Archive for the 'solar' Category
August 15, 2012
Japan:
¶ We cannot draw conclusions about human health from Fukushima’s butterflies which exhibit mutations from radiation exposure, according to the scientists who studied them. [Wall Street Journal]
¶ Toshiba is looking for a power partner to help develop nuclear power in emerging countries. [The Daily Yomiuri]
World:
¶ According to the IEA, renewable power generation should reach 6400 TWh by 2017. This will happen because the rate of growth is increasing. [Power Engineering]
¶ The nuclear regulatory agency of Belgium will have a meeting with regulators from around the world on the cracks in the Doel 3 reactor. [Reuters]
US:
¶ Chairwoman Macfarlane says the NRC is looking into the effects of climate change on nuclear plants. It also is addressing waste storage so it can continue with licenses. [The New York Times]
¶ With both units at San Onofre down, and a heat wave going on, the grid is holding up, so far. [UT San Diego]
¶ San Onofre customers are paying the utility $54 million each month for a non-operational power plant. Public Utilities Commission’s Division of Ratepayer Advocates, sent a letter to the California Public Utilities Commission arguing that any revenues collected while San Onofre remains offline could violate state law. [CBS Los Angeles]
¶ Omaha Public Power District officials hope to start up Fort Calhoun on about December 1. The plant has been offline since April of 2011 for refueling, followed by a flood and a series of events. [Democratic Underground]
¶ A reactor at Prairie Island is being taken offline because neither backup diesel generator functioned during a test. [Examiner.com]
¶ Thirty two percent of new US electric generation capacity in 2011 was from wind power. [Clean Technica]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, renewable power, solar power, wind power
August 14, 2012
Technology:
¶ The US National Renewable Energy Laboratory has issued a report saying fuel cell technology is advancing rapidly. [Hydrogen Fuel News]
Japan:
¶ TEPCO has removed the vessel head from Unit 4 at Fukushima Daiichi, as part of debris clearing so they can remove fuel from the spent fuel pool. [World Nuclear News]
World:
¶ Lithium-ion batteries may provide stable electric micro-grids in many parts of the world without electric service today. [Energy Harvesting Journal]
¶ German utility giant RWE increased its renewable power production by 29% year-on-year in the first half of 2012. One of its plants is a 750 MW coal plant that has been converted to run on biomass. [Recharge]
US:
¶ One of the two reactors at Millstone was shut down because the water in Long Island Sound was too warm. [Wall Street Journal]
¶ A bill before the California legislature would enable community renewable energy in that state. [KQED]
¶ Solar power in Vermont: Yes in my Back Yard! in Charlotte. [equities.com]
… A solar farm is being discussed for Bennington. [NorthJersey.com]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, nuclear waste, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
August 13, 2012
Japan:
¶ Japanese utilities have lost seven years’ worth of profit in the last year. Now they are having to separate transmission from generation and allow competition for the generating stations. [Bloomberg]
¶ Sharp differences of opinion within the ruling Democratic Party of Japan make it necessary for the party to set up a committee to evaluate public opinion. The committee will include advocates for both sides of the issue. [Asahi Shimbun]
World:
¶ The head nuclear regulator in Belgium says it is unlikely the Doel-3 reactor will be restarted because of anomalies in the reactor vessel. [UPI]
¶ The conservative Australian government, which had been committed to coal, is turning to renewable power because it is cheap. [ABC Australia]
¶ The Spirit of Ireland, an Irish energy project, has hopes to turn that country into a net exporter of electricity by combining wind power with pumped storage. [Power Engineering]
US:
¶ General Motors is investing in solar technology and equipment to provide it with power. It currently has 30 megawatts installed, and plans to double that capacity. [Examiner.com]
¶ The US army is poised to spend $7 billion on renewable energy projects. [TG Daily]
¶ The League of Conservation Voters says the Romney-Ryan ticket is not good for the renewable energy sector. [EcoSeed]
¶ Officials of Texas Brine company, owner of the cavern that may have caused the sinkhole in Louisiana, told residents of the area it will be at least 40 days before they get definitive answers about what is going on there. [WWNO]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, renewable power, wind power
August 12, 2012
Japan:
¶ Increasing numbers of Japanese are embracing geothermal energy, a power source most rejected in the past. [Greener Ideal]
¶ A study of butterflies in the Fukushima area shows high percentages with genetic damage. Over 50% in the third generation of those studied showed damage from the Fukushima Disaster. [Power Engineering]
¶ Canvassing public opinion on the future of nuclear power, the Japanese government has so far received over 50,000 comments. Usually 1,000 is considered a high number of responses. [The Japan Times]
World:
¶ The government of Scotland says the goal of meeting 100% of current energy demand with renewable sources by 2020 is achievable. [Power Engineering]
… Solar power is becoming a popular money-saving option for home owners in sunny Scotland. [Scotsman]
US:
¶ The State of Alaska hopes 50 percent of its energy will be renewable by 2025. [KTVA CBS 11 News Alaska]
¶ Nevada’s first wind farm is operational and is generating power commercially. It is rated at about 150 megawatts. [Melodika.net]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
August 11, 2012
Technology:
¶ Researchers at Berkeley have found a way to turn many kinds of metal oxides into PVs, possibly reducing costs. [Ars Technica]
Japan:
¶ The Onagawa nuclear plant was closer to the epicenter than Fukushima, and experienced a tsunami, but IAEA inspectors say the plant was “remarkably undamaged.” [World Nuclear News]
¶ Masao Yoshida, manager of Fukushima Daiichi at the time of the disaster, has spoken about the disaster for the first time in a video released to the public. [The Australian]
World:
¶ Cracks have been found in a Belgian reactor vessel, and it is shut down for closer inspection. [Energy News Live]
… The cracks may cause the reactor to be shut down permanently. Since the issue seems to result from faulty manufacturing, and many reactor vessels were built by the same manufacturer, regulators from a number of countries are meeting to review the situation. [Market Watch]
US:
¶ A huge sinkhole associated with leaking gas has appeared in Louisiana. The sinkhole may indicate collapse of a brine cavern in a salt dome. One and a half million barrels of liquid butane are stored underground in the area and there are natural gas pipelines nearby as well. Clearly, there is concern that a disaster of major proportions could happen. [CNN]
¶ President Obama is considering waving ethanol rules because of the bad corn crop, resulting from widespread drought. [gulfnews.com]
¶ San Onofre has more WORST fatal flaws than you can shake a stick at. [MWC News]
¶ Vermont Yankee has one of the reactors listed as suspect because it was manufactured by the Rotterdam Drydock Company, the maker of the cracked Doel 3 reactor. The cracks are said to be manufacturing flaws. [SimplyInfo]
¶ The case of a Certificate of Public Good for Vermont Yankee, now before the Vermont Public Service Board, may be affected by the NRC’s decision to halt licensing. [Brattleboro Reformer]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power
August 9, 2012
Japan:
¶ In an address to people gathered for the anniversary of the bombing of Nagasaki, Prime Minister Noda reiterated his government’s commitment to reducing the country’s dependence on nuclear energy. [RTT News]
World:
¶ Microgrids and solar power could be the answer to India’s power crisis. [OilPrice.com]
¶ Australians are converting to solar PVs, even after government support declines. [Energy Collective]
¶ German state development bank KfW plans to put about 100 billion euros ($123.6 billion) into financing the shift to renewable energy in Europe’s biggest power market. [Reuters Africa]
US:
¶ The Obama administration is putting seven large renewable energy projects on the fast track. [The Guardian]
¶ US wind power capacity has reached 50 GW. (Though the article does not say so, this means about 0.0001% of the potential has been developed) [EcoSeed]
¶ Today, the NRC will explain why cracks in the Davis-Besse containment building are okay. [Plain Dealer]
¶ The New York Attorney General is disputing the cost estimated by Entergy for decommissioning Indian Point, saying it is about one seventh of the actual amount, arguing that the deficiency is sufficient reason to deny relicensing. [Poughkeepsie Journal]
¶ NRG Energy, which produces enough electricity to power 20,000,000 homes in the US, is starting to make significant profit from renewable energy. Solar projects are being finished ahead of schedule, and the company is increasing investment in the field. [Recharge]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, nuclear waste, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power
August 8, 2012
Japan:
¶ Radioactive cesium, presumably from the Fukushima Disaster, has been found in the sea at some distance from the plant. Places where it was found include seas off Niigata Prefecture, on the west coast, Shizuoka Prefecture, south of Tokyo, and Iwate Prefecture, to the north. [FIS]
World:
¶ Investments in renewable energy are only going in one direction – up. [OilPrice.com]
US:
¶ The NRC has frozen all licensing of nuclear reactors until the situation of its waste confidence rule is resolved. The waste confidence rule was overturned by a Federal Court of Appeals as a result of a lawsuit brought by the Attorney General of New York. [Environment News Service]
¶ Entergy will ask the Vermont Public Service Board for permission to install a new diesel backup generator at Vermont Yankee. [Power Engineering]
¶ San Onofre may lose the right to pass the cost of its new steam generators on to the public, because they failed too quickly. [North County Times]
¶ A new business partnership will bring solar trackers from AllEarthRenewables to southwestern and central Vermont. [VTdigger]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power
August 7, 2012
Japan:
¶ Yukio Edano, the Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry, told reporters, “I don’t think the zero scenario is negative for Japan’s economy. On the contrary, it can create growth” by driving technological innovation in renewable energy and energy efficiency. [The Wall Street Journal]
¶ Now under state control, TEPCO has released videos showing what was going on when the Fukushima Disaster was unfolding. They show confusion. [The Washington Post]
… The videos show officials at TEPCO considered shooting holes in the sides of reactor buildings to reduce hydrogen buildup during the disaster. [Bloomberg]
World:
¶ Pakistan is trying to build 143,000 megawatts of solar electric capacity. [The Business Recorder]
US:
¶ After noncompliant rebar was found to have been installed for the foundation for a new reactor at Vogtle, owners have been trying to find a way to use it instead of removing it. The latest suggestion is that they make up for its deficiencies by pouring stronger concrete. The NRC has said they could proceed at their own risk while it evaluates the question. [The Augusta Chronicle]
¶ Walmart has put up its first megawatt wind turbine as part of a program to have its power be 100% renewable. [Forbes]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
August 6, 2012
Japan:
¶ The approval rating for the Japanese government has fallen to 22%, leading to calls for new elections. The issue of energy is one of the most important of people’s concerns. [Express Tribune]
¶ According to the doctors attending them, Fukushima cleanup workers are getting depressed and anxious to the point of hopelessness. The doctors warn that errors, or even sabotage, could result. [USA Today]
¶ Close to 70% of those who attended government meetings on nuclear power want to close all nuclear facilities by 2030. Business leaders take a very different view, making the decision on how to proceed difficult for the government. [Asahi Shimbun]
¶ Untruth and unethical practice have been long dominant in the nuclear power industry. Workers at nuclear plants concealed problems, going without dosimeters, as a standard practice for years, according to a number of contract employees. [Asahi Shimbun]
World:
¶ After the blackout that left 600 million people without power, many Indians are noticing that solar power continued to be reliable in poor villages. The idea that India should rely more on solar power, including for grid electricity, is becoming more popular. [energydigital]
¶ Lithuanians will be able to vote in a non-binding referendum on construction of a nuclear plant. A recent poll says 48% oppose the plant, and 19% favor it. [Bloomberg]
US:
¶ US and Japanese groups are preparing for the arrival of 40,000 tons of debris from last year’s tsunami on the West Coast. [ABC Australia]
¶ Global warming makes thermal power plants, powered nuclear and fossil fuel, inefficient. When temperatures rise, output declines, and this has been a problem for a number of US nuclear plants this year. [Truth-Out]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power
August 4, 2012
Japan:
¶ Another Friday protest at the Prime Minister’s residence drew thousands of people. [The News International]
¶ The Environment Ministry conducted a survey of 160 sites for radiation. The highest reading found was 165,000 Bq/Kg in soil at the bottom of a river in Fukushima Province. [Infoshop News]
US:
¶ Mitt Romney wants to “allow the wind credit to expire, end the stimulus boondoggles, and create a level playing field on which all sources of energy can compete on their merits.” The record shows, however, that wind has received only a small fraction of what oil, coal, and nuclear have each year. [Huffington Post]
¶ An Appeals court is putting off ruling on forcing the NRC to act on a license for Yucca Mountain until after mid December. The timing is intended to clarify whether Congress will appropriate funds to evaluated use of Yucca Mountain. [Las Vegas Sun]
¶ After anti-nuclear activists and labor organizations struck a deal, the executive committee of the California Democratic Party passed a resolution asking for an independent design review and public hearing on the problems at San Onofre. [San Diego Free Press]
¶ Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed a bill that will have significant impacts on the markets for conventional and renewable energy resources. Among other things, the new law enables net metering of smaller projects. [JDSupra]
¶ California got 20.6% of its electrical power from renewable sources in the first six months of 2012. This means the state is exceeding its renewable power goals. [Natural Resources Defense Council]
¶ A new 400 MW solar facility is proposed for Texas. It is expected to create 800 long-term jobs and put $700 million into the local economy each year. [Renewable Energy World]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, renewable power, solar power
August 3, 2012
Japan:
¶ Prime Minister Noda will meet with leaders of the protesters who demonstrate outside his residence every Friday. The meeting will probably take place next week. [The Japan Times]
¶ Unit 5 at Chubu Electric’s Hamaoka nuclear plant had sea water leak into the pressure vessel after the earthquake and tsunami of 2011. Now, radioactive water is leaking in the reactor building, indicating serious corrosion. A Chubu Electric spokesman says the company is considering whether the reactor should be decommissioned. [Reuters]
¶ Nuclear advocates in Japan are arguing that the presence of nuclear plants is good for the country because it shows the Japanese have the capacity to make nuclear bombs. [The Japan Times]
World:
¶ Germany installed 4,300 MW of solar capacity in the first half of 2012, bringing its total to 28,000 MW. This is an increase of slightly more than 18% over a six month period. [REVE]
¶ Nuclear power is too expensive for much of the world. The initial investment is too high to justify, low natural gas prices and recession are depressing potential markets, it takes years to get a reactor online, and wind and solar are less expensive. [Financial Times]
¶ Renault is running a sales promotion in Spain, in which purchasers of gas-powered station wagons, mini-vans, and sedans get a free electric microcar. [Green Car Reports]
US:
¶ Projected costs to repair the containment building at Crystal River, which were $900 million to $1.2 billion, are still rising, and the owners say they will probably not decide what to do with the plant until next year. [Reuters]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, renewable power
August 2, 2012
Japan:
¶ Shunichi Tanaka, who was nominated to head the new atomic regulatory authority, said he expects the reactors at Ohi to shut down if an active fault is found underneath them. [The Japan Daily Press]
… He also advocates a very cautious approach to restarting more nuclear reactors. [The Daily Yomiuri]
¶ Fukushima residents gave government officials an earful at a public meeting on nuclear policy. [Asahi Shimbun]
¶ Prosecutors from three districts are opening criminal investigations relating to the Fukushima Disaster. Both TEPCO executives and government officials are under scrutiny for professional negligence resulting in death, injury, and economic loss. [The Japan Times]
¶ Solar electric generation is growing so rapidly in Japan that some experts expect the country to be the second greatest producer, after Germany. [NewScientist]
World:
¶ A massive blackout hit India, possibly the worst blackout ever. Solar panels maintained electricity for poor, off-grid villages, while wealthier people supplied by grid electricity went without. [Energy Matters]
US:
¶ The NRC Atomic Safety and Licensing Board considering a license for a new reactor at Calvert Cliffs has decided to delay its decision by a month. Peter Bradford of the Vermont Law School, a former NRC commissioner, said during panel discussion “whatever the NRC licensing board decides … the proposed reactors at Calvert Cliffs and South Texas are not going to be built-in the foreseeable future,” adding that nuclear reactors “always cost too much compared to available alternatives.” [Southern Maryland News]
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Tags: electric power costs, Fukushima, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power
August 1, 2012
Japan:
¶ Former Prime Minister Kan held a press conference, in which he announced he wants to get Japan away from nuclear power by 2025, increasing dependence on renewable resources. He is working politically with others to get the plan to do this through the parliament. [The Wall Street Journal]
World:
¶ The Nuclear Energy Agency and the International Atomic Energy Agency are both predicting solid growth in nuclear power generation by 2035. Their work does not address important economic, scientific, and political facts that might indicate otherwise. [Inter Press Service]
¶ While other solar manufacturers are losing money at the moment, First Solar is profitable because its business model includes development of power plants. [RenewableEnergyWorld.com]
US:
¶ Apparently differing from yesterday’s news reports that San Onofre’s reactors might be back online by the beginning of 2013, the owners, Edison International, say there is no timeline to restart the reactors. The statement seems to indicate they are still unsure of how the restart would be done, and have not yet decided whether to replace steam generators in both reactors. [Reuters]
¶ Edison International also says its Edison Mission Energy unit could file for bankruptcy unless bondholders agree on a plan to restructure $3.7 billion of debt. [Fox Business]
¶ Millstone is in talks with the NRC about using new Areva fuel assemblies. Since these are hotter in the spent fuel pool, the plant will have to construct a large number of additional dry casks. [I checked into what this might imply – it looks like denser uranium fuel is likely what is intended, rather than MOX.] [theday.com]
¶ New Jersey power company PSEG is asking the state’s regulators to approve an investment of up to $883 million for an expansion of the utility’s solar power programs. [Reuters]
¶ New York utility ConEd has bought two California solar farms with a combined output of 70 MW. [Fresno Bee]
¶ New England’s governors agreed to release a request for proposals to increase renewable power production in their states. [North American Windpower]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power
July 31, 2012
Technology:
¶ An advance in colloidal quantum dot technology has produced a record-breaking solar cell. This technology produces electric power using a thin film instead of semiconductors, and is 7% efficient, making it competitive with current semiconductor technology. [R & D Magazine]
Japan:
¶ The debate in Japan over nuclear power is bringing into the open the question of whether Japan should have nuclear bombs. [Associated Press]
¶ Japan will cooperate more closely with foreign governments, especially the US and UK, on decommissioning and decontamination. [The Denki Shimbun]
¶ Masao Yoshida had emergency surgery for a cerebral hemorrhage. He was the head of Fukushima Daiichi at the time of the disaster there, and previously had to retire because of esophageal cancer. Officially, neither medical problem was due to the exposure he had to radiation. [The Japan Times]
¶ TEPCO has now passed to government control, in exchange for a ¥1 trillion ($12.8 billion) bailout. [Bloomberg]
¶ TEPCO may use a balloon to inspect the top floor of Fukushima Daiichi Unit 1. [Asahi Shimbun]
World:
¶ Germany is now producing 25% of its electrical power from renewable sources. [GlobalPost]
US:
¶ Owners say San Onofre could have both reactors online by the end of this year, providing nothing else goes wrong. [Huffington Post]
¶ Jeff Immelt, CEO of GE, says nuclear power is so expensive it is “really hard to justify.” [Albany Times Union]
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Tags: Fukushima, Germany, nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, solar power
July 30, 2012
Weird Articles:
¶ An article in Forbes states that Japan’s choice for electricity is either nuclear or fossil fuel, with no consideration for renewable energy aside from an offhanded dismissal. In the course of deciding in favor of nuclear, the author, a geologist, gives no consideration to the fact that many of the nuclear plants in Japan sit directly atop faults, and most are in danger from tsunamis, and the entire country is threatened by earthquake. While the article acknowledges the fact that the Fukushima plants were lost, there is mention of neither why this happened nor what the result was. [Forbes]
Japan:
¶ Thousands of people, including a large number of non-political citizens, protested nuclear power in Tokyo, surrounding the parliament building with a human chain. [The Japan Times]
¶ Citizens who wanted to voice their opinions on energy policy at eight public hearings overwhelmingly called for Japan to give up nuclear energy by 2030. [Asahi Shimbun]
¶ The anti-nuclear candidate lost in the race for the governor’s office in Yamaguchi Prefecture, but in the process he forced his winning opponent to change his stand on nuclear power. [Bloomberg]
¶ A new Green Party has formed in Japan, motivated in part by the government’s failures both before and after the Fukushima Disaster, and its willingness to restart nuclear reactors. [Asahi Shimbun]
¶ Chubu Electric Power Co. said it expects to complete a tsunami wall and complete other steps to protect its Hamaoka nuclear plant one year later than planned. [Reuters]
US:
¶ California is experiencing impressive growth in renewable electric production. Currently, 13% is produced by large hydro, and 19% by other renewables (slightly more than the 18% the state’s nuclear plants would be delivering if they worked properly). The expectation is that the share of renewables other than large hydro will increase to 33% by 2020. [Clean Technica]
¶ When asked about NRC member Bill Magwood, Senator Harry Reid, known for his soft-spoken nature, said he was “one of the most unethical, prevaricating, incompetent people I’ve ever dealt with. … I will never, ever forget what a treacherous, miserable liar he is.” [Huffington Post]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, solar power
July 29, 2012
Japan:
¶ A protest surrounded the Japanese Parliament with a human chain. In early reports, journalists present said there were at least ten thousand people participating, but the protest was just starting, and many more people were expected. [Perth Now]
World:
¶ The International Energy Agency is predicting that renewable production of electricity will increase worldwide by 40% over the next five years. The increase will bring total production to 6,400 TWh per year in 2017. This level of production is about 31% of total world electric generation in 2008, and means that world renewable electric production will exceed nuclear by roughly 50%. [IEA Press Release]
US:
¶ The NRC is sending a team of scientists to talk with local people about mining uranium in Virginia. The mine has the potential to be one of the largest in the world, and people are worried about processing uranium and maintaining mine trailings in a humid environment and a state with denser population than the drier states in the West. [Gazette-Mail]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear power, photovoltaic, solar power
July 28, 2012
Japan:
¶ The Japanese Science Ministry is trying to justify withholding SPEEDI fallout information about the Fukushima Disaster from the public because it was based on “assumptions.” (We might note that all precautions are based on assumptions.) [The Japan Times]
¶ Decontamination work is not going ahead in most areas evacuated after the Fukushima Disaster. [Asahi Shimbun]
US:
¶ The NRC has issued a bulletin on a potential design flaw at US nuclear power plants. It is possible no one thought to install equipment t0 detect the loss of one of three phases in three-phase offsite power, which could affect key safety equipment. (One wonders what else they might have forgotten to install.) [Reuters]
¶ The NRC says that after some study, its current position is that storing spent fuel in spent fuel pools is “adequate” to assure public safety. It will continue to study the issue for as long as five years. [Union of Concerned Scientists]
¶ A new report from the US DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory provides information on potentials of various sources of energy in the US. According to the report, the potential for PVs is 280,613 TWh per year, and the potential for wind is 49,769 TWh per year; the report deals with other sources as well. By comparison, the current US production of nuclear and coal combined is 2,514 TWh per year. [REVE]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, wind power
July 27, 2012
Technology:
¶ Researchers have found technology that may make it possible to produce photovoltaic cells form virtually any semiconductor, without doping. The cells would have low cost and be highly efficient. [Electronics News]
Japan:
¶ Hokuriku Electric Power Co. has submitted plans to tunnel under a reactor at its Shika nuclear power plant to investigate a fault. Separately, it has confirmed that one of the reactors at the plant has had several tons of seawater leak into its pressure vessel, causing extensive corrosion. [The Japan Times]
World:
¶ A Malaysian project addresses poverty in a sustainable and comfortable “smart village.” The village produces both energy and food of its own. [CNN]
¶ In Zimbabwe, solar power makes it possible to cut the electric bill, lower carbon emissions, and take a bath in the cold of winter. [AllAfrica]
¶ In Germany, 26% of electricity supplied in the first half of 2012 was from renewable sources. The “alternative energy” portion of production rose from 3.8% to 22% in ten years. [Clean Technica]
US:
¶ The Vermont Public Service board has denied requests from the Windham Regional Council and the New England Coalition in the case on the Certificate of Public Good for Vermont Yankee. [Brattleboro Reformer]
¶ The US House of Representatives passed a bill that prevents the NRC from taking any “significant regulatory action” until unemployment drops below six percent. [Las Vegas Sun]
¶ Vermont Yankee accidentally drained 2500 gallons of water from its spent fuel pool into a wastewater system. [vtdigger.org]
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Tags: Germany, New England Coalition, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, Vermont Yankee
July 24, 2012
Technology:
¶ Scientists are working on a way to prevent zirconium based cladding of nuclear fuel rods from reacting with steam. [Lincoln Journal Star]
Japan:
¶ A government report says the underlying cause of the Fukushima Disaster was belief in a “myth of nuclear safety.” Managers and officials simply did not believe a major accident was possible, so dangers were ignored, with both preventative measures and disaster preparations unaddressed. unaddressed[The Japan Times]
… The same report says TEPCO is still failing to ensure safety properly and is unwilling to examine the problems that caused the Fukushima Disaster. [Wall Street Journal]
… In addition, the report suggests all nuclear power plants are vulnerable to the same problems that underlay the Fukushima Disaster. [The Guardian]
¶ Many hospital patients being evacuated because of the Fukushima Disaster died because of lack of planning and preparation. [Asahi Shimbun]
¶ Consumers are avoiding beef from the areas around Fukushima. [The Japan Times]
… Nevertheless, octopus from the northern coast of Fukushima prefecture have returned to market. [The Japan Times]
¶ A citizen’s group has found high levels of radioactive cesium at the side of a river 178 km (110 miles) from the Fukushima Daiichi plant. [Infoshop News]
World:
¶ Falling costs of photovoltaics and lithium batters are bringing Australia to the point that off-grid power is economically competitive with grid-based power. [Newsmaker]
US:
¶ The Oyster Creek plant was shut down yesterday because of loss of offsite power. [Star Ledger]
¶ The governor of New Jersey has signed a bill to maintain encouragement of solar power in that state. [Bloomberg Business Week]
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Tags: distributed power, electric power costs, Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, renewable power, solar power
July 23, 2012
Japan:
¶ The Japanese government is preparing a plan to abandon use of nuclear power altogether by 2025. The group drafting the plan is headed by former Prime Minister Kan, and is working at the request of the secretary general of the ruling Democratic Party. [NHK World]
¶ An official of the subcontracting company accused of faking dosimeter readings admits to the fact he did it, but claims it only happened once. [Asahi Shimbun]
¶ A new government report says the Japanese nuclear industry and regulators ignored safety risks. [ABC Radio Australia]
¶ The Japanese are turning more to distributed power and renewable energy. Such power generation can be under local authority, which makes it very attractive to local and regional governments. [The Mainichi]
World:
¶ The head of public affairs at the Swiss Association of Electricity Companies says local photovoltaic panels can replace half of the nuclear generated electricity provided to Switzerland. [Swissinfo.ch]
US:
¶ The Agua Caliente solar farm in Arizona is about two-thirds finished, but is already delivering 200 MW of power to the San Diego area, lightening the load imposed by the shutdown of the San Onofre nuclear plant. [Clean Technica]
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Tags: distributed power, Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power
July 21, 2012
Technology:
¶ A transparent solar cell can operate in windows with a small reduction in transmitted light. It is 4% efficient in converting sunlight to electrical power. Made from a “polymer-like” material, it is said to be of low cost to manufacture. [Science Daily]
Japan:
¶ Contract workers doing cleanup at Fukushima Daiichi have said they were instructed to cover their dosimeters with lead so they could work in highly contaminated areas longer. The government is investigating. [Deutsche Welle]
¶ The Friday protests outside the prime minister’s residence just get bigger. Though the number in Tokyo seems to have decreased from last week, the movement has spread outside the capital. [Asahi Shimbun]
¶ Former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, who is a member of the same political party as the current prime minister, has joined the protesters, and is encouraging the government to pay attention to the wishes of the people. [The Japan Times]
World:
¶ Testing for radiation in fish indicates that in some areas in the Pacific Ocean the majority are contaminated with radioactive cesium. [PEJ News]
US:
¶ The Union of Concerned Scientists has issued a report on renewable power generation in California. Electricity from renewable sources provided 19% of all retail electric sales in 2010, up from 4% in 2000. Nevertheless, some approaches have been shown to be better than others. [North American Windpower]
¶ GE is reorganizing its energy business into three subsidiaries. The change should be completed in 2012. One of the subsidiaries will focus on power generation, including both renewable and nuclear systems. [Solar Novus Today]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power
July 18, 2012
Japan:
¶ A Stanford study says the Fukushima Disaster may have caused up to 1300 cancer deaths. The authors of the same study applaud the Japanese government for its actions after the disaster took place. [Bloomberg]
¶ For the second time in three months, a Japanese nuclear plant has been found to be sitting on top of a geological fault. All nuclear plants are being checked, and law says they may not be constructed atop faults, so at least some will be shut down. [Reuters India]
¶ TEPCO is removing two fuel assemblies from the Fukushima Daiichi Unit 4 spent fuel pool. [Associated Press]
World:
¶ Electric buses are being equipped with PVs as a standard item in China. The PVs extend the life of lithium batteries by as much as 35%. [Global Times]
US:
¶ Entergy profits are up, and the company expects to earn $3.49 to $4.29 per share for the year. This figure includes losses of $1.36 related to Vermont Yankee. [The Advocate]
¶ Dennis Kucinch complains that the NRC is lowering standards to allow Davis-Besse to continue operation. [Huffington-Post]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, solar power
July 17, 2012
Japan:
¶ Former Prime Minister Kan is charging that TEPCO is withholding vital information on the Fukushima Disaster. Specifically, he says details of his conversations with TEPCO management were missing from materials being released by TEPCO. The TEPCO response is that their hard-drive was full. [UPI]
¶ A group of 38,000 children in Fukushima were tested for abnormal growths in their thyroid glands, and 36% of t hem were found to have cysts or nodules. This compares with a result of less than 1% eleven years ago, and is considered to be much worse than the effects of the Chernobyl Disaster. [Business Insider]
¶ Equipment failures during restart of Ohi Unit 4 set off alarms repeatedly. Nevertheless, the startup is proceeding. [The Japan Times]
¶ Fukushima has had a beach reopen for recreation, including swimming. It is the first since the disaster. Officials say radiation levels are safe. It is about 40 miles south of the Fukushima Daiichi plant. [CBS]
US:
¶ An independent report on safety culture at the Palisades nuclear plant details failures of management and a lack of confidence among the staff in management. [Michigan Radio]
¶ Output of Seabrook was reduced because of solar activity. [Reuters Africa]
¶ Former Secretary of State George Shultz drives an electric car powered by solar panels. He is worried about global warming from greenhouse gasses. [EV World]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, solar power
July 16, 2012
Japan:
¶ On Monday, a protest in Tokyo’s Yoyogi Park drew 170,000 people. It is described as the largest protest Tokyo has had so far. [The Japan Daily Press]
¶ Japan is allowing the first geothermal power plant to be built inside a national park. [Power Engineering]
¶ Nuclear engineers are leaving Japan for better pay elsewhere. [The Japan Times]
¶ A new report, to be released on July 23, will detail problems in the responses to problems of the earthquake and tsunami at the Fukushima Daiichi and Fukushima Daini plants. [The Daily Yomiuri]
World:
¶ Germany had very little power to spare last winter, and probably would have had blackouts at times, but its solar installations and an unusually sunny February prevented that from happening. [EurActiv.com]
US:
¶ A host of problems makes the future of new nuclear plant construction less than rosy. [Journal Gazette]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, solar power
July 15, 2012
Opinion:
¶ The fact that the NRC has exclusive authority over radiological safety violates the principle of engineering redundancy, which is vital to safety. This constitutes a threat to the safety of the people the NRC is supposed to be protecting. [Redundancy and the function of safety regulation]
Japan:
¶ Only nine people, chosen by lot, will be able to speak at a public meeting on the new Japanese nuclear regulatory agency. [Asahi Shimbun]
¶ A tiny village 60 kilometers (37 miles) from the Ohi reactors, populated almost entirely by old folk, is the first in Japan to get 100% of its power from renewable sources, achieving grid independence. [The Japan Times]
World:
¶ More off grid villages are getting power by using solar panels. More than 1000 villages in Assam have been electrified by using PVs, and they may have more reliable electric power than the cities provided by the grid. [daijiworld.com]
US:
¶ The NRC has rejected a request to allow non-compliant rebar already installed in the Vogtle Unit 3 basemat. Southern Co., the owner, will request a license amendment. [equities.com]
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Tags: Fukushima, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power
July 14, 2012
Technology:
¶ GE is building a factory for a new battery it says can balance grid loads. [The Green Optimistic]
Japan:
¶ The new Japanese nuclear regulatory agency will disclose documents so citizens do not need to request them. Records will be kept at meetings and made public. [The Japan Times]
¶ After calling a restart of the reactors at Niigata vital, the chairman of TEPCO has come to admit the restart faces trouble. [Asahi Shimbun]
¶ Barriers and buses blocked the way, but the 16th consecutive Friday protest of nuclear power in Tokyo was well attended. [Wall Street Journal]
World:
¶ Regulatory capture of nuclear regulatory agencies is a global problem. [Huffington Post]
¶ The UK is taking title of four tonnes of German plutonium in the country for processing, and giving ownership of an equal amount to France in a title transfer. This means shipping is not needed, and security is enhanced. [World Nuclear News]
US:
¶ Entergy has developed a plan that it believes will convince Vermont the deep bedrock ground water under VY is safe, and so has agreed to resume testing of a well. [Brattleboro Reformer]
¶ The NRC is one of several US government agencies that will be offering retirement incentives to trim its workforce. [Government Executive]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Vermont Yankee
July 13, 2012
Japan:
¶ A set of 1198 census evaluations of animal populations compares the Fukushima Disaster to Chernobyl. The idea that nuclear disaster creates a sort of wildlife refuge where things can grow in abundance is a myth. [New York Times]
¶ Evacuees from Fukushima are dying of fatigue and stress. [The Japan Daily Press]
¶ Jobs lost when nuclear plants close may be more than replaced by jobs in the renewable electric sector. A combination of reports indicates that for every job lost in the japanese nuclear industry, renewable power might create ten. [Wall Street Journal]
¶ Some scientists have revised the estimates on Fukushima radiation doses from high to safe. [Asahi Shimbun]
World:
¶ In the UK, prices are going up for both nuclear plants and the electricity nuclear plants generate. [Bloomberg]
US:
¶ The NRC has released a detailed report on the steam generator tubes at San Onofre. Reports differ on the meaning of the report, and I am sure there will be updates on this. The Associated Press report indicates 3420 tubes in one generator need to be replaced, nearly five times the maximum at which the generator needs to be retired. [Associated Press]
… Another take on the same data is that things are bad, but no worse than had been previously acknowledged. [Orange County Register]
¶ US anti-nuclear groups are warning that the mindset that underlay the Fukushima Disaster also characterize the NRC. [Environment News Service]
¶ Solar Power works in the rain forest of southeastern Alaska. [Juneau Empire]
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Tags: electric power costs, Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power
July 12, 2012
Technology:
¶ New amorphous silicon photovoltaic cells can capture power both as heat and electricity. [Ecoseed]
Japan:
¶ A doctor who has specialized in health of A-bomb victims is concerned about the symptoms he is seeing in Fukushima residents. [The Japan Times]
¶ The Ohi Unit 4 reactor will be restarted on July 19. [Kuwait News Agency]
¶ TEPCO says the debris in Fukushima Daiichi Unit 4 have been removed. [Power Engineering]
World:
¶ Australian group Beyond Zero Emissions has a plan to make that country 100% renewable in ten years. [REVE]
¶ Ireland plans to get 40% of its electric power from renewables by 2020. [Environmental Expert]
US:
¶ Former New York City mayor Ed Koch wants Indian Point closed. [Metrofocus]
¶ A report from the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board calls for prompt action because of deficiencies in safety and safety culture. [Huffington Post]
¶ The Palisades nuclear plant is producing power again after an unplanned shutdown to fix a leak in the safety injection refueling water tank. [Nuclear Street]
¶ Honeywell is evaluating safety upgrades at its Metropolis Works nuclear conversion facility. Completion of upgrades will take 12 to 15 months, during which time staff will be at 50%. [NASDAQ]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power
July 11, 2012
Japan:
¶ Fuel rod containers were found to be broken at the Onagawa nuclear plant. [NHK]
¶ There is no prospect for restarting additional reactors after those at Ohi. The stress tests found only one of the 48 remaining reactors capable of withstanding a major catastrophe, and the new regulatory agency has to decide what to do about the rest. [The Daily Yomiuri]
World:
¶ According to the IEA, solar power will provide for 17% of heating and cooling by 2050. [EcoSeed]
US:
¶ Vermont Yankee presented its post-Fukushima safety and emergency plans. [VTDigger]
¶ Construction costs for US nuclear power plants continue to increase. [Associated Press]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, solar power
July 9, 2012
Japan:
¶ Power saving usage cuts are being relaxed in western Japan. [Reuters]
¶ Ohi Unit 3 is back to full power. [Power Engineering]
¶ The Japanese Atomic Energy Commission held undocumented closed-door meetings for over a decade. [The Japan Times]
World:
¶ Alkali-silica reaction is creating problems for Canadian nuclear plants. [National Post]
¶ The government of the UK is considering ways to clarify the risks of nuclear power to the public. Based on this article, I cannot tell whether this means the risks should be better investigated, or the public should receive better crafted assurance that nuclear power is safe. [businessGreen]
US:
¶ Union workers at Pilgrim have approved a new contract, ending the lockout. [boston.com]
¶ The State of California is considering having an independent review panel for San Onofre. It already has one, the only one in the nation, for Diablo Canyon. [inside climate news]
¶ US Solar installations are up 85% from the same quarter last year. Prices are down 17%. The business is changing rapidly. [Solar Novus Today]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, solar power
July 6, 2012
Technology:
¶ Graphene added to photovoltaic cells may improve efficiency by over 50%, and double-sided cells could be 50% more efficient as well. [Home Heating Guide]
¶ A new wind turbine design is being built in the UK. It is intended to be mastless for urban installation. [Specifinder]
… The article does not have a picture, but one can be seen at the McCamley website.
Japan:
¶ This BBC article lists the main points and recommendations of the parliamentary report on the Fukushima Disaster. [BBC]
¶ The report puts safety of the entire Japanese fleet into question, by implying the other reactors are vulnerable. [Atlantic Wire]
World:
¶ Worldwide nuclear electric production dropped by 4.3% in the aftermath of the Fukushima Disaster. [Bloomberg Businessweek]
¶ A report from the Confederation of British Industry says the government can cut its deficit in half by embracing renewable energy. [Solar Power Portal]
¶ The International Energy Agency projects 40% growth in the renewable sector in the next five years, increasing from recent growth of around 20%. [Engineering News]
Palestinians are installing PVs to reduce dependence on Israel. [Al-Monitor]
US:
¶ Departing Chairman Jaczko says the agency may not be able to renew licenses for operating nuclear plants for “a few years” because of a federal court ruling, but the plants may continue to operate anyway. [Platts]
¶ The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is still divided and does not know what to do about nuclear safety, according to departing chairman Jaczko. [Wall Street Journal]
¶ We can cut the price of solar power in half by cutting the red tape. [Forbes]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
July 5, 2012
Opinion:
¶ Can a nuclear disaster happen here?
Japan:
¶ The Japanese Parliament released its report on the investigation into the Fukushima Disaster. A one sentence summary: “Japan’s Fukushima nuclear crisis was a preventable disaster resulting from ‘collusion’ among the government, regulators and the plant operator.” [Reuters]
¶ Some say TEPCO is repairing the damaged reactors at Fukushima Daini. [Associated Press]
… Another take on the situation is that they are considering decommissioning the plant. [Wall Street Journal]
¶ Because of ongoing fallout from Fukushima Daiichi, at the Fukushima Daini plant, it is safer inside the reactor buildings than outside. [Wall Street Journal]
World:
¶ The Brazilian national energy agency says electricity from home solar panels is now cheaper than power supplied by many of grid suppliers. [Clean Technica]
US:
¶ Economics may close the San Onofre power plant. [Washington Times]
¶ The Connecticut Attorney General has come out against Indian Point license renewal, based on dangers to human health and safety. [Stamford Advocate]
¶ Californian electric customers have installed over a gigawatt of solar capacity. [PV Magazine]
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Tags: electric power costs, Fukushima, nuclear, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, renewable power
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