for fossil fuels are rising. [Business Insider]
¶ Today’s snow storm has shut down the Pilgrim nuclear plant. The plant lost offsite power, and shut down on backup power. [Boston Herald]
¶ The head of the NRC says the agency’s office of investigations is probing the “completeness and accuracy” of information Southern California Edison has given the agency about equipment at its troubled San Onofre nuclear plant, as requested by Senator Boxer and Representative Markey. [Los Angeles Times]
¶ Peter Shumlin, governor of Vermont, is opposed to a proposed three year moratorium on wind generation. He said, “Climate change is our single greatest challenge, and I don’t think banning renewables is wise or prudent when we’re losing the battle on climate change.” [Brattleboro Reformer]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
February 8, 2013
World:
¶ Changes in the energy market are happening faster than anyone predicted. Solar and wind are not only achieving grid parity, but “plug parity,” meaning that individuals can get electricity cheaper by making their own at their own homes using renewable resources. [RenewEconomy]
¶ In Portugal, 62% of electric consumption was supplied by renewables in January, 2013. Hydro power supplied 31%, and wind provided 26%, with other sources supplying the rest. [The Portugal News]
¶ The company running the UK’s Sellafield nuclear site has pleaded guilty to charges relating to illegal dumping of four bags of low-level nuclear waste. [BBC News]
US:
¶ Of new power generating installations in 2012, 42% were windpower, and 55% were renewable. Windpower had the greatest share of all power sources. [Greentech Media]
¶ The CEO of Exelon says subsidies for wind power could lead to Exelon closing its nuclear plants. [Chicago Tribune]
¶ California grid operators are planning for a second summer without power from San Onofre. [Reuters]
¶ Business analysts say Duke’s decision to close Crystal River indicates a soft market for nuclear. Four other plants are particularly at risk, the foremost being Vermont Yankee. [Worcester Telegram]
… Exelon is also having problems with a soft market and high costs of nuclear plants. The dividend has been cut by 41%. [Chicago Business Journal]
¶ The Vermont legislature is considering ways to make sure the owner of Vermont Yankee stand by promises to restore the plant’s site to green field status after it shuts down. [Vermont Public Radio]
¶ A solar array is up and running at the site of a former Vermont race track in Pownal. The array produces 2.2 MW at maximum. [Ct Post]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
February 7, 2013
World:
¶ Analysis from Bloomberg New Energy Finance concludes that electricity from unsubsidised renewable energy is already cheaper than electricity from new coal and gas-fired power stations in Australia. [CleanTechnica]
¶ The French nuclear safety institute IRSN released a study saying a nuclear accident similar to the Fukushima Disaster would cost the country about €430 billion ($580 billion). This represents 20% of the French economic output. [Climate Spectator]
US:
¶ Ohio State University has contracted to buy 50 MW of electric power from the state’s biggest wind farm. The university will save about $1 million a year of the $35 million it spends on electricity. [SustainableBusiness.com]
¶ Diageo, manufacturer of Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, and Baileys, is going 100% renewable for its US offices, reducing the carbon footprint by 92%. [The Advocate]
¶ A decision by Duke Energy Corp to retire the Crystal River reactor may signal the shutdown of other older U.S. nuclear plants as weak natural gas prices make significant investment in them uneconomical. [Chicago Tribune]
¶ In a letter to NRC, Senator Barbara Boxer and Representative Edward Markey said review of a document from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries shows that the owner of the San Onofre nuclear plant was aware of problems with its new steam generators even before they were installed. [Los Angeles Times]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, renewable power, wind power
February 6, 2013
World:
¶ A recent UK government poll shows 79% of the British favor renewable power, while 4% oppose it. [Blue & Green Tomorrow]
¶ Power-one, the world’s second largest solar inverter manufacturer, is partnering with Panasonic to develop, produce and market energy storage systems. These will include systems ranging from those for residential use up to utility-scale. [Energy Matters]
US:
¶ The president of Duke Energy Renewables says solar is becoming more important than wind as a power source. The US will add more solar power than wind power in 2013. [PennEnergy]
¶ Bloomberg New Energy Finance and the Business Council for Sustainable Energy have released a new report, “The Sustainable Energy in America 2013 Factbook,” on the changes in US energy production. [Biomass Magazine]
¶ Entergy was recently pressured by regulators to focus on power generation and give up grid management in Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi. Since Entergy has no significant renewable power on its grid, the Midwest ISO has a great opportunity to install renewable power there. [Midwest Energy News]
¶ Progress Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, announced today that it will retire the Crystal River Nuclear Plant. The plant has been offline since 2009. [Power Engineering Magazine]
¶ A new study by NOAA finds that renewing Indian Point’s license could hurt populations of two protected sturgeon species, but would probably not destroy them completely. Entergy, the nuclear plant’s owner, says it is pleased they will not being destroyed completely. [YNN Hudson Valley]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power
February 5, 2013
World:
¶ China accounted for 35% of the windpower market in 2012. Chinese investment in wind is expected to increase in the near future. [Climate Spectator]
¶ The Japanese government sees windpower as key to building a renewable portfolio. [Power Engineering Magazine]
¶ Over 23,000 Welsh homes have solar panels installed, providing their own electricity and sending any excess to the grid. [Renewable Energy Magazine]
¶ European Parliament vice-president Anni Podimata says a new target of supplying 45% of energy in the EU from renewable sources by 2030 would be realistic. She said “Renewables can lead the way out of the economic crisis.” [Windpower Monthly]
¶ The CEO of Electricite de France says he is willing to join Centrica in pulling out of building nuclear reactors in the UK unless the government ensures the projects profitability. [BusinessWeek]
… The UK’s Public Accounts Committee is criticizing Sellafield decommissioning efforts, which are nearly all over budget or behind schedule. [New Civil Engineer]
… With cleanup costs out of control, no way of disposing of waste, and investors pulling out, nuclear policy in the UK is in a shambles. [SNP]
¶ The UK’s Prime Minister David Cameron says that in order to compete successfully, the UK is going to have to go green. [Electric.co.uk]
US:
¶ An Alaskan brewing company has cut costs by using its spent grain as fuel. [Detroit Free Press]
¶ The US DOE has a plan to release radioactive materials for recycling into consumer products. It is drawing some criticism. [Consortium News]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
February 4, 2013
Science and Technology:
¶ The South Australian EPA released a report finding that infrasound – very low frequency sound (between 1-20 hertz) – is not noticeably greater at households near wind farms than other locations. This counters claims that wind turbines cause illnesses due to infrasound. [Business Spectator]
World:
¶ News comes from Latin America, as Mexico, Chile, and Costa Rica are moving ahead with renewable and environmental changes. [Natural Resources Defense Council]
¶ The boom in shale gas in the US has led to a decline in demand, to a decrease in the price of coal, and then to an increase in the use of coal in Europe as more US coal gets shipped there. [CNN]
¶ Manuel Blanco, the new director of the Australian Solar Thermal Research Initiative says the cost of generating electricity by solar thermal can be halved by 2020. This would put it on track to achieve grid parity. Solar thermal has the advantage of storing power for use after dark. [Cowra Guardian]
¶ In the UK, the cost of nuclear clean-up at Sellafield has already reached £67.5 billion, with no end in sight. The National Audit Office says rundown buildings posed “intolerable risks to people and the environment”. There is no place to store waste in sight, since Cumbria’ rejection. [BBC News]
¶ Centrica, a utility expected to be a 20% owner of the UK’s Hinkley Point nuclear plant, is pulling out of the project. The company will write off the £200 million investment it has made so far in the plant. [Energy Business Review]
US:
¶ A roundup of the past few days news on the Vermont wind moratorium initiative includes the following:
♦ Bill McKibben came out against the moratorium, but supporters had a rally. [Vermont Public Radio]
♦ Activists are pressing for a moratorium, but it looks unlikely. [Vermont Public Radio]
♦ Bernie Sanders is opposed to the moratorium. [Barre Montpelier Times Argus]
¶ Forecasts from the DOE’s Energy Information Administration for coal production in Central Appalachia show major declines in production will continue in the region, as coal-fired electrical generating continues its decline. [CoalGuru.com]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, nuclear waste, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
February 3, 2013
World:
¶ According to a study published by HSBC Global Research, “Oil and Carbon revisited: Value at risk from ‘unburnable’ reserves,” international oil and gas companies could lose up to 60% of their market value if the world cuts its carbon emissions to limit climate change. [Truthdig]
¶ The government of Nepal will soon launch a new energy policy that will extend subsidies to urban dwellers who want to make use of renewable energy sources to eliminate lengthy power cuts. [Electric Light & Power]
¶ In case you are interested in an unusual vacation, Ukrainian authorities are offering day-long trips to the exclusion zone around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. [Asahi Shimbun]
US:
¶ The National Wildlife Federation has issued a report, “Wildlife in a Warming World: Confronting the Climate Crisis,” calling climate change “the biggest single threat to wildlife in this country.” One of the report authors said “This isn’t about making predictions. It’s happening here and now.” [Columbus Dispatch]
¶ The Crystal River nuclear plant has stood idle since 2009. In that time, utility customers have paid $1.3 billion for the plant, and the owner has yet to announce any decision about whether even to fix it. The decision is expected soon. [Tampabay.com]
¶ The Sacramento Municipal Utility District has awarded more than $34.7 million in federal court because of the federal government’s failure come up with a way to deal with nuclear waste. The question the government will actually pay the bill is another matter. [The San Luis Obispo Tribune]
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Tags: Chernobyl, nuclear, nuclear power, nuclear waste, renewable power
February 2, 2013
Science and Technology:
¶ Soot is a major contributor to global warming that has had underestimated consequences. It results from bad combustion, and it can be controlled. [Earthjustice]
World:
¶ A senior official at Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority was fired for leaking a draft report on seismic activity at Tsuruga nuclear plant to the plant’s owner. [Asahi Shimbun]
¶ After the Cumbrian County Councils vote not to allow a nuclear dump in their county, there is talk of Copeland, the borough that voted in favor of hosting the dump, ignoring the county’s misgivings and having the dump site there. [BBC News]
US:
¶ A decline in US carbon emissions is underway, according to a new report from Bloomberg New Energy Finance and The Business Council for Sustainable Energy. [Renew Grid]
¶ The view that climate change is a problem, caused by emissions from human activity, is becoming prevalent, even among people who are usually skeptical of science. [Examiner.com]
¶ Steven Chu, Secretary of Energy, is resigning his post. [Boston Globe]
¶ The NRC is accusing Exelon of being deliberately deceptive for several years about on the condition of its decommissioning funds. [Crain’s Chicago Business]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
February 1, 2013
Another take on yesterday’s news:
¶ The new goal for Chinese solar installations is increases the capacity from today’s 6.5 GW to 35 GW for 2015. For comparison, the US currently has 5.9 GW of solar capacity installed. [SustainableBusiness.com] (The amount of solar power to be added in China over the next three years exceeds the world capacity in 2010.)
Opinion:
¶ Which fossil fuel is wind taking out? [Climate Spectator]
World:
¶ A move to renewable power sources could reduce electric costs in the Bahamas by up to 75%, according to the country’s Minister of the Environment. [Bahamas Tribune]
¶ Pakistan will have 3000 MW of electrical capacity from biofuels, using waste from sugarcane as the fuel source. [Electric Light & Power]
¶ Reporters without Boarders issues an annual report giving rankings of countries for freedom of information. Japan dropped from its position as number 22 to number 53, because of its lack of transparency over the Fukushima Disaster. [The Japan Daily Press]
¶ A German tax court has ruled a tax on nuclear fuel unconstitutional. The issue will pass to the Federal Constitutional Court. [POWER magazine]
US:
¶ The US is undergoing changes in the electric supply, reducing carbon emissions, but increasing challenges. [FuelFix]
¶ Last week, a federal court ruled against the EPA on biofuel standards mandate because it was based on “wishful thinking,” and too high. This week, the EPA raised the standards. [Washington Examiner]
¶ Georgia Power has outlined plans to decrease production by 1000 MW, and decertify and retire 15 coal and oil-burning power plants, while decertifying and selling one other. [Atlanta Business Chronicle]
¶ Anti-nuclear groups have found troubling questions about federal loan guarantees for Southern Co. nuclear reactors, with much information maintained as secret from public scrutiny. [Facing South]
¶ In a statement given to the Vermont Supreme Court, Entergy has indicated that it might ask the court to order the Vermont Public Service Board to issue a Certificate of Public Good to Vermont Yankee. [Brattleboro Reformer]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, renewable power, wind power
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