renewable energy « nuclear-news

Big future for renewable energy in Scotland

Scottish hopes over renewable energy, FT.com, By Andrew Bolger, May 31 2010 There is a growing consensus over the scale of the economic opportunity that renewable energy offers the UK economy – and Scotland in particular.The Offshore Valuation Group, a coalition of government and industry organisations, estimates that wind and wave power – using only a third of the available resource – could generate electricity equivalent to the current level of North Sea oil and gas production. The group also forecasts renewables could create 145,000 new jobs and make Britain a net exporter of electricity by 2050. FT.com / Companies / Utilities – Scottish hopes over renewable energy

June 1, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | renewable, UK | antinuclear, energy efficiency, renewable energy, renewables, solar, wind | Leave a comment

New efforts to make California a leader in renewable energy feed in tariffs

Can California Lead the Nation on Feed-In Tariffs? | SolveClimate.com Reviews are mixed, as efforts get underway in the state to pass a somewhat improved FIT bill by Leslie Berliant – May 31st, 2010i
California legislators have struggled to pass a “feed-in tariff” for renewable power that actually works. But a new push looks to fix past mistakes and make California a national model for a financing technique that has helped to turn Germany and Spain into world leaders in solar energy. Continue reading →

June 1, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | renewable, USA | antinuclear, energy efficiency, renewable energy, renewables, solar, wind | Leave a comment

Egypt to invest hugely in renewable energy

Egypt Government to Invest in Wind, From $110 Billion Renewable Energy Budget Green Prophet, May 28, 2010 The Egyptian government has announced plans to generate 1,000 megawatts of wind power this year. Speaking at the energy forum for the Middle East and North Africa 2010, Egypt’s Electricity Minister Hassan Younis said that the country is ready to increase its capabilities in alternative energy projects by 2027. He said the planned projects are estimated to cost the government around $110 billion. Continue reading →

May 29, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Egypt, renewable | antinuclear, climate change, energy efficiency, global warming, renewable energy, renewables, solar, wind | 1 Comment

USA: National institute fro Renewable Technology launched

Green Technology -Innovate Texas Announces Formation of National Institute for Renewable Energy MCNet.com, 27 May By Calvin Azuri,

Innovate Texas Foundation, in collaboration with the Texas Tech University System and The Wind Alliance, have announced the formation of the National Institute for Renewable Energy (NIRE) at the Windpower 2010 Conference in Dallas. NIRE, an independent public-private collaboration formed to develop nation’s wind and renewable energy resources, will help in solving key scientific and technology challenges faced by the wind power industry.

Green Technology -Innovate Texas Announces Formation of National Institute for Renewable Energy

May 28, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | renewable, USA | climate change, global warming, renewable energy, renewables, solar, wind | Leave a comment

Nuclear energy salesmen run Obama’s Oil Disaster Commission

With Graham and Reilly on the commission, it’s far more likely that this commission will advance a much different agenda—a nuclear energy agenda…..one must ask if Graham is simply a nuclear energy salesman who knows how to play the game………both Graham and Reilly have strong ties to nuclear energy interests. They are spearheading a so-called independent commission

Nuclear Energy Has a Friend in Heads of Obama’s BP Oil Disaster Commission, by kgosztola May 25, 2010 IN In his weekly radio address on Saturday, May 22nd, President Obama selected the two men that will be leading an independent commission that will examine the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, find the “root causes” of the disaster, and produce a report in six months. Those men were former Sen. Bob Graham (D-FL) and former head of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under George H.W. Bush, William K. Reilly, a Republican……………. Continue reading →

May 26, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | spinbuster, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear renaissance, nuclear spin, renewable energy | Leave a comment

Switzerland: thousands rally against nuclear power

Swiss anti-nuclear protest gathers 4,000 Solothurn, Switzerland (GenevaLunch), 26 May 2010, – More than 4,000 people gathered in Goesgen, canton Solothurn, in northern Switzerland Monday, for a peaceful protest against the continuing development of nuclear energy in the country. The protest had participants from 83 groups in Switzerland, France, Germany and Austria. One of their key points was that switzerland’s nuclear power plans are preventing the rapid development of alternative energy programmes. GenevaLunch » Swiss anti-nuclear protest gathers 4,000

May 26, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | EUROPE, politics | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear renaissance, renewable energy, renewables, solar, wind | Leave a comment

U.S. Western electric grid can harness wind and solar power

Should these utilities succeed in coordinating their efforts and realize even 27 percent wind and solar power, they would cut carbon emissions by 25 to 45 percent. It would also lessen fuel and emissions costs by 40 percent, depending on the future prices of natural gas.

Western States Could Reach 35% Renewable Power by 2017, The Energy Collective, by Taylen Peterson on 05/24/2010 , The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) says the western US electric grid could harness up to 35 percent of its energy from wind and solar power within seven years — and without any major upgrades to the existing electric network. Continue reading →

May 25, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | renewable, USA | energy efficiency, renewable energy, renewables, solar, wind | Leave a comment

UK govt closes scheme to fund small scale reneweble energy

Cameron axes renewable energy grant, FT.com, May 24, 2010 by Jim Pickard David Cameron, in his original incarnation as Tory leader, was an advocate of the green agenda; cycling everywhere, visiting the Arctic (albeit by plane) and fixing a wind turbine to the roof of his west London home. (No matter that he was forced to take it down due to complex planning issues).Yet the new prime minister has just axed a major scheme (the “Low Carbon Buildings Programme”) that gave grants for households and companies to put solar panels or wind turbines on their premises. So far it has helped 20,000……………The Renewable Energy Association says:”The announcement has increased the sense of uncertainty faced by the UK’s infant renewable heat industry.” Cameron axes renewable energy grant | Westminster Blog | FT.com

May 25, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, UK | energy efficiency, renewable energy, renewables, solar, wind | Leave a comment

China launches world’s biggest solar energy venture

China’s Solar Valley: biggest solar energy production base in world, SmartPlanet, By Andrew Nusca | May 21, 2010 China is in the process of building what it calls “the biggest solar energy production base in the world.”Called “Solar Valley,” the experimental venture has claimed the land of tens of thousands of farmers in an effort to construct China’s answer to California’s Silicon Valley, according to a new Washington Post report.

The $740 million project, which is located near the northern city of Dezhou, is supposed to demonstrate how China can both promote and profit from cleantech. China’s Solar Valley: biggest solar energy production base in world – SmartPlanet

May 22, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | China, renewable | climate change, energy efficiency, renewable energy, renewables, solar | Leave a comment

South of UK shows the way to truly clean energy living

An ambitious and comprehensive plan that relies on greatly increased renewable energy usage and a 50% reduction in primary energy demand in the town, it concentrates on community engagement and showing how attractive life in 2030 could be without fossil fuels.

A Swell Day for Renewable Energy in the South West – Better Generation (UK) 18 May 2010, The South-West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) have released an update informing the renewable energy world that “Wave Hub,” the world’s largest offshore wave energy testing facility, is on course to be deployed this summer with fabrication of sub-sea cables and the hub itself nearing completion. The site will create a “grid-connected socket on the seabed… To which wave power devices can be connected and their performance evaluated.”………. Continue reading →

May 20, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | renewable, UK | antinuclear, energy efficiency, renewable energy, renewables, solar, wave power, wind | Leave a comment

Texas: renewable energy goals reached 15 years ahead of schedule

Wind power boom ensures Texas hits renewable energy goals 15 years ahead of schedule Industrial Fuels and Power May 19th, 2010 The state of Texas has reached its goal of 10,000MW of installed renewable energy capacity this year, 15 years earlier than scheduled, thanks to the explosive growth of wind farms. Continue reading →

May 20, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | renewable, USA | antinuclear, climate change, energy efficiency, renewable energy, renewables, wind | Leave a comment

UK’s renewable energy incentives with Feed In Tariffs

How feed in tariffs could ‘democratise’ renewable energy generation, Engineer Live, 18 May 2010, Suddenly, the rewards for generating electricity from low carbon sources are within the reach of far more people than ever before. Continue reading →

May 19, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | renewable, UK | depleted, energy efficiency, renewable energy, renewables, solar, wind | Leave a comment

Alternative energy bill proceeding in Oklahoma

Alternative energy bill passes Oklahoma House, BusinessWeek, The Associated Press May 18, 2010, Legislation to boost Oklahoma’s use of alternative energy like natural gas and wind has passed the state House. Continue reading →

May 19, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | renewable, USA | energy efficiency, renewable energy, renewables | Leave a comment

A tax on carbon emissions would be better than USA’s Climate Bill

Making the Simple Complicated – Economix Blog – NYTimes.com, By EDWARD L. GLAESER 18 May 2010, “…….This bill is a behemoth for three reasons. First, it tries to do far more than just charge for carbon emissions. The bill starts by providing “incentives for the growth of safe domestic nuclear and nuclear-related industries.” It supports carbon capture in coal plants, expands offshore drilling, establishes an Office of Consumer Advocacy and promotes “clean energy career development.” Standard economics suggests that many of these interventions would be unnecessary if we had the right tax on carbon emissions; if companies pay the full social costs of their actions, they have the right incentives to invest in greener technologies without any further help from Uncle Sam………..
At the end of the day, it is hard to relish either this ornate piece of legislation or the prospect of inaction on global emissions.

Making the Simple Complicated – Economix Blog – NYTimes.com

May 19, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | antinuclear, climate change, global warming, nuclear, renewable energy | Leave a comment

It could be the water problem that finishes off the nuclear industry

“The best alternatives from a water perspective are wind and photovoltaics, that require effectively no water.”

Water Adds New Constraints to Power, NYTimes.com By ERICA GIES May 17, 2010 “……In the United States, thermoelectric power generation — mainly coal, nuclear and natural gas — accounted for 41 percent of U.S. freshwater withdrawals in 2005, U.S. Geological Society data show………..

But there is a growing awareness in California and throughout the United States that the use of water for energy generation may be reaching its limits.

California has extensive experience with water shortages, resulting in its adoption of a policy, included in the energy commission’s 2003 Integrated Energy Policy Report, that discourages freshwater use for power plant cooling…….“If you want to build a big central power plant, whether it’s oil, gas or nuclear, you can’t take the water for granted.” Continue reading →

May 18, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, water | antinuclear, AUSTRALIA, climate change, global warming, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear technology, nuclear wastes, reactors, renewable energy, renewables, solar, uranium, water, wind | Leave a comment