Opinion:
¶ “Don’t worry: Team Abe is tackling the nuclear crisis at Fukushima” After spending its eight months in power studiously averting its eyes from the gathering troubles at Fukushima, Team Abe is now on the job, reassuring people that everything is under control. [The Japan Times]
Science and Technology:
¶ One potential source of renewable energy that has been gaining interest is the Piezoelectric Technology. It generates power from the electromagnetic properties of some minerals when they are put under stress or pressure. [EcoChunk]
Finance:
¶ Thanks to falling costs in solar-panel production, solar power in California has fallen from 25-30¢ per kWh to about 10¢. Renewable profit margins are improving, sparking investor interest in wind and solar. [The News-Press]
World:
¶ Oil producing and exporting countries are advised to use renewable energy, especially wind and solar not only to their environmental and economic advantages but to limit the internal consumption of oil and gas and preserve its export potential. [gulfnews.com]
¶ While Australia’s mining companies are no doubt delighted by Abbot’s election victory over the weekend, a Coalition government is likely to hamper the development prospects of the renewable energy sector. [Sourceable]
¶ Under plans currently being discussed by the UK and Icelandic governments, Iceland would provide the UK with renewable electricity at a cheaper cost than offshore wind. The plans being discussed by the two governments concern a 1,000 km undersea cable with a capacity of 1 GW. [Renewable Energy Magazine]
¶ Denmark’s largest offshore wind farm located off the eastern coast of the country near Anholt has been officially opened. The wind farm consists of 111 Siemens 3.6 MW wind turbines with a total capacity of 400 MW [Renewable Energy Magazine]
¶ The prime minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, seeking to reassure that Tokyo was a safe place to host the Olympics, travelled with the Japanese delegation and claimed that problems at the Fukushima nuclear plant were under control. [Straight.com]
US:
¶ Energy analysts at Deutsche Bank are predicting a huge surge in the uptake of distributed solar PV in the United States, saying solar PV installations could rise 7-fold in coming years and lift overall solar PV capacity to nearly 50 GW by 2016. [CleanTechnica]
¶ Maui Electric Company says it is increasing efficiency of its wind turbines through by changes in its use and integration of wind power that are allowing it to use about 91% of available wind energy compared to an estimated 72% prior to making the changes. [EarthTechling]
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