Posts Tagged ‘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]
Posted in nuclear power, solar | 1 Comment »
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
July 11, 2012
Japan:
¶ Fuel rod containers were found to be broken at the Onagawa nuclear plant. [NHK]
¶ There is no prospect for restarting additional reactors after those at Ohi. The stress tests found only one of the 48 remaining reactors capable of withstanding a major catastrophe, and the new regulatory agency has to decide what to do about the rest. [The Daily Yomiuri]
World:
¶ According to the IEA, solar power will provide for 17% of heating and cooling by 2050. [EcoSeed]
US:
¶ Vermont Yankee presented its post-Fukushima safety and emergency plans. [VTDigger]
¶ Construction costs for US nuclear power plants continue to increase. [Associated Press]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, solar power
July 9, 2012
Japan:
¶ Power saving usage cuts are being relaxed in western Japan. [Reuters]
¶ Ohi Unit 3 is back to full power. [Power Engineering]
¶ The Japanese Atomic Energy Commission held undocumented closed-door meetings for over a decade. [The Japan Times]
World:
¶ Alkali-silica reaction is creating problems for Canadian nuclear plants. [National Post]
¶ The government of the UK is considering ways to clarify the risks of nuclear power to the public. Based on this article, I cannot tell whether this means the risks should be better investigated, or the public should receive better crafted assurance that nuclear power is safe. [businessGreen]
US:
¶ Union workers at Pilgrim have approved a new contract, ending the lockout. [boston.com]
¶ The State of California is considering having an independent review panel for San Onofre. It already has one, the only one in the nation, for Diablo Canyon. [inside climate news]
¶ US Solar installations are up 85% from the same quarter last year. Prices are down 17%. The business is changing rapidly. [Solar Novus Today]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, solar power
July 6, 2012
Technology:
¶ Graphene added to photovoltaic cells may improve efficiency by over 50%, and double-sided cells could be 50% more efficient as well. [Home Heating Guide]
¶ A new wind turbine design is being built in the UK. It is intended to be mastless for urban installation. [Specifinder]
… The article does not have a picture, but one can be seen at the McCamley website.
Japan:
¶ This BBC article lists the main points and recommendations of the parliamentary report on the Fukushima Disaster. [BBC]
¶ The report puts safety of the entire Japanese fleet into question, by implying the other reactors are vulnerable. [Atlantic Wire]
World:
¶ Worldwide nuclear electric production dropped by 4.3% in the aftermath of the Fukushima Disaster. [Bloomberg Businessweek]
¶ A report from the Confederation of British Industry says the government can cut its deficit in half by embracing renewable energy. [Solar Power Portal]
¶ The International Energy Agency projects 40% growth in the renewable sector in the next five years, increasing from recent growth of around 20%. [Engineering News]
Palestinians are installing PVs to reduce dependence on Israel. [Al-Monitor]
US:
¶ Departing Chairman Jaczko says the agency may not be able to renew licenses for operating nuclear plants for “a few years” because of a federal court ruling, but the plants may continue to operate anyway. [Platts]
¶ The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is still divided and does not know what to do about nuclear safety, according to departing chairman Jaczko. [Wall Street Journal]
¶ We can cut the price of solar power in half by cutting the red tape. [Forbes]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
July 4, 2012
Opinion:
¶ As I see it – the future of electricity generation.
Japan:
¶ The Japanese government will not allow people who have worked in the nuclear industry in the last three years to work for the new regulatory agency. [Power Engineering]
¶ Yusuhara, in Kochi Prefecture, is considered a model in use of renewable power generation. [Power Engineering]
¶ Japan is still struggling to define its energy future. Some experts see the nuclear industry as desperate, commenting, “But basically, there is very little they can do to turn the clock back.” [Reuters]
World:
¶ Grameen Schneider Electric will equip nearly 200,000 households in Bangladesh with home solar systems. [Construction Week]
US:
¶ Dominion, owner of the Millstone Nuclear Power Plant, wants to increase the number of dry casks on site. [The Day]
¶ The Marine Conservation Alliance Foundation found a lot of flotsam from Japan in a survey it conducted in Alaska. Tests were conducted and nothing was found to be radioactive. [Alaska Dispatch]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
July 3, 2012
Japan:
¶ After 15 months, 40% of the people evacuated from Okuma, in Fukushima Prefecture, have given up on the idea that they will ever return home. [Daily Yomiuri]
¶ Mitsui OSK has built a hybrid ship to use for ferrying cars. It has solar, battery, and diesel power systems. [The Japan Daily Press]
World:
¶ G24 Innovations is starting to sell photovoltaic cells built in a factory in Wales. They produce power from ambient light. [RECHARGE]
¶ GE is supplying a wind farm in Sweden with ten 2.75 megawatt wind turbines. [The FINANCIAL]
US:
¶ The Union of Concerned Scientists is requesting the NRC to rule that all spent fuel at US nuclear reactors be moved to dry cask storage, allowing only five years to cool in spent fuel pools. [San Diego Reader]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power
June 30, 2012
A quote for today:
“A lot of people think that Fukushima is behind us, in fact it’s ahead of us.” Jean-Christophe Niel, head of ASN, the French nuclear safety authority. [quoted in RFI]
Japan:
¶ The weekly protest at the Prime Minister’s residence has grown from 300, in April, to a huge number, yesterday. Police claim there were 17,000 people in the crowd, organizers say 150,000, and various media put the number at between 20,000 and 200,000. [Japan Daily Press]
¶ The Japanese government is presenting three plans for the future of energy production, so they can be debated publicly. [Reuters]
¶ The Anglican Church in Japan is calling for the abolition of nuclear power. [Anglican Communion News Service]
US:
¶ A rally to shut down VY is scheduled for July 1. [OpEdNews]
¶ The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is making new rules for wind, solar, and energy storage. A projection used as a basis, dating from 2010, is that 60% of new energy resources will be solar and wind by 2019. [Forbes]
¶ The US Senate confirmed Kristine Svinicki and Allison Macfarlane to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. [The Hill]
¶ Decommissioning Zion is costing upwards of $100 million more than anticipated. [Chicago Tribune]
¶ The DOE gave Southern Company a sweetheart deal to finance building two reactors at Vogtle. Critics say the deal is excessive. [Inter Press Service]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, renewable power, solar power, wind power
June 27, 2012
Japan:
¶ Two prominent seismologists are warning against restarting the reactors at Ohi. [news24]
¶ TEPCO is being accused of lying and covering up its own incompetence in its report on its internal investigation of the Fukushima Disaster. [Radio Australia]
… There have been protests at the stockholders’ meeting over the report. [Australian Network News]
¶ Shareholders have voted to allow TEPCO to be nationalized. [RTT News]
World:
¶ European Desertec, a consortium including such companies Siemens, E.ON, Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley, Enel, and Shell, says it will use wind and solar energy from northern Africa and southern Europe to eliminate 95% of the emissions from generating electricity by 2050. [REneweconomy]
US:
¶ The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has ruled in favor of the US NRC in its suit with the State of Vermont on the issue of the water quality permit. The state contended that since Entergy never applied for a water quality permit, as required by the law, the NRC issued the license renewal illegally. [Reuters UK]
¶ The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled unanimously that the EPA has the authority to limit carbon dioxide emissions. [ieee spectrum]
¶ One take on the news says the investigation into Chairman Jaczko faults him because he was not supportive of his colleagues, and his actions were inconsistent with policy. [Wall Street Journal]
… Another take says he committed no violations. [New York Times]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, solar power, wind power
June 26, 2012
Japan:
¶ Experts say the spent fuel pool of Unit 4 at Fukushima Daiichi is a disaster waiting to happen. [Radio Australia]
¶ TEPCO is finally admitting a slight lean in the Unit 4 building. [NHK World]
… (This has been reported without confirmation for over a year at ENENEWS, whom we thank for bringing the report to our attention.)
¶ According to NHK, a 92 hectare (227 acre) park in Tokyo is to be decontaminated because of radioactive fallout from Fukushima Daiichi. [NHK World].
… (Again, thanks to ENENEWS.)
¶ Another earthquake at Fukushima could lead to a disaster ten times worse than Chernobyl. [Australian Broadcast Corporation]
¶ The number 3 reactor at Ohi will be restarted on July 1, and is expected to be producing at full power on about July 8-11. The number 4 reactor at the same plant is expected to be started on July 17-21, and to produce full power on July 24-31. [Reuters]
¶ Protesters say the restart at Ohi was rushed, and the plant was declared safe without considering difficulties evacuation would pose, or even infrastructure, which needs upgrades. [The Japan Times]
World:
¶ The government of Korea is getting proactive about construction of wind turbines. [REVE]
¶ The city of Beijing is considering a sister-city relationship with Copenhagen, partly because it may facilitate installation of 100 wind turbines. [REVE]
US:
¶ A shipment of two dry casks arrived by barge for Seabrook. They are in parts that will be assembled at the plant. Transporting them from the port to the plant requires use of two trucks, each with 100 tires on the trailer, which will move on the roads at 5 miles per hour. [Seacoastonline]
¶ The New Jersey legislature is considering a bill intended to avert collapse of the solar market in that state. New Jersey has seen a decline in the price of solar credits for owners of solar arrays earn for their investment, resulting from rapid expansion of solar production. [NJSPOTLIGHT]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear power, nuclear waste, photovoltaic, solar power, wind power
June 25, 2012
Japan:
¶ Japanese based Taiwanese journalist Liu Li-erh says the Fukushima disaster caused her property, 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the plant to lose half its value. She gives this message to the people of Taiwan, “Now is the time to go nuclear free.” [Taipei Times]
¶ After testing for radioactive substances, seafood caught off the coast of Fukushima has gone on sale at a reduced price to test the market. [China Daily]
… A different fishing expedition off Fukushima returned with a radioactive haul. [Radio Australia]
¶ TEPCO has installed another cover for the Unit 4 spent fuel pool. [Break Bulk]
World:
¶ British green utility Good Energy is growing at over 12% and now has over 30,000 customers. [NewsNet]
¶ Solaria, a German solar company, is planning to build an unsubsidized 60 MW solar generating station in Spain, and projects the cost at $1.25 per watt, with an opening date in 2013. [REneweconomy]
… Solaria says costs of electricity from the plant should be $68 to $75 per MWh. By comparison, the US DOE’s projected cost for power from nuclear plants is at $113.80 per MWh, excluding costs of managing nuclear waste and potential taxpayer liabilities for loan guarantees and disaster insurance. [US DOE projected costs]
US:
¶ Workers at the Pilgrim nuclear plant are now picketing the plant. A contract negotiation had failed, and the workers had been locked out by Entergy. [Nuclear Street]
¶ War games scheduled to test security at Indian Point have been delayed. The issue is that during such practice at Seabrook, a participant nearly passed out because of carbon monoxide produced by the fake ammunition. [Journal News- lohud.com]
¶ Physicians for Social Responsibility have endorsed Allison MacFarlane to chair the NRC. [IBTimes]
¶ Contrary to claims by the NRC that seismic studies were done at Limerick before it was constructed, they were not completed until two years after the first reactor was delivered. Now we know the plant sits on top of a fault. [The Mercury]
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Tags: electric power costs, Fukushima, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Pilgrim nuclear, solar power
June 22, 2012
Japan:
¶ Efforts will begin to remove spent fuel assemblies from the Unit 4 spent fuel pool this year, instead of waiting until late 2013, as had been planned. The reason given for this appears to be public concern. [Reuters]
¶ TEPCO’s report on the Fukushima Disaster is being called sloppy, and its contents falsified, by many people, both in and out of government. [The Mainichi]
World:
¶ Transmission lines may connect solar and wind generating stations in Germany with pumped storage in Norway by 2018. [The Local]
US:
¶ The U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved the nomination of Allison Macfarlane to chair the NRC and re-nomination of Kristine Svinicki as a commissioner. [Power Engineering]
¶ The State of California will conduct an investigation into problems at San Onofre. [Bloomberg Businessweek]
¶ Cracks in the containment building at Crystal River are not currently getting worse, but no one knows whether the reactor will be brought back online. [Tampa Bay Times]
¶ Officials at Browns Ferry say that plant is not ready for an inspection needed to clear a reactor’s “red” safety status. [Chattanooga Times]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, solar power, wind power
June 21, 2012
Japan:
¶ After a lengthy self-investigation, TEPCO has proclaimed itself exonerated on the Fukushima Disaster. In reporting the event, this article notes that the utility “has worked vigilantly to shut out close scrutiny of the ravaged plant’s condition.” [New York Times]
¶ TEPCO does, however, admit it underestimated the risk of tsunami. [The Province]
¶ The Japanese Diet has approved a bill to produce an independent nuclear regulatory agency. [Power Engineering]
¶ Toshiba is planning the largest solar farm in Japan so far. It will be sited in Minamisoma and will cost ¥30 billion ($380 million). [Tokyo Times]
World:
¶ Nuclear plant operators must be prepared for flaws in the design basis, according to officials of the European Nuclear Security Regulators Group. This means that nuclear plants have to incorporate safety features to deal with problems that cannot be anticipated. [Platts]
¶ The French government is calling for tougher sanctions against Iran after nuclear talks in Moscow broke down. [Press TV]
US:
¶ Union workers at the Pilgrim nuclear power plant have rejected the contract offered them, extending the lock-out. [Boston Herald]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear power, Pilgrim nuclear, solar power
June 20, 2012
A quote for today:
“By telling the naked emperor to go get dressed, the Court has delivered an overdue rebuke to the NRC’s bad habit of pushing for the nuclear power plants while postponing the problems, as we now know the Japanese to have done at Fukushima. It’s hard to see how federal and state officials can justify putting more taxpayer or customer money at risk on new reactor projects until this situation is resolved.” Former NRC Commissioner, Peter Bradford [International Business Times]
Technology:
¶ Scientists and regulators are trying to figure out what to do about the potential for solar storms to disrupt nuclear plants, the electric grid, communications, and so on. [AOL Energy]
Japan:
¶ TEPCO’s report on the disaster has been announced by the chairman of the committee drafting it. According to CNN, it draws the stunningly obvious conclusion that TEPCO was not prepared for what happened. [CNN]
¶ Industry minister Edano has apologized for the fact that the Japanese government failed to use radiation maps supplied by the US during the disaster, with the result that evacuees were put in the path of fallout. [Business Recorder]
World:
¶ Solar panels are reducing Australia’s mains electricity consumption. [Eco-Business]
US:
¶ According to the US DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, current renewable technology could supply 80% of the electrical power in the United States by 2050, but government agencies grossly underestimate the apparently exponential growth in renewables. [Washington Post]
¶ A protest is planned for July 1, in which anti-nuclear activists plan to swarm the gates at Vermont Yankee. [Valley Advocate]
¶ Workers at the Pilgrim plant will vote on a new contract. [Boston Globe]
¶ A total of 174 MW of solar panels were installed in New Jersey during the first three months of 2012. [NJ Spotlight]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, solar power, Vermont Yankee
June 19, 2012
Japan:
¶ Closing down all fifty nuclear plants in Japan would result in a loss to Japanes utilities of ¥4.4 trillion ($55 billion). [The Japan Times]
¶ The Japanese Nuclear and Industrial Safety Administration has admitted it was negligent and is apologizing for shoddy management. [The Asahi Shimbun]
US:
¶ The Vermont Yankee nuclear plant is running at 36% of permitted power because of a problem that produced smoke in the reactor building. An Entergy spokesman said they did not know what the cause was, but they did know it had nothing to do with safety. [Keene Sentinel]
¶ The Massachusetts Attorney General is appealing the Pilgrim license renewal, saying the NRC abused its discretion in issuing the license without considering the Fukushima Disaster. [Fox News Boston]
¶ The NRC has determined that the problem at San Onofre stems from design flaws and says it is not possible to know whether one or more of the steam generators needs to be replaced. The flaws are said to have resulted from bad computer modeling. [Newser]
¶ The 24 groups and individuals, including the New England Coalition on Nuclear Pollution, have joined to file a petition to stop the NRC from licensing or relicensing plants until the waste issue is resolved. [Clean Energy News]
¶ San Diego Gas & Electric has completed a 500 kV transmission line to link a solar farm in the Imperial Valley to San Diego. [Utilities Network]
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Tags: Fukushima, New England Coalition, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, solar power, Vermont Yankee
June 18, 2012
Technology:
¶ The price of solar power has fallen to the point that it is becoming competitive with fossil fuels. [The Conversation]
¶ Energy storage is becoming increasingly important as the world switches to renewable power. [The Motley Fool]
Japan:
¶ In a press conference, the Japanese trade minister said the new regulatory agency, which is set to begin operations in August, will make its own decisions on the 48 reactors that remain idle, independently of the cabinet. If this is true, then it could be that no additional reactors will be started before fall. [The Daily Yomiuri Online]
¶ In the days following the Fukushima Disaster, the Japanese government received accurate radiation maps from the US Energy Department, but chose not to use them as people evacuated. Some went into areas with high radiation. [The Asahi Shimbun]
¶ The Japanese government approved billions of dollars of subsidies for renewable power. [Eco-Business]
¶ There is a building boom for solar electric installations in Japan. [Bloomberg BusinessWeek]
¶ Those who wish to return to widespread use of nuclear power in Japan do not have a clear path ahead. [Wall Street Journal]
World:
¶ Worldwide wind generating capacity increased by 40 GW in 2011. [REVE]
¶ German utility company RWE AG has decided not to replace its German reactors with new reactors outside the country, but is thinking about cooperating with communities to build solar farms. It may enter the private consumer solar business, as well. [Wall Street Journal]
US:
¶ The US is now producing more renewable energy than nuclear. [geoharvey page]
¶ A former nuclear waste dump in Pennsylvania is being closely guarded by Homeland Security after nuclear materials there were found to include materials that should were more “complex” than expected. [Centre Daily Times]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, renewable power, solar power, wind power
June 16, 2012
Technology:
LCD makers may begin to switch to manufacturing solar cells. The result could be a price reduction to 30¢ per watt. [Article in Bloomberg]
Japan:
Prime Minister Noda says he wants to reduce Japan’s dependence on nuclear power. [Article in euronews]
Prime Minister Noda has ordered the restart of two Ohi Reactors. [Article in the New York Times]
Ruiko Muto lives a Thoreau-like life in a rural setting in Fukushima Prefecture. She is a bit of a hermit, making grass tea and acorn curry, and reading by an oil lantern. Now she is an important voice of the Fukushima protest movement. [Article in Asahi Shimbun]
World:
Geothermal energy could provide all the domestic heat and about 20% of the electricity for the United Kingdom. [Article in Electric Light and Power]
The British Energy Secretary says the U.K. is committed to its renewable power goals. [Article in iStockAnalyst]
The Natural Resources Defense Council has released a scorecard ranking G20 nations and their commitment to clean energy development. We refrain from comment on how the US does. [Article in EnergyBoom]
US:
The U.S. military wants to get 3 gigawatts of renewable generating capacity, and is willing to deal creatively to get it. [Article at AOL Energy]
Entergy has postponed an emergency drill at Pilgrim. Striking members of the plant’s union say this is an indication of Entergy’s valuing profits above safety of workers and the community. [Article in the Boston Globe]
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Tags: nuclear power, renewable power, solar power, wind power
June 14, 2012
Technology:
A new catalyst may lead to artificial photosynthesis and solar manufacture of fuels. [Article in Scientific American]
A new report indicates offshore wind costs may be reduced by a third by 2020. [Article in REneweconomy]
Japan:
The new Japanese nuclear regulatory body will review the 40 year operating limit. [Article in Power Engineering]
As the last of local politicians agree to the restart, Japanese media says restarting of the Ohi reactors may begin this weekend. [Article in the Washington Post]
World:
World nuclear production of electricity fell by 4.3% in 2011. [Article at Utilities-ME]
US:
Part of Seabrook’s administrative building had to be evacuated because of an ammonia spill. [Article in the Boston Globe]
An agreement among senators of both parties backs both nominees to the NRC board. [Article in the Wall Street Journal]
Davis-Besse is running again after refueling and maintenance. [Article in the Toledo Blade]
Nine states have joined with the New England Coalition and other advocacy groups to support Vermont in its appeal of Judge Murtha’s decision. [Article in Power Engineering]
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Tags: New England Coalition, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, renewable power, solar power
June 13, 2012
Technology:
Scientists at the University of Utah believe they have found a way to protect electronic devices in highly radioactive areas. [Article in e! Science News]
Japan:
Experts warn of more pending disaster at Fukushima. [Article in the Hindu]
It will take at least five weeks to restart the Ohi reactors, which means the period of summer heat will be half over by the time they are online. [Article in the Japan Daily Press]
The sea walls at Ohi may be too short. [Article at Wall Street Journal Japan Realtime]
World:
Nuclear power is more costly than renewables. [Article from xinhuanet]
German utilities are suing the government for billions of Euros over the decision to abandon nuclear power. [Article in The Local]
US:
The senate will begin a hearing on nominations of Allison Macfarlane to chair, and Kristine Svinicki to serve on, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. [Article in the Hill News Alerts]
The Palisades nuclear plant has gone offline for a small leak in the plant’s safety injection and refueling water tank. [Report from WSJM]
An NRC report indicates seven problems need to be addressed for Seabrook to be relicensed. [Article in the Newburyport Daily News]
Citizens of two small communities in Iowa pooled their resources and are now generating more electricity from wind than they consume. [Article in R&D]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, renewable power, solar power
June 9, 2012
Japan:
TEPCO has put a 60-ton cover on the spent fuel pool of Unit 4 at Fukushima Daiichi. [News release from TEPCO]
World:
German solar power farms supplied 10% of the electricity used in Germany in May. [Article from Federal News Radio]
A 9000 GWh per year solar farm is being planned for Tunisia to sell electricity to Europe. [Article at Tunisialive]
US:
A federal appeals court ordered the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to redo environmental analysis that allows nuclear waste to be stored at plant sites for 60 years after the plant closes. The order says that the NRC may not depend on an underground waste storage facility, like the one proposed for Yucca Mountain, because it might not happen. [Article at the Wall Street Journal]
Even if Yucca Mountain opened tomorrow, it would not solve the problem. [Article in the New York Times]
The NRC may not issue new licenses or renew old ones until the storage is worked out. [New York AG Press Release]
Rep. Edward Markey is demanding answers from the NRC about how Pilgrim’s emergency response capability can be maintained while the plant’s full-time staff is off work during a labor dispute. [Article in Power Engineering]
Opinion:
Depending on nuclear power is like depending on narcotics. [geoharvey blog page]
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Tags: nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, nuclear waste, renewable power, solar power
June 8, 2012
Technology:
A new study shows increases of probability of cancer for children who have CT scans. [Article at CNN]
Japan:
Prime Minister Noda says it is necessary to restart the two reactors at Oi, a decision expected to be confirmed by the cabinet, but opposed by the Governor of Fukui Prefecture, who has some say in the matter. [Article in the Climate Spectator]
A former Japanese ambassador said in an interview on the situation at Fukushima that the situation there is gravely dangerous. [Article at PanOrient News]
The Japanese Prime Minister will have extraordinary authority during any nuclear crisis in the future. [Article at Daily Yomiuri Online]
An executive at Tokyo Gas is predicting a 50% cut in the use of nuclear power for the future. [Article in The Japan Times]
Crews entered the rooms housing the suppression chambers of units 2 and 3 for the first time since the disaster, looking for the sources of leaks, but were unable to find any. [Article in RTT News]
World:
The International Renewable Energy Agency has released two reports, one dealing with the socio-economic impact of renewable energy, and the other dealing with employment prospects of the renewable sector.
US:
Engineers found a coolant leak at Davis-Besse as the reactor was being readied to start up after refuelling. [Article at Cleveland.com]
San Onofre will probably be offline until at least the end of summer. [Article in the Los Angeles Times]
The NRC will hold public meetings on San Onofre. [Article in the Los Angeles Times]
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Tags: Fukushima, nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, renewable power, solar power, Vermont Yankee
June 7, 2012
Technology:
Costs of renewable energy are falling. [Article in REVE]
Japan:
The japanese Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency is saying the Mihama nuclear power plant’s No. 2 reactor is safe to run beyond 40 years, if it is allowed to do so. [Article in The Japan Times]
World:
The future of nuclear power in Europe, including France and the UK, is not bright. [Article in Chinadialogue]
US:
Ray Shadis, consultant for the New England Coalition on Nuclear Pollution, explains why Vermont Yankee is vulnerable to flooding. [Article in the Commons]
Indian Point shut down because of a generator malfunction. [Article at CBS Money Watch]
The House of Representatives is giving Yucca Mountain $10 million to revive its license application. [Article in Platts]
We are seeing a large number of articles on wind projects in different states. They include a rural 12.6 MW wind farm in Iowa [Article in Power Engineering], a 212.8 MW wind farm in Michigan [Article in Bloomberg Businessweek], and a 235 MW wind farm in Oklahoma [Article in Bloomberg Businesweek].
The fire on the nuclear submarine Miami was caused by a vacuum cleaner. [Article at CNN].
Posted in nuclear power, technology, wind | Leave a Comment »
Tags: nuclear power, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, renewable power, solar power
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