nuclear-news

A nuclear accident anywhere in Europe may seriously impact much of Europe, as did the Chernobyl Nuclear disaster, and to an apparently lesser degree the UK’s Windscale Nuclear disaster. In fact, Europe is still so seriously contaminated, albeit in a splotchy manner, from Chernobyl that it really cannot afford another nuclear accident. Similarly, a nuclear accident in the US could seriously impact much of North America. Last year a wild boar in southern Switzerland was found to be contaminated at 9,900 Bq/kg of radioactive Cesium 137, or 99 times the amount of radiation in food allowed in Japan (100 Bq/kg all radionuclides), over 16 times the amount of radioactive Cesium allowed in European food (600 Bq/kg Cs) and over 8 times the exceedly high levels of radioactive Cesium allowed in US food (1200 Bq/kg Cs). 30 years after Chernobyl, half of the high levels of radioactive Cesium 137 which fell…

Science and Technology:

¶ Fuveme is a coastal village in Ghana, one of a number of villages that are vanishing because of coastal erosion. What was once a thriving fishing community is now best reachable by boat because of rising sea levels due to climate change. Waves have washed away whole parts of the village. [BBC]

Fuveme is just a slither of land now.

World:

¶ South Africa will connect 7,000 MW of renewable power to its grid by the middle of this year, when the first 47 projects become fully operational, the energy minister said. Africa’s most industrialised country has turned to solar and wind power to plug electricity shortages. [Yahoo News]

¶ The UK Energy Bill, which provides for the closure of the Renewables Obligation support regime for new onshore wind in Great Britain, concluded its passage through Parliament. Industry body RenewableUK called for…

Opinion:

¶ “Almost Everything You Know About Climate Change Solutions Is Outdated, Part 1” • First, climate science and climate politics have been moving quickly to broad consensus. Second, technology for key climate solutions has become very affordable. Third, the media is largely clueless. [ThinkProgress]

Credit: Schalk Van Zuydam, AP

¶ “It’s the economy: Maryland RPS debate illustrates national divide on clean energy policy” • States with renewable portfolio standard (RPS) laws are doubling down, while those without take little interest. Taking a look at changes in Maryland’s RPS could help explain why. [Utility Dive]

¶ “Is this the end of the centralised energy network?” • What will the death of centralised energy networks look like? Turns out, what’s going on in Western Australia right now paints a pretty good picture. Having a low customer density makes centralized power a big challenge. [RenewEconomy]

Sandfire…