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Doubts about Fukushima’s full impact cast gloom on nuclear industry

While debates on who or what was at fault will no doubt continue, the nuclear industry has clearly suffered a major blow, with nuclear looking to be unreliable and costly….Nobuo Tanaka, the chief executive of the International Energy Agency, has warned that the role of nuclear power in global energy supply may be less than previously forecast, following the events in Japan. “Building nuclear power or expanding nuclear power may mean more costs or more delay. That means the nuclear option may not play as big a role as we predicted….”

What happened at Fukushima? – environmentalresearchweb, 30 May 11, More information has begun to emerge as to actually what happened at Fukushima, with it now being clear that full fuel melt-down did occur, perhaps even starting before the tsunami hit, although we are still some way off knowing what the longer term impacts will be, Continue reading →

May 30, 2011 Posted by | - Fukushima 2011 | Leave a comment

Fears of terrorist nuclear jihad, following Taliban raid on Pakistan naval base

Signalling the launch of nuclear jihad!, The Pioneer , May 30, 2011  Kanchan Gupta After the Taliban’s daring raid on PNS Mehran, a heavily guarded naval base in Karachi, the world, and not only the US, has reason to worry, if not be alarmed. This is not just another incident of radical Islamists demonstrating their ability to strike terror with the help of brainwashed young men desperate to die in the hope of frolicking with 72 nubile nymphets in the other world; it signals enhanced capability on part of Pakistan’s terrorists to attack high security targets. Continue reading →

May 30, 2011 Posted by | Pakistan, safety | Leave a comment

Syria pledges to cooperate with UN on matters nuclear

Syria says it will cooperate on nuclear probe but US pushes for UN referral  The Washington Post 29 May  11,  NEW YORK — In a major turnaround, Syria is pledging full cooperation with U.N. attempts to probe strong evidence that it secretly built a reactor that could have been used to make nuclear arms, according to a confidential document shared with The Associated Press on Sunday.

If Syria fulfills its promise, the move would end three years of stonewalling by Damascus of the International Atomic Energy. Since 2008, the agency has tried in vain to follow up on strong evidence that a target bombed in 2007 by Israeli warplanes was a nearly built nuclear reactor that would have produced plutonium once active……AP Exclusive: Syria says it will cooperate on nuclear probe but US pushes for UN referral – The Washington Post

May 30, 2011 Posted by | politics international, Syria | Leave a comment

Wikileaks reveal France’s fears about safety of Pakistan’s nukes

France unsure about Pakistan’s nuclear deterrent: WikiLeaks  | The Times of India May 29, 2011, ISLAMABAD: France, not sure about the safety of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons, has decided against supplying nuclear energy technology to it, according to a secret US diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks. Continue reading →

May 30, 2011 Posted by | Wikileaks | Leave a comment

Tropical deluge might spread Fukushima nuclear radiation

Deluge could spread Fukushima radiation ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)By North Asia correspondent Mark Willacy  30 may 11, There are fears a tropical storm off the coast of Japan could wash radioactive material from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant into the air and sea.

Now downgraded to a tropical storm, former Typhoon Songda is still expected to bring strong winds and torrential rain to Tokyo later this morning, with the Fukushima area also forecast to experience a deluge.

The plant’s operator, Tepco, has apologised for not being prepared for the bad weather. The company has been pouring synthetic resins over the facility to stop radioactive material from being swept away, but the job is far from complete. Tepco and the Japanese government both fear contamination could be washed out of the uncovered reactor buildings. Deluge could spread Fukushima radiation – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

May 30, 2011 Posted by | - Fukushima 2011 | Leave a comment

TEPCO does not know how long it will take to stabilise Fukushima nuclear plant

“Unless we understand the extent of the damage, we don’t even know how long that work alone would take,” noting the need for one or two months more than previously thought to establish an entirely new cooling system…….”

TEPCO can’t stabilise reactors by year end: report , May 29, 2011,   TOKYO (MarketWatch) — Tokyo Electric Power Co. (9501.TO) is coming to the view that it will be impossible to stabilize the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant by the end of this year, possibly affecting the timing for the government to consider the return of evacuees to their homes near the plant, Kyodo News reported, citing senior company officials. Continue reading →

May 30, 2011 Posted by | - Fukushima 2011 | Leave a comment

Airport scanning radiation “acceptable” in USA, not so sure in Europe

US clears naked scanners … Europe not so sure , MICEBTN  26 May 2011USA authorities have cleared full-body scanners deployed at airports, saying the radiation they emit is within acceptable levels.The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said: “The latest reports confirm previous testing and show that every backscatter unit currently used for passenger screening in US airports is operating well within applicable national safety standards.”There are some 486 full-body scanners in 78 airports in the United States, of which 247 are so-called backscatter machines.Across the pond, the EU says body scanning should be voluntary for passengers at EU airports.If scanners are used, health and fundamental rights must be safeguarded along with personal data, dignity and privacy.No body images should be seen and, for health reasons, no X-ray-based scanners should be allowed at EU airports, say ministers at the European parliament, who also have confirmed they want the current ban on carrying liquids on planes lifted by 2013…. MICEBTN – US clears naked scanners … Europe not so sure

May 30, 2011 Posted by | EUROPE, health | Leave a comment

General Electric finds nuclear, fossil fuels, soon costlier than solar

new technology breakthroughs are making it possible for solar generated electricity to be the most economical choice within the next three to five years.

Report: GE says fossil fuels, nuclear soon costlier than solar power, SmartPlanet,  By David Worthington | May 27, 2011  General Electric is forecasting that solar power could soon be a more affordable than fossil fuels and nuclear power, the company’s global research director told Bloomberg. Continue reading →

May 28, 2011 Posted by | renewable, USA | Leave a comment

Would you trust Japan to lead global nuclear safety discussions?

Japan Seeks Lead Role in Nuclear Safety Guidelines,  WSJ.com, 27 May 11 By GEORGE NISHIYAMA DEAUVILLE, France—Japan wants to host an international meeting to discuss nuclear safety issues next year, as part of its efforts to share lessons learned from the nuclear crisis triggered by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Thursday.

Addressing a lunch session marking the start of the G-8 leaders summit, Mr. Kan also said Japan wanted to contribute to creating an international standard on nuclear safety.

“It is our nation’s obligation to share information and lessons learned from the unprecedented experience we went through, and to achieve the highest possible safety standards for nuclear energy,” Mr. Kan told G-8 leaders after the summit host, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, asked him to make the opening remarks…..Japan Seeks Lead Role in Nuclear Safety – WSJ.com

May 28, 2011 Posted by | Japan, marketing | 3 Comments

300 km of seabed near Fukushima highly polluted with radiation

High radiation found on seabed in 300-km stretch off Fukushima  Japan Today 28th May, TOKYO —Radiation levels up to several hundred times normal have been detected on the Pacific seabed in a 300-kilometer-long area off the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, the science ministry said Friday.

The ministry said high-level radioactive materials were detected on the seabed in a north-south stretch ranging from Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, to Choshi, Chiba Prefecture, and warned the contamination could affect the safety of seafood. The science ministry said it detected iodine and cesium on the seabed at 12 spots 15- to 50-km from the coastline between May 9 and 14…..High radiation found on seabed in 300-km stretch off Fukushima ‹ Japan Today: Japan News and Discussion

May 28, 2011 Posted by | - Fukushima 2011 | Leave a comment

Small scale renewable energy is challenging big utilities

Small-scale renewable energy is more accessible to new entrants compared with the forward purchase of huge amounts of baseload generation from burning fossil fuels, which is the routine business of big utilities.

Change so far is happening slowly and from a tiny base but the cost of small-scale renewable technologies is falling.

Micro-Power Presents Slow-Burn Threat to Utilities  Planet Ark: 27-May-11 SPAIN AND U.K. : Martin Roberts and Gerard Wynn  A wide rollout of small-scale renewable energy poses a long-term challenge to utilities as households switch to home generation and the supply market opens, executives at green specialists and independents say. Continue reading →

May 28, 2011 Posted by | decentralised, Spain, UK | Leave a comment

Japanese govt makes some concessions to Fukushima parents worried about radiation

An environment ministry spokesman said Friday’s announcement does not mean it is altering the 20 millisieverts dosage standard, rather it is formally stating its aims to reduce radiation dosages. …The ministry will also distribute dosimeters to teachers at schools in the prefecture, where the unstable nuclear power plant is located,

Japan Bows to Parent Pressure Over Radiation Concerns WSJ , May 27, 2011 Education Minister Yoshiaki Takaki for the first time said on Friday the government will seek to reduce the radiation levels on school grounds in Fukushima Prefecture to one-twentieth of the current annual limit amid concern from parents over health risks. Continue reading →

May 28, 2011 Posted by | - Fukushima 2011 | Leave a comment

Offshore renewable energy innovation centre for UK

UK Government invests in offshore renewables innovation centre | Energy Efficiency News, 28 May 11, The UK Government yesterday announced plans to invest in an offshore renewable energy technology and innovation centre to help businesses commercialise wind, wave and tidal power. Continue reading →

May 28, 2011 Posted by | renewable, UK | Leave a comment

Radioactive iodine found in fish in Hong Kong

Hong Kong finds radioactive iodine in fish | Herald Sun: AFP * May 28, 2011  A SMALL amount of radioactive iodine-131 has been found in a sample of fish taken from a wholesale market in Hong Kong, the Government said today……  Hong Kong finds radioactive iodine in fish | Herald Sun

May 28, 2011 Posted by | general | Leave a comment

Around the world in solar-powered boat

World’s largest solar boat to arrive in Brisbane  cnet AustraliaBy   May 27, 2011  The MS Tûranor PlanetSolar, the world’s largest solar boat, is circumnavigating the globe and will arrive in Australia this weekend. 

According to PlanetSolar, it is attempting to break the world record by travelling around the world (approx 27,000 nautical miles) to show that renewable energy technologies are effective and can be relied upon, as well as to demonstrate the potential of environmentally friendly modes of transport…..World’s largest solar boat to arrive in Brisbane – Travel Tech

May 28, 2011 Posted by | 2 WORLD, renewable | Leave a comment

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