nuclear-news

While Japan’s govt and media focus on nuclear restart, Fukushima plant remains critical

 the government and major media are focusing too much on issues of the restart  .

Experts warn of possible catastrophe at Japan reactor, THE HINDU, TOKYO, June 13, 2012 Some nuclear experts are warning that spent fuel rods at a damaged plant in Japan could trigger a major catastrophe despite the government’s declaration in December that the emergency phase of the nation’s worst nuclear disaster was over. Continue reading →

June 14, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | Leave a comment

Time for USA to join the trend and ditch nuclear energy

Rory O’Connor is the author of Nukespeak: The Selling of Nuclear Technology from the Manhattan Project to Fukushima, and most, recently, Friends, Followers and the Future: How Social Media are Changing Politics, Threatening Big Brands, and Killing Traditional Media.   

Breaking up the nuclear family, Aljazeera, Rory O’Connor It’s time for the world’s largest economy – the US – to learn from Japan and Germany, and ditch nuclear power. 13 Jun 2012 New York, NY – In the wake of last year’s devastating nuclear catastrophe at Fukushima, both Japan and Germany – the third and fourth largest economies in the world – have radically turned away from nuclear power generation to meet their energy needs…..

Unsafe and unnecessary Other European states, some with smaller but still sizable economies (including Italy, Belgium and Austria) have also pledged either to eliminate nuclear power entirely or at least to stop building new nuclear plants. Continue reading →

June 14, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | Leave a comment

“Peaceful” nuclear industry inextricably linked with military applications

In the United States especially the military context of the so-called civilian branch of the nuclear industry is very clear. 

The ongoing experimentation with nuclear energy continues by the US Armed Forces and its favoured stable of military contractors.

Some believe that the huge dark budgets directed towards the most covert branches of the national security state have given rise to the discovery of new scientific principles that have not yet been made public. Some of these discoveries may involve new ways of deploying nuclear energy in more targeted and covert ways. 

Fukushima Daiichi: From Nuclear Power Plant to Nuclear Weapon Global Research, by Prof. Anthony Hall , 13 June 12, “………Extending the Frontiers of Nuclear Energy This multiplication and compounding of dangers by making the sites of operating nuclear reactors double as storage facilities for nuclear waste, including spent nuclear fuel rods that require constant cooling, finds its epicenter in the United States and particularly in the earthquake/tsunami zone of California. Continue reading →

June 14, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | Leave a comment

Prime Minister Noda backing nuclear restart, despite strong anti nuclear opinion in Japan

Japan’s Prime Minister Noda shows unyielding stance on nuclear reactors By Yoshihiro Kiyonaga and Yoshinari Saito The Yomiuri Shimbun , June 10, 2012  TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has once again expressed his unyielding intention to restart the nation’s suspended nuclear reactors, saying society “won’t function” without nuclear power..

.. Noda’s remarks drew a clear line between him and politicians who say nuclear power plants should be replaced with other energy sources, and were apparently based on the fact that the
suspension of nuclear reactors has disrupted people’s lives and the Japanese economy.

June 11, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | Leave a comment

How to get USA off its energy addiction

June 11, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | Leave a comment

Japan should have evacuation plans, and evacuation costs paid by nuclear plant operatrors

Post-Fukushima safety standards should include a .. mechanism to deal with a large nuclear accident. For example, the owner of a plant could be required to work with the regulator to come up with a credible evacuation plan for the residents within an 80-kilometer (50-mile) radius of the installation…… The plan should aim for a complete evacuation within 24 hours…. 

It is also important to specify who pays for an evacuation…

 Since power-plant operators have the largest influence on the probability of an accident, those companies should be required to bear this cost.

How Japan Can Avert Nuclear Disaster Bloomberg, By Takeo Hoshi and Anil K Kashyap Jun 7, 2012  On May 5, the Tomari nuclear plant in Hokkaido shut down for routine maintenance, leaving Japan with no operating nuclear-power plants.

There is a confused debate over what to do next. Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has called for restarting the reactors at Ohi plant in Fukui, insisting that bringing them online is
imperative for the economy. Although the government may prevail, many Japanese remain skeptical about nuclear safety…… Continue reading →

June 9, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | Leave a comment

Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) ranks G20 nations on renewable energy

G20 Nations to be Ranked in Global Renewable Energy Scorecard, Sacramento Bee, By Natural Resources Defense Council, Washington, D.C., Jun. 8, 2012 
WASHINGTON,  – /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ –– On the eve ofthe Rio+20 Earth Summit, a new Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) report ranks the world’s biggest countries on their deployment of renewable energy and shows how better policies can significantly increase renewable energy deployment in the G20 countries and worldwide….. http://www.sacbee.com/2012/06/08/4548242/g20-nations-to-be-ranked-in-global.html#storylink=cpy

June 9, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | Leave a comment

Underwater solar panels

Solar Panels That Work Underwater, by Energy Matters, 8 June 12, Are solar powered submarines on the horizon? Not quite, but solar panels that can produce electricity under water could soon be used for a variety of important aquatic applications.

Scientists at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Electronics Science and Technology Division, are working on developing “high bandgap” solar cells with the ability to generate enough electricity to operate equipment such as electronic sensor systems at depths of up to 9 meters.     http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=3242

June 8, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | Leave a comment

Japan having “just a bump on the road” to nuclear renaissance?

An Unexpected Bump on the Road to Oi Restarts By Toko Sekiguchi WSJ, June 6, 2012,  Japan’s prime minister is encountering unexpected opposition to his quest to bring two nuclear reactors back online in the next few weeks: lawmakers from his own party.

More than a third of the legislators from the ruling Democratic Party of Japan submitted to Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda a petition Tuesday urging him to exercise “greater caution” over restarting the No. 3 and 4 reactors at the Oi nuclear plant in western Japan, run by Kansai Electric Power Co.

“Most of the public are of the opinion that we should overcome this summer’s energy needs through conservation and flexibility,” the petition said, signed by 117 members of the DPJ. At issue is what to do with Japan’s fleet of 50 nuclear reactors, …. Critics — including
the popular mayor of Osaka, and the 117 DPJ petitioners — have questioned just how safe the reactors are, and how prepared utilities are should another accident happen.
http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2012/06/06/an-unexpected-bump-on-the-road-to-oi-restarts/

June 7, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | Leave a comment

Solar panels – five of their greatest advantages

5 Advantages of Solar Power http://www.greenfudge.org/2012/06/04/5-advantages-of-solar-power/  by Murielle, 64 June 12,  Everyone these days is talking about renewable sources of energy and protecting the environment. If you are considering solar power as a means of helping to lower energy usage, there are a few things that you should consider. Solar power offers major advantages and understanding these advantages will help you to
know just how much of an impact your contribution will make.

The first advantage of solar power is that it costs nothing. Solar power is completely free. Continue reading →

June 6, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | Leave a comment

Opposition in Japan’s ruling party to restart of nuclear reactors

Japan PM warned over nuclear restarts, TV NZ June 05, 2012  Nearly a third of Japan’s ruling party lawmakers are petitioning Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda to be cautious about restarting nuclear reactors given safety concerns after last year’s earthquake and tsunami, an organiser said on Tuesday.

Noda, keen to restart two reactors in western Japan before electricity demand peaks this summer, could decide as early as this week to reconnect them to the grid – despite the risk of a backlash that would weaken his already sagging voter ratings.

“It is clear from surveys that the majority of the people think that we can survive this summer by conserving energy and transferring electricity among regions,” said the petition, to be presented to Noda’s government later in the day. “We urge you to consider the fact that there is insufficient agreement within the party and among the people and the feelings of the 160,000 victims of the disaster, and be all the more cautious about a decision to restart the reactors.”….
Satoshi Arai, an ex-national strategy minister sponsoring the petition, said Noda had failed to meet conditions for resuming operations at the two Kansai Electric Power Co reactors at its Ohi plant in Fukui, western Japan.  The government has been struggling to win support from local authorities for the restarts, but on Monday the governor of Fukui said the ball was in Noda’s court.  http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/japan-pm-warned-over-nuclear-restarts-4912228

June 6, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | Leave a comment

Thousands of Japanese protest against restarting nuclear reactors

Thousands gather outside PM’s office to protest against the restart of nuclear reactors Japan Daily Press, By Radhika Seth  /   June 4, 2012  For some, the wounds are still raw and for others, the scars will take time to heal. The bottom-line  is that many citizens still fear the use of nuclear power as an energy resources, despite claims from the government that some of the shut-down facilities are complete safe and reliable.
Thousands of drum wielding, slogan chanting, anti-nuclear protesters gathered outside the prime minister’s office on Friday, after the government announced plans to restart some of the shut down reactors…… http://japandailypress.com/thousands-gather-outside-pms-office-to-protest-against-the-restart-of-nuclear-reactors-043323

June 6, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | Leave a comment

David Suzuki on Germany’s example in renewable energy

with conservation and improved efficiency, along with better storage and smart grid management, we could switch to renewables without the need for large-scale baseload. 

Renewable energy solutions exist. We just need governments with as much foresight as Germany’s to implement them

David Suzuki: Germany shows that renewable energy is possible, Straight.com.   By David Suzuki, June 5, 2012  Germany recently reached a renewable energy milestone. On Saturday, May 26, the country met half its midday energy needs with solar power. On the preceding workday Friday, it met a third with solar. According to German renewable energy expert Norbert Allnoch, during those midday periods, the country’s solar plants produced 22 gigawatts of electricity, as much as 20 nuclear power stations running at full capacity.

Granted, those were sunny days, but Germany gets about 20 percent of its overall annual electricity from renewable sources, including solar, wind, water, and thermal. A Reuters article reports that “Germany has nearly as much installed solar power generation capacity as the rest of the world combined and gets about four per cent of its overall annual electricity needs from the sun alone. It aims to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent from 1990 levels by 2020.” Continue reading →

June 6, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | Leave a comment

Most nuclear reviews don’t meet Harper’s two-year limit Montreal Gazette, By Mike De Souza, Postmedia News June 1, 2012 OTTAWA — Two-thirds of recent environmental assessments by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, including those involving storage of radioactive waste, have taken more than two years to complete, say new numbers released by the agency. Continue reading →

June 2, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | Leave a comment