Posts Tagged ‘Fukushima’
August 18, 2012
Technology:
¶ IBM has a new thin-film PV technology that can be printed or cast, is made of such common elements as copper, zinc, and tin, and has a 11.1% solar-to-electric power conversion efficiency, setting a new record. [eWeek]
Japan:
¶ National policy minister Motohisa Furukawa said that none of the reactors at Fukushima Daiichi and Fukushima Daini should ever be restarted. [The Japan Times]
¶ A number of large solar projects are planned for the Chubu Region of Japan. [The Japan Times]
World:
¶ The International Atomic Energy Agency said it has made “significant progress” in a number of key areas of its 12 point Action Plan on Nuclear Safety, which was begun after the Fukushima Disaster. [World Nuclear News]
¶ China increased its wind-generated capacity by over 50 gigawatts in the last year. The increase in capacity has averaged 87% each year for the last six years. [RenewableEnergyWorld.com]
US:
¶ Commissioner Liz Miller of the Vermont Department of Public Service is asking the NRC to look into a series of problems at Vermont Yankee. [Boston.com]
¶ Three environmental groups, Beyond Nuclear, Seacoast Anti-Pollution League and the New Hampshire Chapter of the Sierra Club filed suit against the NRC over relicensing at Seabrook. [Seacoastonline.com]
¶ New legislation would enable $50 billion in bonds to be raised for green energy. [SustainableBusiness.com]
¶ New York Governor Cuomo signed legislation promoting solar energy in his state. [PennEnergy]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, nuclear waste, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, Vermont Yankee, wind power
August 17, 2012
Technology:
¶ A new battery design uses paper industry waste for the cathode, reducing the amount and cost of metals needed. [EarthTechling]
Japan:
¶ More information is gradually becoming available about contamination and casualties of the Fukushima Disaster. There was a marked increase in the death rate in Japan after the disaster. Not counting accidental deaths from the earthquake and tsunami, there were 38,700 more in the year following the Fukushima Disaster than there were for the previous year. [Huffington Post]
World:
¶ The entire energy industry is changing because of the changes in the solar PV industry, which is now at 32 GW and growing rapidly. The old energy paradigm is being turned on its head, and utilities are facing enormous challenges. [The Australian]
¶ Thousands of cracks may have been detected in the Doel Unit 3 reactor vessel. [Power Engineering International]
… Belgian regulators have shut down a second reactor made by the same manufacturer as Doel Unit 3, fearing it may have the same manufacturing flaws. [EurActiv]
US:
¶ The clean energy sector now accounts for 1.7% of the Massachusetts workforce, employing 71,523 workers. This number is projected to grow by 12.4% in the coming year. [Wicked Local]
¶ US carbon dioxide emissions have dropped to a twenty year low, largely because a low price for natural gas has induced utilities to switch from coal to natural gas. [Morning Sentinel]
¶ Owners of Millstone are looking for ways to operate Unit 2 when water is at higher temperatures. There is some hope that equipment changes will help. [The Day]
¶ The Omaha Public Power District says it cannot reopen Fort Calhoun, so it is turning control over to Exelon Corp. [Omaha World-Herald]
¶ NRC Commissioner William Ostendorff is under investigation for attempting to pressure the NRC Inspector General to stop a safety investigation. [Huffington Post]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, nuclear waste, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power
August 16, 2012
Technology:
¶ A researcher at MIT has found a way to stabilize chlorophyl taken from leaves or blades of grass, clearing the way to using it in photovoltaic panels, and suggesting yet another way to produce electricity from sunlight inexpensively. [Daily News & Analysis]
¶ Carbon dioxide can be used as a feedstock for fuels and plastics. Expectations are that by 2030, improved efficiency will make it possible to take carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere to make plastics; until then exhaust gas from combustion can be used. [EcoSeed]
Japan:
¶ A leak of radioactive water was located after covering the Unit 4 control room with a puddle one cm. deep. The water is described as containing “tens of thousands of becquerels of radioactive cesium per cubic centimeter,” which translates into tens of millions of becquerels per kg. [The Daily Yomiuri]
¶ One study says radiation exposure caused severe mutation in butterflies. Another says human beings got very little exposure to radioactivity. [Perth Now]
World:
¶ Mongolia is expanding its electric production for the first time in twenty-five years with the opening of its first wind farm. Capacity is 50 megawatts. [Green Economy]
US:
¶ Goldwind, a Chinese company, has entered into an agreement with All Earth Renewables to supply Vermont’s Georgia Mountain wind farm with four of its 2.5MW turbines. [Windpower Engineering]
¶ A study by Michigan State University indicates that if the state goes to 25% renewables for its energy by 2025, it would create 74,000 jobs and bring $10 billion of investment into the state. [Smart Grid News]
¶ Communities in the Northeast Kingdom have voted in favor of new wind projects there. [EcoSeed]
¶ A water leak in the containment building at Palisades resulted in a special inspection by the NRC. [PennEnergy]
¶ Petco has recalled stainless steel food bowl for pets because of cobalt-90 in the steel. [Bandera County Courier]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, nuclear waste, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power
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 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 10, 2012
Japan:
¶ TEPCO management was reluctant to use sea water to prevent meltdown at Fukushima, because doing so would ruin the reactors. [The Japan Times]
¶ Just after Unit 3 exploded, Fukushima Governor Sato demanded that TEPCO announce “there was no concern that radiation from reactor 3 may affect human body because the wind blows from North-West.” [Infoshop News]
¶ Asahi Shimbun has an interview with anti-nuclear physicist, Yuko Fujita. [Asahi Shimbun]
¶ At the anniversary of the bombing, Hibakusha, survivors of the atomic bombs, talk of the lie of nuclear safety, comparing the meltdowns to the bombs. [The Japan Times]
World:
¶ The government of India is not reconsidering nuclear power as a result of the Fukushima disaster, according to the Minister of State. [NetIndian]
¶ Belgian regulators have closed down a reactor at Doel because of possible cracks in the reactor vessel. [Financial Times]
US:
¶ Some clarity is provided on the NRC’s order to stop licensing. The hold on licensing will have no effect on anything other than the actual issuance of licenses. The processes proceed without slowing. The next license to issue will be the relicense of Indian Point (September 28, 2013). [Power Engineering]
¶ A spokesman for the nuclear industry says he is not too worried about the NRC order against issuing licenses. Work will go on unabated. [energybiz]
¶ The Sierra Club is charging that the fossil fuel industry is using underhanded tactics to discredit the growth of renewable energy. [EcoSeed]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, renewable 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 5, 2012
Science:
¶ NASA scientist James Hansen writes, of extreme weather patterns discussed in a study on weather being published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, “The odds that natural variability created these extremes are minuscule, vanishingly small. To count on those odds would be like quitting your job and playing the lottery every morning to pay the bills.” [CNN]
¶ A solar superstorm could play havoc with electric power grids, and in a worst case cause millions of deaths. [Revmodo]
Japan:
¶ Radioactive cesium has been found in Japanese fish and seawater. [RT]
US:
¶ The New York Attorney General opposes the NRC’s resolution of a petition for enforcement of safety rules because it is allowing fire safety violations to continue at Indian Point. [Utility Products]
¶ US toxicologist Janette Sherman published a report linking deaths in the US with radioactivity from Fukushima. [HNN HuntingtonNews]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission
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
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 26, 2012
Japan:
¶ A video featuring the manager of Fukushima Daiichi at the time of the disaster will be aired on August 11. He describes the workers who stayed at the plant to cool reactors down as “saints in hell.” [The Japan Times]
¶ Three reactors are being studied as potential candidates for restarting, but it is not clear how the restarts will proceed while a new nuclear regulatory agency is being founded. [The Daily Yomiuri]
¶ The Japanese government has chosen five candidates for leadership of the new nuclear regulatory agency. [Fox]
¶ Workers hired as cleanup contractors have been exposed to four times as much radiation as utility employees. [Asahi Shimbun]
US:
¶ Areva is building a new US technical center and cooperating with Northrop Grumman to provide cybersecurity support for nuclear facilities. [World Nuclear News]
¶ The TVA is considering using MOX fuel made from old nuclear bombs. [Power Industry News]
¶ S&P is downgrading Duke Energy because of lack of transparency in the replacement of the new CEO after the recent merger of Duke with Progress Energy. [Reuters]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, nuclear waste
July 25, 2012
Japan:
¶ Investigations into the Fukushima Disaster have still not provided a complete understanding of what happened. [The Daily Yomiuri]
… The government will continue investigating, using the new nuclear regulatory agency, when it is set up. [The Japan Times]
¶ The Japanese government is having difficulty finding regulators for their new agency who are knowledgeable on the nuclear industry, but are not too close to it. Cronyism is a serious problem, and is blamed for the Fukushima Disaster. [Wall Street Journal]
¶ A group of retired nuclear engineers is seeking the assistance of the United States as they seek to replace younger workers at Fukushima Daiichi. They had made the offer to TEPCO, because as older people they were less vulnerable to the effects of radiation, but the utility rejected the offer. [Infoshop News]
¶ Fukushima cleanup workers may have been illegally recruited, and may be illegally underpaid. [The Asahi Shimbun]
¶ Now that the investigative reports have been issuing, prosecutors are beginning to accept criminal complaints relating to the Fukushima Disaster. [AsiaOne]
World:
¶ Areva, the French utility known for its nuclear power plants, is investing in biomass technology. The involvement in biomass is not new, as the company already has 5 GW of biomass generating capacity. [Platts]
US:
¶ In the middle of a court case over fish kills in the Hudson River, effecting the operation of Indian Point, the NRC has decided to change to newer data, indicating the number of fish killed is only 0.1% of what earlier studies had found. [newjerseynewsroom.com]
¶ NRC Chairman Allison Macfarlane says the matter of Yucca Mountain was not currently before the NRC, though the matter of nuclear waste storage is. She studied Yucca Mountain five years ago, and concluded, “Yucca Mountain is neither seismically nor volcanically stable.” [Bloomberg]
¶ The first commercial tidal energy project in the US was dedicated Tuesday in Eastport, Maine. [The Boston Globe]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, renewable power
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 20, 2012
Japan:
¶ Japanese regulators are investigating claims that the Ohi reactors stand on a geological fault. [Daily Mail]
¶ The new chief of TEPCO is baffled by criticism of his company. [The Japan Daily Press]
World:
¶ The government of the UK worked closely with the nuclear industry to soften the impact of bad news. [equities.com]
¶ Fears over safety continue in China, and continue to hamper expansion of the nuclear power industry.
[chinadialogue]
¶ Environmental groups are challenging work on nuclear plants in Canada, saying it should not be done while there is no disaster plan. [Toronto Sun]
¶ Customs officials have prevented 300 radioactive cars from entering Russia. [The Japan Daily Press]
¶ Building the new Japanese nuclear regulatory agency has hit a new snag, because of press leaks about who would be on it. [Reuters Africa]
US:
¶ Work is going on to develop fusion as a power source. [AOL]
¶ San Onofre’s owners did not mislead the NRC about design changes, according to a statement from Federal investigators. Of course, this makes us wonder what went wrong at the NRC, as the report says that there were major design changes, but they did not qualify for NRC review. [Power Engineering]
¶ More work needs to be done to understand what when wrong at San Onofre and how to fix the problem. [Power Engineering]
¶ It really is not clear what damage the Fukushima Disaster did, in terms of human health and mortality. One thing certain, however, is that a disaster at Diablo Canyon would be much worse. [New York Times]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission
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 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
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