nuclear-news

NZ’s chance to influence the wind of change

NZ’s chance to influence the wind of change
stuff.co.nz The Dominion Post | Monday, 26 January 2009 New Zealand needs to sign up to a new international energy agency that focuses on renewable sources, writes Gerry Coates. ……………….The answer is to use more of the array of so-called renewable resources, as distinct from exhaustible resources like oil, gas and coal. They are called renewable because the sun as well as geothermal energy can provide us directly or indirectly with continuously renewed energy. Renewable energy can increase our energy security, because it is universally available, and, because often it can be captured locally, it is less reliant on an electricity grid or pipelines.

The two international energy agencies are the International Energy Agency, which is highly focused on fossil fuels oil, gas and coal; and the International Atomic Energy Agency, solely focused on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The idea of an international agency solely focused on renewable energy has been around since 1981, and the German Parliament revived it in 2004 as the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena).

International support has been strong, particularly from Europe and a Founding Conference takes place in Bonn today ……………………………….There is now a strong case for it to be represented alongside the 51 worldwide governments that attended the final preparatory conference.

NZ’s chance to influence the wind of change – Opinion: views on the news on Stuff.co.nz

Tags: nuclear, antinuclear, radioactive, uranium

January 26, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | ENERGY | Leave a comment

Clean Coal “Confuses Consumers” : Renewable Energy News

Clean Coal “Confuses Consumers”

by Energy Matters 26 Jan 09 “…………………..  Coal, put simply, cannot ever be clean. Low-emissions coal is a more accurate term. However, those low emissions come at a huge environmental cost. While carbon emissions may be able to be captured and store (buried), it’s still a very controversial process and the long term ramifications are not clear. What is known is that it takes a great deal of additional energy extract and store this waste; up to 20% more………………..”.

Clean Coal “Confuses Consumers” : Renewable Energy News

January 26, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | ENERGY | Leave a comment

Spain insists on energy saving, not nuclear plants | Industries | Industrials, Materials & Utilities | Reuters

Spain insists on energy saving, not nuclear plants

MADRID, Jan 21(Reuters) – Spain on Wednesday reaffirmed its policy of not commissioning new nuclear power plants a day after its biggest utility unveiled plans to build them in Britain, while repeating pledges to boost renewables and save energy.

“There will be no new nuclear plants,” Industry Minister Miguel Sebastian told journalists …………………

Sebastian noted that Spanish energy consumption per head was 20 percent above the European average.

“Saving 20 percent would be the equivalent of doubling the number of nuclear power plants. It seems easier and cheaper to me,” he said.

“Furthermore, it (saving) is immediate, whereas nuclear plants take 15 years. There is no controversy, no waste or security problems, nothing,” he added.

Spain insists on energy saving, not nuclear plants | Industries | Industrials, Materials & Utilities | Reuters

January 22, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | ENERGY | Leave a comment

IAEA to look into Israel’s suspected uranium use

IAEA to look into Israel’s suspected uranium use THE JORDAN TIMES January 21st, 2009,

The UN’s nuclear watchdog said on Tuesday it would look into a claim by Vienna-based Arab ambassadors that Israel may have used ammunition containing depleted uranium in Gaza attacks.

The IAEA said the request was made in a letter addressed to Director General Mohammad Al Baradei and was delivered by the Saudi Arabia ambassador on Monday on behalf of Arab diplomats.

“We are circulating the letter to member states and will investigate the matter to the extent of our ability,” IAEA spokeswoman Melissa Fleming said…………………………

The IAEA has in the past contributed to studies on depleted uranium traces from ammunition in the Balkans which found it was highly unlikely that a reported increase in cancer risks there could be linked to the traces.

Depleted uranium is used in weapons because it can more easily penetrate tanks and armour due to its density and other physical properties. It also has civilian uses in medical equipment and is used in radiation shields.

The Israeli ambassador to the IAEA, Israel Michaeli, declined to comment…………………………….The US and NATO have used uranium-depleted rounds in Bosnia and Iraq. According to the World Health Organisation, the weapons are lightly radioactive. Researchers have suspected depleted uranium may be behind a range of chronic symptoms suffered by veterans of the 1990-91 Gulf War. Some of the symptoms include memory and thinking problems, debilitating fatigue, severe muscle and joint pain, depression, anxiety, insomnia, headaches and rashes.

Jordan Times

January 21, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | ENERGY | Leave a comment

Miranda blog People power lifts solar hopes – Weekly Times Now

People power lifts solar hopes Weekly Times Now 21 Jan 09

GOING solar? You’d be mad not to by June 30 if your home is grid-connected. An $8000 rebate for households with income less than $100,000 ends then.

From July 1, the rebate is open to all-comers, regardless of income, and it changes to $7500 and all in renewable energy certificates, or RECs as they’re known.

In rural areas, voluntary groups are spending hours organising bulk-buy deals on solar panels for houses.

The rebates are fab and the work these unpaid enthusiasts are doing is nothing short of astounding.

Groups from Mildura to Murchison, Ballarat to Portland and Castlemaine to Strathfieldsaye have called public meetings and negotiated with solar-system buyers, installers, electricians and contractors to come up with various packages to encourage householders to install power-generating, solar and photovoltaic panels on their roofs.

The Murchison Goes Solar mob has settled on a bulk-buy scheme that means eligible households outlay a mere $100 deposit. No big upfront payments are required, even though the standard one kilowatt system costs more than $11,000.

Miranda blog People power lifts solar hopes – Weekly Times Now

January 21, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | ENERGY | Leave a comment

Green Left – AUSTRALIA: Peace walk for Aboriginal rights

Peace walk for Aboriginal rights Green Left Peter Robson17 January 2009 Aboriginal activists launched a “peace walk” on January 9 from Sydney to the steps of Parliament House in Canberra in protest against the continuation of the NT intervention and the mining of nuclear materials on Aboriginal land — policies that they label “Rudd’s betrayal of Aboriginal people”.“Sovereign Aboriginal people have a right to self determination, to be empowered to make decisions affecting their country and communities. Rudd is continuing Howard’s paternalism,” said Uncle Dootch Kennedy, from the Sandon Point Aboriginal Tent Embassy according to Sydney Indymedia on January 9.“We demand the UN Declaration on Rights for Indigenous Peoples be adopted and implemented as a binding blueprint for Indigenous policy development”, he said. The Lucas Heights Nuclear Reactor stands on Kennedy’s ancestral lands……………………………..They are also condemning Australia’s role in the nuclear-fuel cycle and the failure of the Rudd Labor government to endorse the UN Declaration on Indigenous Rights — a promise that the ALP had made in the lead-up to the last federal election………………….. For more information about the Aboriginal Peace Walk call Darren 0412 826 043 or Inge 0418 345 686.

Green Left – AUSTRALIA: Peace walk for Aboriginal rights

Tags: indigenous

January 19, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | ENERGY | Leave a comment

The Sydney Morning Herald: national, world, business, entertainment, sport and technology news from Australia’s leading newspaper.

Carbon capture put to the test in NSW * * Email * Printer friendly version * Normal font * Large fontBen Cubby Environment ReporterJanuary 15, 2009 NSW is about to find out whether it will be able to capture greenhouse gas emissions from its coal-fired power stations and store them underground.

Drilling began on Monday to see if the rock 800 metres under the Central Coast can handle having thousands of tonnes of liquefied carbon dioxide pumped into it each week.

It is yet to be proved that carbon capture and storage, in which carbon dioxide fumes from power stations are compressed and cooled on-site before being buried, will work on a large scale in Australia. Most environmental groups and some in the coal industry think it will not become effective in time to help slow climate change………………………..

Environmentalists say the expense of carbon capture and storage would take money away from the development of renewable energy.

“The coal industry is trying to create the appearance that it is doing something about climate change, but all they are really doing is fighting tooth and nail to keep themselves in business,” a Greenpeace spokesman said.

The Sydney Morning Herald: national, world, business, entertainment, sport and technology news from Australia’s leading newspaper.

January 14, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | ENERGY | Leave a comment

Forget nuclear power, let’s go solar

Forget nuclear power, let’s go solar tampabay.com J

Linda Lowe, Brandon

anuary 10, 2009 Meeting Florida’s energy needs – “………………..there are alternatives to building a new nuclear plant. Nuclear is an overpriced, outmoded option to produce electricity. Yes, the carbon emissions, the primary cause of global warming, are minimized, but the costs of construction and disposal of nuclear waste are too great……………….Through the use of solar feed-in tariffs, businesses and residential customers are actually paid a premium for the excess electricity they produce and sell back to the utility. In this way, the high price of solar for these early adopters is mitigated and banks are more willing to finance the investment.

The cost to do this is spread among all customers: $2.50 per customer per month in Germany, and about 40 cents per customer per month in Gainesville. That sure beats the surcharge of $11.42 per 1,000 kilowatt hours Progress Energy is going to be charging in advance for building a nuclear plant.

Solar power would provide jobs and eliminate the conundrum of what to do with the nuclear waste…………………It’s time to take the new nuclear plant off the table and study the economic viability of solar power with feed-in tariffs.

Forget nuclear power, let’s go solar – St. Petersburg Times

Tags: nuclear, antinuclear, uranium, radioactive

January 10, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | ENERGY | Leave a comment

Entergy: Yankee leaked radioactive water:

Entergy: Yankee leaked radioactive water

Rutland Herald By Susan Smallheer Herald Staff – Published: January 8, 2009

BRATTLEBORO — A valve leaking radioactive water inside Vermont Yankee’s reactor building was undergoing emergency repairs Wednesday, Entergy Nuclear said…………………News of the leak prompted a longtime Vermont Yankee critic to say the leak was just the latest in a long line of leaks at the 37-year-old reactor and another indication that Entergy and the NRC was not managing the aging problems at the plant.

“Sounds like another Bondo and duct-tape job,” said Raymond Shadis, senior technical adviser to the New England Coalition, who noted that nuclear power plants had thousands of valves.

“They’ve had many problems at Vermont Yankee with leaky valves,” said Shadis, noting the portion of the system that sprung a leak in the reactor building wasn’t in the crucial safety systems at the plant.

But Shadis said that any leak at a nuclear plant was cause for concern.

“It’s an indication of a declining, deteriorating situation,” he said.

Entergy: Yankee leaked radioactive water: Rutland Herald Online

Tags: nuclear, antinuclear, uranium, radioactive

January 9, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | ENERGY | Leave a comment