nuclear-news

Opinion:

¶ “Puerto Rico hurricane shows islands must have renewable energy” • The recent storms remind us of the many advantages of renewables and one particular solution stands out: microgrids. These localized electric grids allow communities to keep power even if centralized systems go down. And there is really no limit to their scalability. [Climate Home]

Solar array with interesting tracking system (Photo: Deposit Photos)

¶ “Turnbull dumps clean energy target for ‘national energy guarantee'” • The Turnbull government has formally abandoned the idea of a Clean Energy Target, proposed by chief scientist Alan Finkel and endorsed by nearly all Australians, in favor of a new policy that will protect fossil fuel generation and slow down the uptake of renewable energy. [RenewEconomy]

Science and Technology:

¶ Zero energy buildings produce renewable power, sending it to the grid when they can and drawing it from the grid when…

“Ophelia is breaking new ground for a major hurricane. Typically those waters [are] much too cool for anything this strong. I really can’t believe I’m seeing a major just south of the Azores.” — National Hurricane Center scientist Eric Blake on Twitter.

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Warmer than normal ocean temperatures due to human-forced climate change are now enabling major hurricanes to threaten Northern Europe. A region that was traditionally considered primarily out of the range of past powerful Atlantic Ocean hurricanes under 20th Century climatology. One that, in a warmer world, is increasingly under the gun.

(Ophelia roars over Ireland. Image source: NASA Worldview.)

On October 14, Ophelia hit major hurricane status as it moved swiftly toward Europe. Packing 115 mph maximum sustained winds over a region of ocean where we’ve never recorded this kind of powerful storm before, Ophelia set its sights on Ireland. Crossing over warmer than normal…

Opinion:

¶ “The war on coal is over. Coal lost.” • According to a new report from the Union of Concerned Scientists, many old American coal power plants are being retired or converted to natural gas, and new coal power plants aren’t being built because they’ve become more expensive than natural gas, wind, and solar energy. [The Guardian]

Fish ponds in China with floating solar and wind
turbines (Photo: VCG | VCG via Getty Images)

¶ “Wild is the wind: the resource that could power the world” • The UK’s wind energy industry is celebrating. Last month, the cost of wind power dropped dramatically to undercut by almost half the government’s projections for 2025. At £57.50/MWh, it is far cheaper than the £92.50 awarded in 2016 to Hinkley nuclear power station. [The Guardian]

¶ “Forget Abbott’s wishful thinking, climate change is here” • As Prime Minister…