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Local Councils in UK can profit from renewable energy

Produced by the think-tank the New Local Government Network (NLGN), the study suggests tapping into the subsidies made available for green energy developments could hold part of t

Green energy ‘could unlock £12bn in cash for local councils Low Carbon Economy,  2/17/2011 Renewable energy generation could potentially unlock £12 billion of cash for local councils over the next 20 years, a new report suggests. Continue reading →

February 17, 2011 Posted by | renewable, UK | Leave a comment

Scotland: opposition to radioactive shipload

Nuclear cargo ignites ‘alarm’ in U.K. Bruce Power’s spent generators headed to Europe By RANDY BOSWELL, Postmedia News February 16, 2011 It’s been controversially approved for a Great Lakes crossing by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, but a radioactive shipload of decommissioned steam generators from Ontario’s Bruce Power plant is now headed for a rough ride overseas, where a coalition of British municipalities is urging the U.K. government to prevent the atomic cargo from passing close to Ireland and Scotland.
The Nuclear Free Local Authorities, an umbrella group that includes 75 local governments throughout the British Isles, has expressed its “deep alarm” that the Canadian shipment of “highly radioactive waste” -16 retired generators, each the size of a school bus -is expected to skirt the U.K. coastline sometime this year en route to a Swedish recycling plan
About 90 per cent of the steel is to be decontaminated at the Studsvik recycling facility in Sweden and sold in world metal markets. The remaining radioactive material will be shipped back to Canada for long-term storage at the Bruce Power nuclear station, located on the eastern shore of Lake Huron, about 250 kilometres northwest of Toronto Nuclear cargo ignites ‘alarm’ in U.K.

February 16, 2011 Posted by | opposition to nuclear, UK | Leave a comment

MOX – Britain’s failed attempt to deal with its plutonium problem

The problem is that Britain has the dubious distinction of being the world’s civilian plutonium capital, with 112 tons of it – about half the global total – almost all stored at Sellafield. It is there because, unlike in America, we “reprocess” our nuclear waste to extract plutonium. The idea was for it to power a new generation of “fast breeder” reactors, but the industry admits these are still half a century away, and so we are stuck with the stuff.

So the nuclear plant does not work, loses £90 million a year, and could be a security risk? Let’s build another, say ministers A bomb factory in our back yard, – Telegraph, UK, 14 Feb 2011, The so-called Mox plant could well go rogue, – Geoffrey Lean.

How’s this for timing? A week ago The Daily Telegraph published a confidential cable from the US embassy calling a controversial plant at Sellafield “one of Her Majesty’s Government’s most embarrassing failures in British industrial history”. Then, within days, ministers said they were minded to build another one like it. Continue reading →

February 15, 2011 Posted by | reprocessing, UK | Leave a comment

UK govt’s underhand subsidies for nuclear industry

The groups called on the UK government to impose a windfall profits tax on nuclear power generation to clawback the potential windfall profits….The windfall to nuclear generators would follow “years of financial subsidies for nuclear energy, including a GBP10 billion public bailout of British Energy in 2002, and makes a mockery of the Coalition government’s stated opposition to any form of public subsidy for nuclear,”

Greenpeace, WWF say UK nuclear generators to get windfall profits,Barcelona (Platts), David Stellfox–14Feb2011 Greenpeace and WWF said Monday UK nuclear generators could win GBP3.43 billion ($5.48 billion) in windfall profits under government proposals to guarantee a minimum price for carbon emissions. Continue reading →

February 15, 2011 Posted by | politics, UK | Leave a comment

UK coalition govt betraying promises on nuclear power

Firstly …transfers the huge risks associated with nuclear power to taxpayer….Secondly…planning to rig the carbon trading market in a move that will encourage the creation of nuclear power plants.”

(UK) Ministers are breaking their promise on subsidies for nuclear power,  Left Foot Forward,  15 Feb 2011“……. the Coalition Agreement on nuclear power. It’s pretty clear – no taxpayers’ money for new nuclear power. Energy secretary Chris Huhne – who in opposition called nuclear power a “failed technology” – elaborated on this shortly after taking the job, telling The Times (£): Continue reading →

February 15, 2011 Posted by | politics, UK | Leave a comment

Split in UK’s governing coalition over nuclear missile program

(UK) Coalition split on post-Trident nuclear deterrentLib Dem armed forces minister criticises defence secretary Liam Fox’s assumption of like-for-like replacement Richard Norton-Taylor guardian.co.uk, 14 February 2011 Continue reading →

February 15, 2011 Posted by | politics, UK | Leave a comment

Two-faced Huhne throws UK’s energy policy into a turmoil

Only two weeks ago Huhne took part in a photo-op at Sharp’s solar factory in north Wales, celebrating the announcement of a doubling of production and creation of another 300 jobs on the back of Fits. He said: “This is excellent news for the solar industry and for Sharp, which shows that green growth is a vital part of our economic recovery”. He didn’t mention then he was thinking of cutting the legs out from under the scheme.

(UK) Government’s dithering over feed-in tariffs jeopardises renewables sector Early review threatens scheme’s hard-won successes in creating thousands of jobs and rolling out new technologies guardian.co.uk, Huw Irranca-Davies Thursday 10 February 2011 Chris Huhne’s shock announcement on Monday of an early review of feed-in tariffs (Fits) after just 10 months jeopardises green jobs and economic growth in the key sector of small-scale renewable energy. Continue reading →

February 11, 2011 Posted by | politics, renewable, UK | Leave a comment

UK govt postpones decision on new nuclear weapons system

It also comes at a time more and more leading establishment figures, such as the former US secretary of state and national security adviser, Henry Kissinger, say they are becoming increasingly anxious about nuclear proliferation

(UK) Nuclear weapons case to be examined by commissionThe government has decided to put off a decision on a new nuclear weapons system until 2015  Richard Norton-Taylor * The Guardian,   9 February 2011 The government’s decision to go ahead with a new, but as yet undefined, nuclear missile system will be subjected to unprecedented independent scrutiny by a group of senior defence, diplomatic, scientific, and political figures. Continue reading →

February 10, 2011 Posted by | UK, weapons and war | Leave a comment

UK’s plutonium stockpile could be used in new subsidy to nuclear industry

This could easily end up as yet another black hole for taxpayers’ money. The use of the UK plutonium stockpile in reactors could be yet another subsidy for new nuclear.”

Mox proposal would pay nuclear firms to use recycled plutonium• French group Areva wants to build a Mox plant at Sellafield• Greenpeace fears ‘yet another subsidy for new nuclear’   Tim Webb guardian.co.uk, 7 February 2011  Areva submitted a proposal to the government to build a Mox plant at Sellafield.

Nuclear companies could be paid by the government to buy recycled nuclear fuel from a new taxpayer-funded plant, to reduce the country’s stockpile of plutonium. Continue reading →

February 8, 2011 Posted by | reprocessing, secrets,lies and civil liberties, UK | Leave a comment

UK govt puts uncertainty into solar energy projects

the Renewable Energy Association (REA) said that the large-scale solar projects for housing associations, schools and hospitals that are going through the planning system would generate almost twice as much electricity as the planned solar farms. These projects are likely to be suspended or even scrapped while there is uncertainty about the level of pay-out they would receive, the REA said.

Solar energy firms threaten legal action over feed-in tariffs Companies seek legal advice after ministers announce fast-track review to prevent ‘solar farms’ from claiming subsidies  Tim Webb  guardian.co.uk,  7 February 2011 Continue reading →

February 8, 2011 Posted by | politics, UK | Leave a comment

UK govt may cut prices for renewable energy feed in tariffs

The county of Cornwall in southwest England said it anticipated a “gold rush” that could lead to 1 billion pounds ($1.6 billion) of investment in England’s poorest region.

U.K. Signals It May Cut Prices Paid for Renewable Energy Sources February 07, 2011,  By Alex MoralesFeb. 7 (Bloomberg) –– The U.K. government signaled it may cut the prices paid for electricity from renewable energy sources, saying it began a “comprehensive review” of feed-in tariffs introduced last year. Continue reading →

February 8, 2011 Posted by | renewable, UK | 2 Comments

UK Energy Minister Huhne two faced on renewable energy

Critics said Mr Huhne’s announcement would create more uncertainty for investors at a time when the government should be encouraging the expansion of solar power to meet the UK’s renewable energy targets.

Huhne accused of green energy confusion, FT.com / UK, By David Blair,  February 7 2011 Chris Huhne, the energy and climate change secretary, has announced a “comprehensive review” of the tariff system designed to encourage solar power, sparking accusations that he is creating more “uncertainty” for the renewable energy sector…… Continue reading →

February 8, 2011 Posted by | politics, renewable, UK | 1 Comment

UK energy chief hides the truth, under his pro nuclear hype

“It’s ironic that Huhne should be singing the praises of the nuclear industry at Hinkley Point just days after an independent report revealed that soil around the Somerset power station is heavily contaminated with cancer-causing enriched uranium.

(UK) Campaigners slam energy secretary’s attempts to hide truth about nuclear energy, Stop Nuclear Power Network, 24 Jan 2011, Following Chris Huhne’s visit to Hinkley Point nuclear power station in West Somerset today, campaign group Kick Nuclear has slammed the Energy Secretary’s glowing appraisal of the government’s consultation on the revised draft National Policy Statements on energy infrastructure and its plans for a new generation of nuclear power stations. Continue reading →

February 7, 2011 Posted by | spinbuster, UK | Leave a comment

“Pre-emptve” arrests of environmental campaigners

(UK) Undercover police scandal: why we urgently need a judge-led inquiry, The Ecologist,  Dan Glass 21st January, 2011 With daily revelations about police spying on activists, we need an independent judicial investigation into the scale and nature of infiltration and use of agents provocateurs, says Ratcliffe defendant Dan Glass
It started with the 26 individuals who had been charged with planning to shut down Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station for one week. The individuals were part of the 114 arrested at the Iona School in Nottingham on Easter Monday, 2009. The incident was the largest pre-emptive arrest of environmental campaigners in recent history and prompted widespread concerns for civil liberties. Now these concerns have deepened to unimagined depths………
They had a trial late last November, and were found guilty after being accused by the prosecution of merely seeking publicity. Undercover police scandal: why we urgently need a judge-led inquiry – Comment – The Ecologist

February 7, 2011 Posted by | civil liberties, UK | Leave a comment

Lightning strike damages Dounreay nuclear site

Lightning bolt hit Dounreay nuclear site systems, BBC News, 3 February 2011 A lightning strike caused temporary damage to the Dounreay nuclear site in Caithness, it has emerged.No-one was hurt, but a number of electronic systems for carrying out measurements and monitoring were affected and had to be repaired. Lightning hit scaffolding in the fuel cycle area, a high security zone with facilities once used to handle and store nuclear material and waste. The incident came during an electrical storm on 15 January………BBC News – Lightning bolt hit Dounreay nuclear site systems

February 4, 2011 Posted by | safety, UK | Leave a comment

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