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kristopher
kristopher's Journal
kristopher's Journal
December 14, 2011
Greenpeace urges UK to rethink plans for new fleet of nuclear reactors as French firm confirms huge losses
By BusinessGreen staff
One of the world's leading nuclear power developers, Areva, has today confirmed a major reorganisation that will see a series of projects suspended in the wake of significant financial losses.
The company announced yesterday that operating losses for this year could reach €1.6bn, primarily as a result of the Fukushima disaster on the value of its uranium mining operations.
The news was followed today by confirmation that Areva will suspend planned "capacity extensions" at four nuclear sites in France, halt work to extend its Eagle Rock enrichment plant near Idaho Falls in the US, and scale back planned investment at uranium mines in the Central African Republic, Namibia and South Africa.
The company plans to cut new capital investment to €7.7bn between 2012 and 2016, a reduction of around a third on investment over the previous five years.
In addition...
http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2131977/areva-suspends-raft-nuclear-power-projects
Areva suspends raft of nuclear power projects
Areva suspends raft of nuclear power projectsGreenpeace urges UK to rethink plans for new fleet of nuclear reactors as French firm confirms huge losses
By BusinessGreen staff
One of the world's leading nuclear power developers, Areva, has today confirmed a major reorganisation that will see a series of projects suspended in the wake of significant financial losses.
The company announced yesterday that operating losses for this year could reach €1.6bn, primarily as a result of the Fukushima disaster on the value of its uranium mining operations.
The news was followed today by confirmation that Areva will suspend planned "capacity extensions" at four nuclear sites in France, halt work to extend its Eagle Rock enrichment plant near Idaho Falls in the US, and scale back planned investment at uranium mines in the Central African Republic, Namibia and South Africa.
The company plans to cut new capital investment to €7.7bn between 2012 and 2016, a reduction of around a third on investment over the previous five years.
In addition...
http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2131977/areva-suspends-raft-nuclear-power-projects
December 14, 2011
By Nicki Thomas and Elise Stolte, edmontonjournal.com December 12, 2011 9:06 PM
EDMONTON - Bruce Power has abandoned plans to build a nuclear power plant in northern Alberta, the Ontario-based energy company announced Monday.
The company had proposed building up to four nuclear reactors that could produce 4,000 megawatts of electricity at a site 30 kilometres north of Peace River. The option had been under consideration since 2007 and the project appeared to be moving along, with the company conducting an environmental assessment last year.
A statement from the company gave little explanation for the decision, other than a renewed focus on its existing nuclear facility in Ontario.
“We’ve decided the new nuclear option in Alberta is not something our company will be progressing further,” Duncan Hawthorne, Bruce Power’s president and CEO, said in a news release. “I’d like to thank the many people in Peace Country who stood with us to investigate an option for Alberta’s energy future and for welcoming us into your community. I have no doubt there will come a day when nuclear will have a place in a balanced supply mix in Alberta.”
The provincial government...
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Nuclear+power+proposal+Alberta+withdrawn+company/5849123/story.html
Nuclear power proposal for Alberta withdrawn by company
Nuclear power proposal for Alberta withdrawn by companyBy Nicki Thomas and Elise Stolte, edmontonjournal.com December 12, 2011 9:06 PM
EDMONTON - Bruce Power has abandoned plans to build a nuclear power plant in northern Alberta, the Ontario-based energy company announced Monday.
The company had proposed building up to four nuclear reactors that could produce 4,000 megawatts of electricity at a site 30 kilometres north of Peace River. The option had been under consideration since 2007 and the project appeared to be moving along, with the company conducting an environmental assessment last year.
A statement from the company gave little explanation for the decision, other than a renewed focus on its existing nuclear facility in Ontario.
“We’ve decided the new nuclear option in Alberta is not something our company will be progressing further,” Duncan Hawthorne, Bruce Power’s president and CEO, said in a news release. “I’d like to thank the many people in Peace Country who stood with us to investigate an option for Alberta’s energy future and for welcoming us into your community. I have no doubt there will come a day when nuclear will have a place in a balanced supply mix in Alberta.”
The provincial government...
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Nuclear+power+proposal+Alberta+withdrawn+company/5849123/story.html
December 14, 2011
The European Union has made €5bn of fossil fuel loans through its financial arm despite carbon reduction targets for members
The world's biggest lender to energy and climate action projects almost doubled the funds given to fossil fuels between 2007 and 2010, a new report published on Thursday reveals.
The European Investment Bank (EIB), a bigger lender than the World Bank, also tripled the lending to renewable energy according to the campaign group behind the report, Bankwatch. But the group said that overall, the bank is failing in its responsibility to further the goals of the European Union, including cutting carbon emissions by at least 20% by 2020.
"Our study highlights once more the secret hypocrisy at the heart of EU climate action," said Piotr Trzaskowski, Bankwatch energy co-ordinator. "While the EU appears to be the world's most progressive actor in the global struggle against climate change, the financial arm of the union is putting billions of euros of public money into energy infrastructure that will lock in countries into a fossil-fuel dependent path for four or five decades. Considering what we are hearing from [the UN climate talks in] Durban this week, if even the EU acts this way, we are tragically on a sure road to disaster."
The EIB offers loans subsidised by government guarantees, but at the UN climate change negotiations in South Africa on Wednesday, Nicholas Stern told delegates that rich nations were wasting money and disadvantaging renewable energy by giving away tax breaks, loans and other subsidies to the fossil fuel industry. In November, the International Energy Agency warned that on current trends, the world will have built enough fossil fuel burning plants by 2016 to break the 2C limit deemed "safe" by scientists.
A spokesman for the bank said...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/dec/08/european-investment-bank-fossil-fuel
European Investment Bank criticised for 'hypocrisy' of fossil fuel lending
European Investment Bank criticised for 'hypocrisy' of fossil fuel lendingThe European Union has made €5bn of fossil fuel loans through its financial arm despite carbon reduction targets for members
The world's biggest lender to energy and climate action projects almost doubled the funds given to fossil fuels between 2007 and 2010, a new report published on Thursday reveals.
The European Investment Bank (EIB), a bigger lender than the World Bank, also tripled the lending to renewable energy according to the campaign group behind the report, Bankwatch. But the group said that overall, the bank is failing in its responsibility to further the goals of the European Union, including cutting carbon emissions by at least 20% by 2020.
"Our study highlights once more the secret hypocrisy at the heart of EU climate action," said Piotr Trzaskowski, Bankwatch energy co-ordinator. "While the EU appears to be the world's most progressive actor in the global struggle against climate change, the financial arm of the union is putting billions of euros of public money into energy infrastructure that will lock in countries into a fossil-fuel dependent path for four or five decades. Considering what we are hearing from [the UN climate talks in] Durban this week, if even the EU acts this way, we are tragically on a sure road to disaster."
The EIB offers loans subsidised by government guarantees, but at the UN climate change negotiations in South Africa on Wednesday, Nicholas Stern told delegates that rich nations were wasting money and disadvantaging renewable energy by giving away tax breaks, loans and other subsidies to the fossil fuel industry. In November, the International Energy Agency warned that on current trends, the world will have built enough fossil fuel burning plants by 2016 to break the 2C limit deemed "safe" by scientists.
A spokesman for the bank said...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/dec/08/european-investment-bank-fossil-fuel
December 8, 2011
Honda Motor Co. has unveiled a newly developed two-motor hybrid system that will go into its next-generation hybrid cars starting next year.
A key feature of Honda's low-emissions "Earth Dreams Technology," the new system will equip new hybrid cars with two electric motors instead of the single one of current models, maximizing fuel efficiency and overall performance.
At start-up and low speeds, the electric motors will drive the car. During acceleration the car will kick into "hybrid" mode, using both its gasoline engine and electric motors, while at high speeds the gasoline engine will take over completely.
The two-motor system will first be applied to Honda's newest plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHV) set to be released for sales in 2012, and may find its way into larger vehicles and sports cars....
(The article goes on to discuss more Honda ideas in the pipeline)
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/business/news/20111208p2a00m0na015000c.html
Honda unveils two-motor system for next-generation hybrid cars
Honda unveils two-motor system for next-generation hybrid carsHonda Motor Co. has unveiled a newly developed two-motor hybrid system that will go into its next-generation hybrid cars starting next year.
A key feature of Honda's low-emissions "Earth Dreams Technology," the new system will equip new hybrid cars with two electric motors instead of the single one of current models, maximizing fuel efficiency and overall performance.
At start-up and low speeds, the electric motors will drive the car. During acceleration the car will kick into "hybrid" mode, using both its gasoline engine and electric motors, while at high speeds the gasoline engine will take over completely.
The two-motor system will first be applied to Honda's newest plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHV) set to be released for sales in 2012, and may find its way into larger vehicles and sports cars....
(The article goes on to discuss more Honda ideas in the pipeline)
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/business/news/20111208p2a00m0na015000c.html
December 8, 2011
Not just the Suppression Chamber of Reactor 2, as even TEPCO admits is broken from unknown causes.
From Nihon Television News 24 (12/7/2011):
Analysis of the hydrogen explosions at Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant accident has revealed the possibility that the Suppression Chambers of Reactors 1 and 3 are damaged.
Professor Takashi Tsuruda of Akita Prefectural University reported in a symposium [Combustion Symposium] held in Yokohama City on December 7. According to the analysis by Professor Tsuruda, something that appears to be saturated steam that contains fission products is observed to escape from the reactor building after the explosions of Reactor 1 and Reactor 3. From this, Professor Tsuruda has concluded that the Suppression Chambers [for these reactors] are likely to have been damaged by the hydrogen explosions.
Professor Tsuruda says, "The water in the Suppression Chambers is the most likely source of this much water."...
http://ex-skf.blogspot.com/2011/12/fukushima-i-nuke-plant-suppression.html
Fukushima I Nuke Plant: Suppression Chambers of Reactors 1 and 3 May Be Also Broken
Fukushima I Nuke Plant: Suppression Chambers of Reactors 1 and 3 May Be Also BrokenNot just the Suppression Chamber of Reactor 2, as even TEPCO admits is broken from unknown causes.
From Nihon Television News 24 (12/7/2011):
Analysis of the hydrogen explosions at Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant accident has revealed the possibility that the Suppression Chambers of Reactors 1 and 3 are damaged.
Professor Takashi Tsuruda of Akita Prefectural University reported in a symposium [Combustion Symposium] held in Yokohama City on December 7. According to the analysis by Professor Tsuruda, something that appears to be saturated steam that contains fission products is observed to escape from the reactor building after the explosions of Reactor 1 and Reactor 3. From this, Professor Tsuruda has concluded that the Suppression Chambers [for these reactors] are likely to have been damaged by the hydrogen explosions.
Professor Tsuruda says, "The water in the Suppression Chambers is the most likely source of this much water."...
http://ex-skf.blogspot.com/2011/12/fukushima-i-nuke-plant-suppression.html
December 7, 2011
Fox Absurdly Denigrates The “ENTIRE Solar Industry”
From ThinkProgress
— a Media Matters Cross-Post
A recent Fox Nation post claimed that the “ENTIRE Solar Industry” is on the “Brink of Collapse.” But the solar industry is growing faster than any other energy sector, and experts say solar is becoming increasingly cost competitive.
Solar Is Growing Rapidly Even Without Climate Legislation
Read about the reality of solar growth here:
http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/12/06/382653/fox-solar-industry/
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