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
January 31, 2013
World:
¶ The German electric utility E.ON is considering closing a European gas-fired power plant. According to the company, generation of electricity from coal and gas has become “largely uneconomic to operate”, because of the rapid growth in using renewable resources. [Energy Business Review]
¶ The Chinese government plans to increase its goal for solar-power installations in 2015 by 67 percent to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Emissions from coal-burning plants are blamed for smog in Beijing, which reached record levels this month. [Business Week]
¶ The Cumbria Council has rejected having a nuclear waste dump in their county. The vote overrides an earlier vote by Copeland in support. [Liverpool Daily Post]
… The Cumbria Council’s vote deals a blow to UK government hopes for a place to store waste. Without a site for waste storage, building new nuclear plants becomes much more difficult. [Telegraph.co.uk]
US:
¶ A report from the US DOE says wave power, tidal power, run-of-river hydroelectric power, and new hydroelectric dams could supply half the electrical power needed in the US. [PennEnergy]
¶ Proposals are being pushed that would allow the amount of carbon dioxide emitted to be increased. Unsurprisingly, some of the biggest polluters in the US are among those pushing them. [SustainableBusiness.com]
¶ Green energy groups are dropping out of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) because of its efforts to overturn renewable power standards in a number of states. [The Hill]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, nuclear waste, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power
January 30, 2013
World:
¶ Developers are investing heavily in Scottish offshore wind power. [North American Windpower]
¶ BP has issued its Energy Outlook report, in which it says what it expects in the future of energy. BP’s vision for 2030 is that renewable power will grow slightly, fossil fuels will still dominate, and carbon emissions will increase 26%. [Carbon Brief]
¶ Scotland is planning to cut its carbon emissions for power generation to 50 g/MWh by 2030, mostly by installing wind turbines. [Resource Magazine]
¶ The Copeland Borough Council in Cumbria has voted in favor of allowing the search for a UK depository in Cumbria to go forward, citing economic benefits. Other borough councils of the area are set to vote today. [in-cumbria]
¶ The International Atomic Energy Agency says there was no explosion at the uranium enrichment plant in Iran, as had been widely claimed in the media over the last two days. [UPI.com]
US:
¶ New research indicates that the E15 blend of ethanol and gasoline can damage vehicles made since 2001. [Sacramento Bee]
¶ North Carolina state agencies and universities have cut fossil fuel use by 19.9% since 2004. [Triangle Business Journal]
¶ BP has entered a guilty plea in a manslaughter case for its role in the Deepwater Horizon disaster, accepting a $4 billion fine in a plea bargain. [Reason]
¶ Entergy is appealing the ruling of the Vermont Public Service Board saying it was operating without a valid Certificate of Public Good. The case is going before the Vermont Supreme Court. [Barre Montpelier Times Argus]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, renewable power, wind power
January 29, 2013
World:
¶ With national elections coming in September, Germany plans to cut consumer electricity prices by sharing the cost of the switch to renewable energy more evenly with companies. [Reuters AlertNet]
¶ A panel of experts at the Nuclear Regulation Authority endorsed a draft report saying a geological fault line running directly under a reactor building at the Tsuruga nuclear plant is probably still active. This may make a restart of the reactor impossible. [Asahi Shimbun]
¶ New safety guidelines for tsunami protection from the Japanese Nuclear Regulation Authority could delay restarts of a number of reactors. [Asahi Shimbun]
US:
¶ The US Defense Department’s renewable energy capacity will quadruple by 2025, according to Pike Research. [Environmental Expert]
¶ A study by Oak Ridge National Laboratory says the US will not be able to recycle nuclear waste for at least another 20 years. This means that the waste will have to be buried. [Forbes]
¶ The Fort Calhoun nuclear plant has more concerns being raised, more NRC inspections, and no end in sight for its outage, which has continued for nearly two years. [Kansas Watchdog]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, renewable power
January 28, 2013
Science and Technology:
¶ A small start-up company in California claims to have produced a design for solar PVs that makes the cost of electricity from solar less than those of coal and natural gas. [Triple Pundit]
World:
¶ The UK-Ireland agreement that Irish wind farms would provide power to the UK is seen to have exposed anti-renewable rhetoric in Scotland as a politically motivated scare tactic by those opposed to Scottish independence. [SNP]
¶ Windpower is now China’s third most important source of energy, surpassing nuclear. [EcoSeed]
¶ The referendum on nuclear power in Bulgaria had a majority voting in favor of nuclear power, but it failed anyway because voter turnout was too low to be legally binding. [Deutsche Welle]
¶ There are reports of a huge explosion at the Iranian enriching facility that has been such a matter of world concern of late. The government of Iran denies the reports. [Bahrain News Agency]
US:
¶ One byproduct of fracking in Pennsylvania is highly radioactive water. [Timesonline.com]
¶ J. Wayne Leonard is stepping down from his job at Entergy this week. [Rutland Herald]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
January 27, 2013
Economics:
¶ A report from the World Future Council, based in Hamburg, Germany, says fossil fuels are too valuable to burn, as they can be made into a large number of products and renewable energy can replace them. [Truthdig]
World:
¶ Between 2007 and 2011, renewable energy grew by 67% in Scotland, and enabled an increase in Scottish exports of 65%. The value of the exports went from £3 billion to £5 billion. [SNP]
¶ Bulgarians are voting on the future of nuclear power in their country, but it is possible a low voter turnout might render the referendum invalid. [Deutsche Welle]
¶ Votes are coming up this week on a nuclear dump in England’s scenic Lake District. [The Independent]
US:
¶ After having upgrades to improve fire safety, a grid-scale storage battery is going into service at a wind farm in Minnesota. [Minneapolis Star Tribune]
¶ The San Onofre nuclear plant has been off-line for a year. [U-T San Diego]
… It will probably take many times longer than that to figure out who will pay the costs of the outage. [U-T San Diego]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, renewable power, wind power
January 26, 2013
Opinion:
¶ From the UK: Wind farm nimbyism means 10,000 jobs just went to Ireland. “We’re saving money, but Ireland is getting the work.” [New Statesman]
World:
¶ Central and South American countries are beginning to switch to renewable power. [AZoCleantech]
¶ French special forces troops in Mali are going to neighboring Niger to secure uranium mines run by Areva, the French state-owned nuclear power company. This is the first time the French used special forces to protect assets of a corporation. [CounterCurrents.org]
¶ The health effects from the Fukushima Disaster are beginning to be clearly measurable. A recent study predicts future mortalities from cancer will be eight times as high as earlier studies indicated. [Chemistry World]
US:
¶ A federal court ruled that the EPA must lower certain targets in a biofuel-blending rule, and act considered a blow to the biofuel industry. [The Hill]
¶ The US NRC has further delayed the decision on restarting one reactor at San Onofre nuclear plant. That decision is now scheduled to be made in May. [Los Angeles Times]
¶ Some of the construction workers building two new reactors at the Summer plant in South Carolina have been laid off. Last fall there were problems reported at the plant about incorrect placement of rebar, but it is not known whether that is related to the layoffs. [equites.com]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, renewable power, wind power
January 25, 2013
Science and Technology:
¶ The University of Dundee is leading a major new research project on making oceanic wave energy a source of electrical power. [Nanowerk LLC]
¶ Audi makes cars that run on methane. It is developing technology using electric power to make methane from water and carbon dioxide. This power can be supplied when excess is generated by solar or wind. The methane can also be used to replace natural gas. [MIT Technology Review]
World:
¶ The UK announced a £24.2 billion power grid upgrade to allow the country to put more low-carbon energy sources online. [DesignBuild Source]
¶ Ohi, the only nuclear plant running in Japan and the largest in the world, may have to closed down because of new, stricter rules to be proposed by the Nuclear Regulation Authority. [Free Malaysia Today]
¶ The French government intends to propose an energy law that could reduce dependence on nuclear power. [Businessweek]
US:
¶ The US Army has a renewable energy goal of 1 GW by 2025. [Electric Light & Power]
¶ The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has proposed four reforms to reduce the time and cost to process transmission interconnection requests from generating facilities of 20 MW or smaller. [POWER magazine]
¶ When Duke Energy proposed a nuclear plant in South Carolina in 2009, it was expected to be finished in 2016. By 2012, the completion date had been pushed back to 2022. Now, they say they may still need more time. [Charlotte Business Journal]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
January 24, 2013
Science, Technology, and Economy:
¶ Nobel laureate Dr. John Byrne challenged nuclear power as a source of sustainable energy. [TwoCircles.net]
World:
¶ Asked about the future of farming in the UK, 42% of farmers and landowners expressed concerns, but 95 per cent believe that renewable energy will play a vital role in the future of farming in the UK. [SourceWire]
¶ A new proposal would have giant wind turbines in central Ireland providing power to the UK. [BBC News]
¶ The European parliament is criticizing Bulgaria, Lithuania, and Slovakia for failing to provide properly for decommissioning nuclear power plants, thereby putting European citizens at risk. [Balkans.com Business News]
¶ The two reactors at the Ohi nuclear power plant in Japan are facing shutdown for maintenance and safety checks. They are the only operating reactors in Japan, and it is not known when, or even whether, they will restart. [The Japan Daily Press]
US:
¶ Duke Energy has installed the largest battery storage system in North America at a windpower complex in Texas. [Power Engineering Magazine]
¶ A freak snowstorm in South-western Pennsylvania was produced by the Beaver Valley nuclear plant. [Washington Post]
¶ Two coal-burning generating plants are going offline in Nova Scotia. [CBC.ca]
… And five more coal-burning generating plants belonging to MidAmerican Energy are going offline or converting to other fuel sources in Iowa by 2016. [Power Engineering Magazine]
¶ Green Mountain Power, National Life Group, and Green Lantern Capital partnered to put up four new solar projects in Vermont. Tracking mounts were provided by AllEarth Renewables. [Solar Industry]
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Tags: coal power, nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
January 23, 2013
World:
¶ A carbon tax is credited with causing Australia’s carbon emissions to drop by 8.6%, though the revenue was not as great as the government had hoped. [The Australian]
¶ The UK’s renewable energy generation is expected to double by 2017, and account for about 20% of electricity at that time. [Energy Live News]
¶ Ikea is planning on doubling its investment in renewable power by 2020. [The Sunday Business Post]
¶ A new report commissioned by Greenpeace concludes that 14 planned fossil fuel projects will produce dangerous levels of global warming if. [Responding to Climate Change]
US:
¶ The costs of global warming are becoming an important issue for world economic leadership. Annually, the costs come to $1.5 trillion per year. [CNN]
¶ Bad math used in the basic design and bad use of materials, both recently discovered, add to other problems for the Fort Calhoun nuclear plant. The plant has been idle for almost two years because of a variety of problems. [Laboratory Equipment]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, renewable power
January 22, 2013
Science and Technology:
¶ Jet fuel derived 100% from renewable sources has been tested and found to reduce emissions. [Gas 2.0]
World:
¶ A survey of world chemical companies revealed that 71% of them have sustainability goals. The interest in sustainability extends to most of the customers of these companies as well. [Sustainable Plant]
¶ According to Swiss Re, the world’s second-largest reinsurer, insurance companies must foster investment in renewable energy. [Blue & Green Tomorrow]
¶ South Korea, with collaboration from the US DOE’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, is beginning work on developing a preliminary concept design for a fusion power reactor. [Nature.com]
¶ The Japanese Nuclear Regulation Authority has released a draft of the new safety measures to be implemented for nuclear power plants, based on review of the Fukushima Disaster. [The Japan Daily Press]
… The new measures say some cables need to be coated with flame-retardant materials, a process that is expected to impact thirteen reactors and take years. [The Daily Yomiuri]
US:
¶ US Companies with no direct stake in power generation hired lobbyists to support the wind tax credit and fight for clean energy incentives. [Inside Climate News]
¶ In his inaugural address, President Obama said, “We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations.” [solarserver.com]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, wind power
January 21, 2013
World:
¶ Ma Qingyun, dean of the University of Southern California School of Architecture, told the Chinese Press Agency that agri-urbanism provides an alternative path to realizing sustainable development. [China Daily]
¶ In a speech to delegates at the Irena convention at Abu Dhabi, the CEO of Abu Dhabi’s Future Energy Company, said water was more important than oil. [IBTimes.co.uk]
¶ More than 140 countries have agreed to legally binding rules on mercury emissions. Much of the problem with mercury has to do that it is released when coal is burned. [Sudan Vision]
¶ With a March deadline for drawing up nuclear disaster plans drawing closer, 70% of Japanese municipalities are still behind schedule. [The Daily Yomiuri]
US:
¶ Duke Energy has added 702 MW of wind capacity in Texas, bringing its renewable portfolio to 1700 MW. [Smartmeters]
¶ The US Army has put its largest solar array online. The garrison commander said in his statement that the army had a “focus on operating on net zero energy, and doing what we can to help protect the environment.” [The Sun]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
January 20, 2013
World:
¶ Germany plans to eliminate use of fossil fuels by 2050, and close to 50% of the ownership of renewable capacity is in the hands of ordinary citizens and farmers. [Business Insider]
¶ A political storm is brewing over the possible construction of a new nuclear plant in Taiwan. [Focus Taiwan News Channel]
¶ Officials from TEPCO are visiting the Hanford, Washington, nuclear site, possibly the most contaminated in the US, to see how cleanup is being done there. [Mid Columbia Tri City Herald]
US:
¶ The federal government’s new pollution limits for a coal-fired power plant on the Navajo Nation will cost more than $1 billion, cutting severely into the income of the Navajo and Hopi tribes. [Native American Times]
¶ The GAO released a blistering report on the $13.4 billion waste treatment plant being built at Hanford, Washington, saying billions in overruns are almost certain and questioning whether the project can even succeed. [OregonLive.com]
¶ The NRC is beginning to prepare a detailed plan of what would need to be done to bring the plant safely back to service. [Power Engineering Magazine]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, renewable power
January 19, 2013
World:
¶ At the International Renewable Energy Agency, heads of energy agencies from 160 countries endorsed a declaration calling for a doubling of the world’s share of renewable energy by 2030. [MENAFN.COM]
¶ A fish caught inside the harbor of Fukushima Daiichi has 2540 times the legal limit for food fish in Japan. [The News International]
US:
¶ The US Interior Department is designating more land in Arizona as available for development of wind and solar power generation. [Businessweek]
¶ A Pew Charitable Trust report projects revenue from renewable at $1.9 trillion in the US for the period of 2012 to 2018, if regulatory conditions are stable. [The Guardian]
… The report also says the US is trailing other countries in renewable development. [UPI.com]
¶ The US DOE is in court, defending the $750 million fee it collects from the nuclear industry for handling nuclear waste. The fee is being challenged because the DOE has no nuclear handling system in place. [Businessweek]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, nuclear waste, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
January 18, 2013
Science and Technology:
¶ Sewage geothermal, taking heat directly from wastewater, is in use in China to provide heat and air conditioning for large buildings. [Daily Commercial News]
World:
¶ The EU could support itself with a combination of renewable resources including sustainable biofuels, without resorting to harmful biofuels. [Irish Times]
¶ Belgium is planning to build a doughnut-shaped artificial island in the ocean as a pumped storage facility, in a step to reduce reliance on nuclear power. [Reuters]
¶ Increasing output of solar and wind power have driven electric prices to record lows in France and Germany, while demonstrating that their intermittent nature is less problematical than their critics claim. [CleanTechnica]
¶ Australian mining companies are using solar power to cut energy costs. [RenewEconomy]
¶ The Japanese Nuclear Regulation Agency panel investigation on the fault under the Ohi plant cannot agree on whether the fault is active, so more investigation may be done. Ohi is the only operating plant in Japan. [The Japan Daily Press]
US:
¶ Windpower leads the way in new installations in the US during 2012, increasing by over 51% from 2011. New wind installations accounted over 40% of the total, as opposed to new natural gas installations, at 33%. [North American Windpower]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, wind power
January 17, 2013
World:
¶ The head economist from International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) has told the conference in Abu Dhabi that renewable energy production is not growing nearly fast enough. [gulfnews.com]
¶ A report from Irena issued at the conference says renewable energy has entered into a new beneficial cycle of falling costs, increasing deployment, and accelerated technological progress. [Power Engineering]
¶ Fukushima Prefecture plans to be completely energy self-sufficient by 2040, using only renewable sources. It is installing the world’s largest wind farm. [RenewablesBiz]
¶ A new umbrella organisation called the Federal Association of Energy Storage has been formed to advance the development of a stable energy storage market in Germany. [PV-Tech]
¶ According to the Energy Research Institute of the University of Melbourne, Australia could be self-sufficient in renewable energy in 10 years by converting to solar and wind energy, given the right social and political leadership. [Current TV]
¶ A paper from the UAE describes sustainability as key to energy security, calling other countries and organisations to join efforts to make clean development a reality. [WAM – Emirates News Agency]
US:
¶ Half the new generating capacity added in the US in 2012 was renewable. [Business Green]
¶ Needing a power source for a federal nuclear weapons assembly and disassembly facility in Texas, the National Nuclear Security Administration decided on wind power. The wind farm will be the US government’s largest. [North American Windpower]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, wind power
January 16, 2013
Opinion:
¶ Is investment in large nuclear power plants worthwhile? [Forbes]
¶ The oil industry has taken aim at the Renewable Fuel Standard in a self-interested bid to retain dominance over America’s transportation fuel sector. [AOL]
Science and Technology:
¶ A collaboration between Stanford University and the US DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has resulted into a thin-film solar cell less than one-micron thick that can be attached to almost any surface. [Power Engineering Magazine]
¶ A device developed by the NREL could save the US solar industry billions of dollars by identifying defective solar cells early in the manufacturing process. [CleanTechnica]
World:
¶ A report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) says green energy options are rapidly becoming the most cost-effective available. [Trade Arabia]
¶ The people at Irena’s conference in Abu Dhabi represent just about every country and organization important in the world of renewables, climate, and sustainability. [Deutsche Welle]
¶ In an address to the Irena conference, renowned US economist Jeffrey Sachs said the work being done was not nearly enough, and the world needs an entirely different energy system in place within 25 years. [7DAYS]
¶ In the Middle East, environmental understanding is driving the technology towards more efficient and environmentally friendly options for desalination. [gulfnews.com]
¶ Most of the World’s largest companies are shifting to clean energy. [WWF International]
¶ Mitsubishi has announced it will invest close to $770 million in four offshore wind farms in Germany. [The Japan Daily Press]
¶ The costs of decommissioning European nuclear power plants will run into hundreds of billions of Euros during the next ten years. [Recycling News]
US:
¶ New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is proposing a $1 billion “N.Y. Green Bank,” to support environmental energy research and projects that might otherwise struggle for capital from the private market. [Salon]
¶ Rhode Island has made a new type of renewable energy grant available, as for the first time, residential applications for grouped projects will be accepted. [DigitalJournal.com]
¶ A number of environmental groups will file a rebuttal of claims made by the Nuclear Energy Institute, which has suggested that additional research by the NRC is not largely needed for a court-ordered environmental impact statement on long-term nuclear waste-storage issues. [Melodika.net]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, renewable power, wind power
January 15, 2013
Science and Technology:
¶ Teams of scientists are testing ways to get rid of nuclear waste. One approach is an American design being tested in the UK, to combine fusion with fission. Another is a Belgian test of Carlos Rubbia’s Energy Amplifier, an Accelerator-Driven System. [IEEE Spectrum]
¶ At the Ecobuild event in London, on March 5-7, Mitsubishi Electric will highlight projects using existing renewable technologies to improve energy performance and decrease carbon emissions, while often decreasing energy bills as well. [IBTimes.co.uk]
World:
¶ The International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) conference is putting emphasis on low-carbon economy, giving investors the understanding that there is great potential for growth in low-carbon technology. [UPI.com]
¶ A panel of experts at Irena are calling for distributed power from renewable resources because current models of energy generation and distribution are more expensive and less sustainable. [gulfnews.com]
¶ The portion of our energy that is renewable has to double by 2030, according to an Irena announcement. We need to accelerate the move to renewables to achieve that. [News24]
¶ The headquarters for Irena will be in Abu Dhabi, the first such agency to have its headquarters in the Middle East. [gulfnews.com]
¶ Promoters of an 80-acre energy park in Cornwall are offering residents within 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) of the park a 20% discount on electricity. The park will consist of 75 acres of solar PVs and 14 wind turbines. [This is Cornwall]
US:
¶ Duke Energy added 800 MW of windpower in 2012. [Power Engineering Magazine]
¶ The new US approach to storage of nuclear waste will begin with getting consent from the community hosting the waste. Waste will go to interim storage first, and then to long-term storage. [World Nuclear News]
¶ A panel of three judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals have heard arguments on whether the Vermont Senate can prevent Vermont Yankee’s continued operation by preventing issuance of a certificate of public good. [vtdigger.org]
… Nine states, New York, Connecticut, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire and Utah filed a court document supporting Vermont. [The Saratogian]
¶ The State of New York has made the area of the Hudson River on which Indian Point sits into a critical wildlife area. Entergy is claiming the designation was illegally applied and will interfere with operation of the power plant. [The Journal News | LoHud.com]
¶ What appears to be one of the new reactors for Vogtle got stuck in port when a rail car broke down on December 15. The car distinctive and could hardly be mistaken. It sits today by the side of a road, without any protection against sabotage, which would be a violation of NRC regulations. [The Aiken Leader]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, renewable power, wind power
January 14, 2013
World:
¶ The International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) has its third annual conference underway in Abu Dhabi, and has provided a Global Renewable Energy Atlas [gulfnews.com]
¶ An important focus of Irena is to bring energy to all people. Renewable resources are making this goal reachable, where electric grid power did not. [The Guatemala Times]
¶ China has announced it is joining Irena. [The National]
¶ The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership will fund 28 new projects for renewable energy and energy efficient solutions in Africa and Asia. [ESI Africa]
¶ The Scots, after long feeling they were taking a back seat to the English, are taking pride in environmental leadership, as they work toward 100% electrical energy independence in 2020. [The National]
¶ Renewable power is seen as a major investment opportunity in Myanmar. Solar costs about half as much as diesel in Southeast Asia, and produces no emissions. [CleanTechnica]
US:
¶ So far, Google’s investment in renewable power comes to over $1 billion. [Techi]
¶ Muons, Inc. and ADNA Corp. are proposing using an accelerator-driven subcritical reactor for heat for production of synthetic fuels and chemicals. The reactor could use spent nuclear fuel. [Green Car Congress]
Posted in nuclear power, renewable power | 2 Comments »
Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, nuclear waste, renewable power
January 13, 2013
Science and Technology:
¶ Scientists at Berkeley are researching artificial photosynthesis. They have already been able to make hydrogen, and are trying for more complex materials that can be used for fuel. [San Francisco Chronicle]
Not Energy, but Interesting Sustainability:
¶ Plastic fishing traps are being used instead of tree bark in Indonesia. They last longer and are less destructive than earlier practice, providing an interesting example of use of plastics as a replacement for natural product can protect the environment. [Bernama]
¶ Greenpeace is highlighting sustainable production of palm oil tested in Indonesia. It is being praised by the Minister of Agriculture, who says it shows how producers can be profitable without destroying forests. [Scoop.co.nz]
World:
¶ Sir Ian Wilmut, known for successfully cloning a sheep for the first time, says wind turbines are vital to reducing the carbon emissions causing global warming and destruction of crops. His basic message is that without wind farms, we will not be able to produce enough food. [Scotsman]
¶ The last remaining coal generating plants in Ontario are scheduled to close. [Huffington Post Canada]
US:
¶ The 265 MW Ocotillo Wind project in Southern California began commercial operation in December and is transmitting energy to the grid, according to its owners. [Today’s Energy Solutions]
¶ The US DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory has created an energy analysis tool to help those who wish to experiment with energy use options and carbon emissions. The tool is called Buildings, Industry, Transportation, Electricity, and Transportation Scenarios (BITES). [Nanowerk LLC]
¶ The DOE is also putting up $120 million for research into sustainable ways to produce more rare earth elements. The US is dependent on foreign sources for these elements, which are important for production of PVs, LEDs, and computer chips, among other things. [IVCPOST]
¶ Nuclear watchdog groups are accusing the NRC of rushing its report on nuclear waste. [Rutland Herald]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, renewable power, wind power
January 12, 2013
Science and Technology:
¶ The US National Science Foundation has awarded a grant for research in sustainable energy systems that integrate waste stream management with renewable power generation, starting on the scale of a single-family residence. One main focus of the research will be optimization of algae-based biofuel systems. [Biomass Magazine]
World:
¶ Duke Energy is partnering with local developers in Argentina to provide independent microgrids in two towns. The power will come from a combination of wind and hydro. [Electric Light & Power]
¶ Scottish offshore renewable energy projects may face delays as the power grid needs to be improved. [Businessweek]
¶ The Chinese are trying out two new technologies for nuclear power, one of which produces little waste and cannot melt down. [HazardEx] (This article speaks of a photon beam, as do several others in the past few weeks. I am fairly certain they all should be talking about a proton beam, meaning that this is an Accelerator-Driven System)
¶ The Japanese Nuclear Regulation Authority has announced a draft of key measures to prevent severe accidents at nuclear power plants. [The Daily Yomiuri]
US:
¶ Market researchers at Frost & Sullivan predict that the US investments in solar power will grow from $1.91 billion in 2011, to $20.44 billion in 2016. [NewsNet]
¶ According to an EPA official, much contaminated land can have its pollutants contained, rather than needing extensive decontamination, if it is to be used for solar farms. [Energy Collective]
¶ The National Climate Assessment Development Advisory Committee, consisting of 240 scientists working a the auspices of the federal government, issued a warning on climate change that is called stronger and clearer than ever. [Huffington Post]
¶ The Fitch rating agency says it believes Duke Energy probably will permanently close the Crystal River nuclear plant. [Tampa Bay Times]
¶ The DOE intends to have an interim storage facility for spent nuclear waste by 2025. [Platts]
… And, a more permanent facility may be ready by 2048. [Mid Columbia Tri City Herald]
¶ There is considerable pessimism in the industry about the addition of new nuclear plants. The four being built might be all for a long time, and others are likely to close. [Tampabay.com]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, renewable power, wind power
January 11, 2013
Opinion:
¶ William S. Becker gives us “The Incontrovertible Business Case for Clean Energy,” in two parts. Huffington Post: [Part 1] [Part 2]
World:
¶ Chile has 3.1 GW of solar energy projects in planning. [Electric Light & Power]
¶ The Irish renewable electric provider, Mainstream Renewable Power, is making progress in its talks with the UK National Grid to export 5000 MW of electricity to Britain. [Irish Times]
¶ RWE’s renewable energy unit said a new law designed to ease grid-connection delays for German wind farms doesn’t go far enough in reducing investment risks. Utilities including RWE AG and EON SE had threatened to halt investments unless the issues are resolved. [Bloomberg]
¶ Restarting reactors in Belgium that had been shut down because of microcracks will be hazardous, according to a study commissioned by the Green Party group in the European Parliament. [EurActiv]
US:
¶ The city council of Carbondale, Illinois, named for local coal mines, has voted to make the city’s electric supply 100% renewable. The package deal provided a 2% cost above non-renewable, and a 22% cost reduction from aggregated buying, so there is substantial saving from going green. [The Southern Illinoisian]
¶ Tucson, Arizona is transitioning to a renewable water supply. [Tucson Citizen]
¶ The NRC still has no timetable for restarts of the Fort Calhoun or Crystal River nuclear plants. [POWER magazine]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
January 10, 2013
Science and Technology:
¶ Tree Seeds could provide an abundant supply of biofuel. [Newstrack Indiah]
¶ The use of mycorrhiza for increasing fertility for organic farming is becoming more prevalent. [Reuters AlertNet]
World:
¶ China expects to install 18 GW of wind capacity and 10 GW of solar in 2013. [Power Engineering Magazine]
¶ Japanese regulators say checking all the reactors in the country for safety in three years will be difficult. [The Japan Times]
¶ Iceland is offering geothermal power to provide heat for homes in the UK through a submarine electric cable. The project could be completed by 2020. [Scotsman]
US:
¶ Google is putting $200 million into a Texas wind farm. [GlobalPost]
¶ Sen. Bernie Sanders will introduce legislation to move aggressively to reverse global warming. [eNews Park Forest]
¶ The US retired more than 9000 MW of coal generating plants in 2012. [PennEnergy]
¶ Utility computers are increasingly being attacked by unknown hackers. Water, nuclear power and natural gas pipeline systems are especially targeted. [WND.com]
¶ After ruling that the owners of San Onofre could continue collecting money from ratepayers for the idle plant, an administrative judge left the bench and attempted to grab a banner from protesters. [Bay Area Indymedia]
¶ UBS, a Swiss global financial services company, says five US nuclear power plants are likely to be retired early because of economics. The plants are Clinton, FitzPatrick, Ginna, Kewaunee, and Vermont Yankee. [Platts]
Vermont:
¶ Judge Garvan Murtha refused to grant an injunction sought by Entergy to block a Vermont Supreme Court proceeding on Vermont Yankee. The New England Coalition asked the Vermont Supreme Court to order VY to close because it’s operating without a certificate of public good. [Vermont Public Radio]
¶ The Vermont Department of Public Service is asking Entergy to explain the inconsistencies in the positions it has taken on state oversight of Vermont Yankee. [Vermont Public Radio]
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Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
January 9, 2013
Science and Technology:
¶ Graphene oxides have been discovered to remove some dissolved radioactive materials from water quickly, and can be used in places like Fukushima for decontamination. [HispanicBusiness.com]
Japan’s news is now in the World section.
World:
¶ Some areas of Wales are leading the way in rooftop solar installations. In Wrexham, 5% of homes have PVs supplying their power. [WalesOnline]
¶ Algeria is planning on spending $60 billion developing renewable energy. [ESI Africa]
¶ Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec is investing $500-million in a portfolio of wind power farms owned by Chicago-based clean energy developer Invenergy LLC. [National Post]
¶ Cleanup and decontamination at Fukushima are alarmingly slipshod. [Asahi Shimbun]
US:
¶ Ratepayers in southern California are paying $1.1 billion per year in costs relating to the San Onofre nuclear plant while it sits idle because of equipment problems. [Los Angeles Times]
¶ The owners of Fort Calhoun still hope to restart the reactor in the first quarter, despite work that still remains to correct a problem an NRC official called a “significant technical challenge” with the unit’s containment. [Platts]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
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