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Wind power to put Uruguay ahead in global renewable enegy stakes

wind-nuclear-Uruguay set to become world leader in wind power
South American nation plans to produce 90 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2015
  BusinessGreen  07 Jan 2013 
Uruguay has set its sights on becoming one of the world’s leading wind power producers as part of plans to produce 90 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2015.
Electricity generated from wind is expected to make up 30 per cent of the South American nation’s total mix, with hydropower contributing 45 per cent, and biomass 15 per cent, according to reports from SmartPlanet.

This would put Uruguay ahead of current renewable energy leader Denmark, which gets 26 per cent of its electrical generation from wind.
While Uruguay has a number of hydro power plants, these tend to shut down in dry periods, forcing the country to purchase electricity from Argentina at up to $400per megawatt hour (MWh). The government hopes installing wind farms could provide a more secure source of energy and drop electricity prices to around $64/MWh, well under the current price of $90/MWh…..

South America has seen rapidly increasing levels of investment in renewable energy over the past year and many analysts expect the region to lead a charge from emerging markets, which are increasingly proving fruitful for investors…. http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2234025/uruguay-set-to-become-world-leader-in-wind-power

January 10, 2013 Posted by | renewable, SOUTH AMERICA | Leave a comment

Brazil’s wind farms bring cheapest electricity prices

Wind farms set record low generation prices, SMH, December 16, 2012 Four energy developers agreed to sell power from 10 proposed wind farms in Brazil at the cheapest rates ever.

Enerfin Sociedad de Energia SA, Renova Energia SA, EGP- Serra Azul and Bioenergy Geradora de Energia Ltda. won contracts to sell electricity to distributors for an average price of 87.94 reais ($41) a megawatt-hour, Brazil’s national energy agency Empresa de Pesquisa Energetica said in an e-mail yesterday. (Australian wholesale prices are about $50 per megawatt-hour, including the $23 carbon tax per tonne.)

“This is definitely the cheapest wind energy in the world,” Maria Gabriela da Rocha Oliveira, a Sao Paulo-based analyst with Bloomberg New Energy Finance, said in a telephone interview. It’s 12 per cent lower than the August 2011 auction that yielded an average price of 99.58 reais a megawatt-hour. That was the lowest price in the world for wind power then and the least expensive power in Brazil, beating natural gas and hydroelectricity…..  http://www.smh.com.au/business/carbon-economy/wind-farms-set-record-low-generation-prices-20121216-2bh4z.html#ixzz2FLfka1Ga

December 17, 2012 Posted by | Brazil, business and costs, renewable | 1 Comment

Areas of naturally high radiation have also higher cancer rates

2004 Study: Two of Brazil’s High Background Radiation Areas Have Higher Cancer Mortality Via : http://ex-skf.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/2004-study-two-of-brazils-high.html quote:  APRIL 14, 2012

I have been told numerous times that “People in naturally high background radiation areas in the world suffer no ill effect from the high radiation.” I just stumbled upon one study in 2004 on such areas in Brazil.

Conclusion of this particular study: Cancer mortality in “Poços de Caldas, and Guarapari is higher than would be expected for their respective reference population”, whereas “cancer mortality for the Araxá population is lower than would be expected”.

International Congress Series
Volume 1276, Pages 3-468 (February 2005)
Link http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/05315131/1276

High Levels of Natural Radiation and Radon Areas: Radiation Dose and Health Effects, Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on High Levels of Natural Radiation and Radon Areas, Osaka, Japan
6–10 September 2004… http://nuclearhistory.wordpress.com/2012/08/23/2004-study-two-of-brazils-high-background-radiation-areas-have-higher-cancer-mortality/

August 23, 2012 Posted by | Brazil, health | Leave a comment

Brazil ditches nuclear reactor plans, in favour of renewable energy and gas

Brazil shelves plans to build new nuclear plants Google News 10 May (AFP) BRASILIA — Brazil said Wednesday it has shelved plans to build new nuclear power stations in the coming years in the wake of last year’s Fukushima disaster in Japan.

The previous government led by former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva had planned to construct between four and eight new nuclear plants through 2030….. “The last plan, which runs through 2020, does not envisage any (new) nuclear power station because there is no need for it. Demand is met with hydro-electrical power and complementary energy sources such as wind, thermal and natural gas,” Energy ministry’s executive secretary, Marcio Zimmermann said in remarks released by the ministry Wednesday. “The 2021 plan, as far as I know, will not consider nuclear power stations either, ” he added, ….

May 10, 2012 Posted by | Brazil, business and costs | 1 Comment

Solar photovoltaic energy going ahead in Asia and South America

Solar week roundup: China, Latin America pushing ahead with solar, Clean Energy, Chris Meehan, APR 02, 2012 News in the world of solar is increasingly becoming worldwide. As the U.S. imposed preliminary duties on Chinese silicon photovoltaics, the top 10 solar producers are looking to increase the Asian PV market for more sales. At the same time interest in Latin and South America is picking up as costs for solar continue to come down and costs for other energy sources go up.

In the U.S., the news is more mixed with some places embracing solar while others are trying to reduce incentives to support renewables. But even Minnesota could go 100 percent renewable at a small cost.  …. South America’s largest country, Brazil, is considering legislation that could grow the amount of solar in the country.

The country is considering a national net-metering program for home and small business owners, to credit PV owners for generation. And it’s considering legislation that would slash taxes on utilities by 80 percent on electricity sourced from distributed solar generation.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) increased financing for solar, renewable projects in Latin America to $736 million in 2011. That’s more than it invested over the decade between 2000 and 2010, when it invested more $663 million in renewable energy projects in Latin American and Caribbean countries. The IDB also plans to invest more than $700 million in such projects in 2012.   …. http://www.cleanenergyauthority.com/solar-energy-news/solar-energy-news-week-roundup-040212/

April 4, 2012 Posted by | ASIA, renewable, SOUTH AMERICA | Leave a comment

Objection by Argentina to British nuclear submarine in South Atlantic

UK sent nuclear sub near Falklands, says Argentina, BBC News, 10 Feb 12, The UK says the HMS Dauntless is being sent to the South Atlantic as part of routine operations

Argentina’s foreign minister has accused the UK of sending a nuclear-armed submarine to the South Atlantic, after making an
official complaint to the UN over the Falklands dispute. Hector Timerman demanded that the British confirm the location of
nuclear submarines in the region. Continue reading →

February 11, 2012 Posted by | politics international, SOUTH AMERICA | Leave a comment

Brazil postpones its nuclear power project

Brazil delays nuclear plans after Japan disaster RIO DE JANEIRO (MarketWatch)  Feb. 8, 2012, — Brazil’s plans to build four new nuclear power plants have been delayed by about 18 months following last year’s accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan, an official of Brazilian state-owned nuclear power company Eletronuclear said Wednesday….

February 9, 2012 Posted by | Brazil, politics | Leave a comment

Nicaragua’s President urges Israel to foster peace, destroy nuclear weapons

Nicaragua’s Ortega urges Israel to destroy nuclear arms By Dave Graham, MANAGUA | Wed Jan 11, 2012  (Reuters) – Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega on Tuesday urged Israel to destroy its nuclear weapons to foster peace in the Middle East as he hosted Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who is touring Latin America. Continue reading →

January 12, 2012 Posted by | SOUTH AMERICA, weapons and war | Leave a comment

Brazil’s nuclear plans a cash cow for France and a weapons worry

Brazil’s nuclear plans stir up debate, RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov. 30 (UPI) — Brazil’s nuclear program, including its ambitious moves to develop a nuclear-powered submarine with French help, is stirring debate that puts focus on the Latin American country’s long-term aims in the field.

Both Brazil and Argentina began developing nuclear capabilities while under military rule. While Argentina has expanded its nuclear power generation capacity Brazil has gone into nuclear fuel processing and hopes to deploy the technology into a nuclear-powered submarine it plans to build with French help.

Agreements for the joint defense production program are in place but, as the implementation nears, questions are being asked about its nuclear component. French President Nicolas Sarkozy spearheaded a marketing drive that secured France much needed cash in a deal that includes the supply and joint construction of four diesel-electric submarines and a fifth nuclear-powered submarine….. Brazil has an advanced nuclear program dating to the 1950s that has drawn support at various stages from France, Germany and the United States. ….

Brazilian analysts who disagree with the nuclear bomb thesis say a program that includes deployment of nuclear power in weapons wouldn’t pass congressional approval or win public endorsement….  http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Security-Industry/2011/11/30/Brazils-nuclear-plans-stir-up-debate/UPI-27811322687019/#ixzz1fJnQZ2Ij

December 1, 2011 Posted by | Brazil, weapons and war | Leave a comment

Mexico abandons plans for new nuclear plants

Mexico Scraps Plans to Build as Many as 10 Nuclear Plants, Bloomberg, By Carlos Manuel Rodriguez – Nov 2, 2011 Mexico, one of three Latin American nations that uses nuclear power, is abandoning plans to build as many as 10 new reactors and will focus on natural gas-fired electricity plants after boosting discoveries of the fuel.

The country, which found evidence of trillions of cubic feet of gas in the past year, is “changing all its decisions, amid the very abundant existence of natural-gas deposits,” Energy Minister Jordy Herrera said yesterday in an interview. Mexico will seek private investment of about $10 billion during five years to expand its natural gas pipeline network, he said……

“This is a very good decision by the Mexican government,” said James Williams, an economist at WTRG Economics, an energy research firm in London, Arkansas. With a power generation project based on gas “you can build multiple plants at a much lower cost and much faster pace than a nuclear facility.”

Nations around the world are also reconsidering plans for increasing their reliance on nuclear power after the March 11 earthquake in Japan that wrecked the Fukushima Dai-Ichi plant, causing a loss of cooling, the meltdown of three reactors and the worst atomic disaster since the leak at Chernobyl in 1986….. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-02/mexico-scraps-plans-to-build-as-many-as-10-nuclear-plants-focus-on-gas.html

November 3, 2011 Posted by | politics, SOUTH AMERICA | Leave a comment

Nuclear submarines for Brazil

Brazil to build nuclear submarines which will dramatically alter balance of power in South America, By DAILY MAIL REPORTER 17th July 2011,  The Brazilian government has started work on a submarine programme which will include the construction of South America’s first nuclear subs.

The move will boost Brazil’s claim to be the strongest force in the region, and strengthen the country’s military assertiveness….http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2015731/Brazil-build-nuclear-submarines-dramatically-alter-balance-power-South-America.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

July 19, 2011 Posted by | Brazil, weapons and war | 1 Comment

Renewable energy cheapest for drought stricken Chile

 "Renewable energies require a greater investment but they
have low production costs," said Mabel Weber, an energy analyst
with Banchile Investments. "The more prices rise, the more
viable alternative energies look."...Energy prices have nearly tripled in five years, leading


companies to covet the cost stability offered by wind, solar
and geothermal power......

Costly Chile power may jolt renewable energy Feb 10, 2011  By Brad Haynes OVALLE, Chile, Feb 10 (Reuters) – A long drought has dried up hydroelectric power production in Chile, sending electricity costs soaring and making renewable power sources like wind, solar and geothermal more attractive, Continue reading →

February 11, 2011 Posted by | renewable, SOUTH AMERICA | 1 Comment

Chilean public not happy as USA and France push for selling nuclear technology to Chile

international environmental activists, Chilean naturalists and the Chilean public in general upset and displeased that the country keeps heading toward the nuclear power option.

U.S. and Chile Seeking Cooperative Nuclear Energy Deal, Despite Displeasure of Many Chileans, Hispanically Speaking News, January 28, 2011  Continue reading →

January 29, 2011 Posted by | politics international, SOUTH AMERICA | 1 Comment

USA scorns Venezuela’s nuclear energy ambitions

A confidential cable from John Caulfield, the deputy chief of mission, said Washington had little reason to fear Venezuelan plans to exploit uranium with Iranian help and build a reactor with Russian help…….

WikiLeaks cables dismiss Hugo Chávez’s nuclear ambitions  guardian.co.uk Rory Carroll in Caracas guardian.co.uk, 9 December 2010 Leaked dispatches describe Venezuelan government as too shambolic and broke to exploit uranium or build reactors  Continue reading →

December 10, 2010 Posted by | politics international, SOUTH AMERICA, Wikileaks | Leave a comment

Columbian rebels seek nuclear materials to make a ‘dirty’ bomb

emails found on the computers proved that since 2005 the Farc had been trying to buy nuclear material in Ukraine.

Colombia tries to stop rebels from getting nuclear arms, BBC News, 20 October 2010 Colombian police have created the first counter-nuclear arms unit in the region dealing with leftist rebels. The new Centre for Nuclear Security will try to prevent members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) from obtaining nuclear material to make a “dirty bomb”. Continue reading →

October 20, 2010 Posted by | safety, SOUTH AMERICA | , , , , , | Leave a comment

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