2011 January 13 « nuclear-news

Shooting victim politician a renewable energy hero

a vocal supporter of renewable energy, and solar power in particular. Politico notes that Giffords’s first speech after she was initially elected in 2006 contained a call to repeal tax incentives for oil companies in favor of support for renewable energy…..She believed that sunny Arizona could become the “Silicon Valley of solar,” though she was aware of the political challenges.

Politics: Gabrielle Giffords Is a Green Patriot, TIME, by Bryan Walsh January 10, 2011 “……Giffords was still in a medically induced coma after being shot in the head Saturday morning in Tucson.)……… Giffords also took some heat from right-wing opponents over her support of carbon cap-and-trade legislation, which passed the House in June 2009 before dying in the Senate, Continue reading →

January 13, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, USA | Leave a comment

America’s top five solar energy States

Governor Bill Ritter’s plans for increasing Colorado’s solar energy industry is centered on creating more revenue and jobs for the state.

Is Your State One of the Solar Power Top 5?, Calfinder, 12 Jan 2011, Already leaders in the solar game, there are five states pushing to incorporate more renewable energy sources into their infrastructure: Arizona, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, and New York. Here’s how their state and local governments made it possible, and what to expect from these power states in 2011. Continue reading →

January 13, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | renewable, USA | 1 Comment

Germany won’t take part in military attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities

“We are definitely not going to participate in a military action” to scuttle Iran’s suspected nuclear bomb program,

Germany Wouldn’t Join Military Action to Halt Iran Nuclear Aims, Bloomberg, By Indira A.R. Lakshmanan – Jan 13, 2011 Germany wouldn’t join in a military strike to halt Iran’s suspected nuclear weapons program even if the U.S. determined that such action was required, Germany’s deputy foreign minister, Werner Hoyer, said today. Continue reading →

January 13, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Germany, politics international | Leave a comment

No funds to deal with UK’s dead nuclear submarines: public at radiation risk

The reports also reveal that there is “no funded plan” for the decommissioning of Britain’s 16 defunct nuclear submarines…..the need to make cost savings is being put ahead of the need to meet regulatory safety and environmental standards.”

Nuclear weapons sites cuts put public at risk, says watchdog, The Guardian, 12 Jan 2011, Staff shortages and funding cuts at nuclear weapons sites across the UK have put the public and the environment at risk, according to the Ministry of Defence’s nuclear safety watchdog. The analysis, marked “restricted”, points to 11 “potentially significant risks” at bomb-making sites and ports housing nuclear submarines, documents seen by the Guardian show. Continue reading →

January 13, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, UK | Leave a comment

UK Green Investment Bank money going more to bankers’ bonuses, than to renewables

“I was astonished when a UK Lib Dem minister admitted that money from the fossil fuel levy will set up a bank that could see some of the bankers’ bonuses that are a matter of some debate at the moment…Scotland has a real opportunity to lead the renewables revolution and releasing this money to create green jobs rather than bankers’ bonuses would help advance that cause.”

Green jobs not bankers’ bonuses | SNP – Scottish National Party, 13 jan 2011, An SNP MSP has expressed astonishment that money which could and should be invested in creating jobs in Scotland’s green energy industry could be paid out in bankers bonuses after an admission by the UK LibDem Energy Secretary Chris Huhne and his colleague Philip Wynn Owen that bankers’ bonuses and public bailouts could be a feature of a new Green Investment Bank set up with money from Scotland’s share of the fossil fuel levy. The SNP believes the £200 million should be released now to be invested in Scotland’s green energy industry creating new jobs and boosting the economy. Continue reading →

January 13, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, UK | Leave a comment

UK government holding back Scotland’s renewable energy drive

Scotland calls on Westminster to release £200m for renewables ClickGreen , 12 Jan 2011 The Scottish government has slated the UK Treasury’s “intransigence” for stalling on the transfer of nearly £200 million it has earmarked to invest in the region’s renewable energy industry. Continue reading →

January 13, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, UK | Leave a comment

Nuclear weapon for Iran in doubt: its nuke program slows

U.S. agencies believe Iran’s nuclear efforts have slowed By Mark Hosenball Jan 12, 2011 WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. intelligence agencies believe Iranian leaders have not yet decided to build a nuclear bomb, and some officials say recent problems affecting Tehran’s nuclear equipment and personnel have set back Iran’s nuclear program by two years or more. Continue reading →

January 13, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Iran, weapons and war | Leave a comment

Indian govt twisting around to get insurance cover for nuclear accidents

“This thing involves large amount of risks. We will have to firstconstitute a pool which will be a member of the larger global pool (of nuclear accident insurance). That is yet to be figured out,”

It is felt that the ambitious programme expected under the Indo-US nuclear deal may not materialise to the desired extent unless there is insurance protection for nuclear accidents.….theIndo-US nuclear deal could open up investment opportunities tothe tune of USD 500 billion over the next decade.

Insurance cover for nuclear accidents likely – Oneindia NewsNew Delhi, Jan 12 Continue reading →

January 13, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, India | Leave a comment

Rooftop Solar Farm

the project shows the huge potential that roof surfaces of industry and trade buildings have for renewable energy

Goodyear Dunlop Rooftop Solar Farm Completed by Energy Matters, 12 JANUARY, 2011 German renewable energy company juwi Solar has announced completion of a massive 7.4MW rooftop solar farm at Goodyear Dunlop’s logistics center in Germany. The PV based solar farm will generated approximately 7.3 million kWh per year, the equivalent of the electricity needs of approximately 1,800 households. Continue reading →

January 13, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Germany, renewable | Leave a comment

US nuclear weapons in Europe

the strategic concept states that “any” further reductions “must take into account the disparity with the greater Russian stockpiles of short-range nuclear weapons,”….the United States has scrapped most of its tactical nuclear weapons because they are no longer important. It is important that the disparity argument does not become an excuse to prevent further reductions.

Publication: US Nuclear Weapons in Europe » FAS Strategic Security Blog, By Hans M. Kristensen, 12 Jan 2011, Following NATO’s strategic concept and expectations that the next round of US-Russian nuclear arms control negotiations will deal with tactical nuclear weapons in some shape or form, Stan Norris and I have published our latest estimate on U.S. nuclear weapons in Europe in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Continue reading →