Conservative Policy
Every UK homeowners will benefit from an allowance of up to £6,500 to make their properties more energy efficient, under a “green deal” proposed by the Conservatives today. The idea is part of a wider energy and climate change package aimed at kick-starting a green economy in the UK. The shadow energy and climate change secretary, Greg Clark, said a Tory government would immediately approve construction of several nuclear and coal-fired power stations to help prevent electricity blackouts in the next decade, to strengthen the national grid and enable the harnessing of renewable energy sources at sea, and to boost the number of charging points for electric cars.
Guardian 7th Oct 2009 more >>
Nuclear power is one technology that must be accelerated, promoted and relied upon if the world is to stabilise carbon dioxide emissions at an acceptable level. Doing so would put hundreds of billions into the industry. The message comes from the International Energy Agency’s (IEA’s) annual World Energy Outlook analysis, which this year sees the early release of a section on climate change.
World Nuclear News 6th Oct 2009 more >>
North Korea
Six months after declaring the six-party talks on the future of its nuclear weapons programme “dead”, North Korea relented somewhat yesterday, suggesting they could be revived on condition that progress was made first on relations with the United States.
Belfast Telegraph 7th Oct 2009 more >>
Irish Times 7th Oct 2009 more >>
Independent 7th Oct 2009 more >>
With the nuclear powers China and Russia on its other border, one of the world’s most isolated and friendless countries believes it has a strong and compelling logic for wanting its own atomic bombs.
BBC 7th Oct 2009 more >>
Iran
Dr ElBaradei is probably the main reason why Iran reckoned it had little to lose by its violation of the Non-Proliferation Treaty. At every stage, the Egyptian head of the IAEA has attempted to overlook Tehran’s repeated breaches of its treaty obligations, to play down its nuclear research programme and to pour cold water on the warnings from America and Israel. He has acted as though he were Iran’s political shield: even his nuclear experts have concluded from global intelligence sources that Tehran may have the knowhow to make an atomic bomb and has worked on the military technology to produce and deliver such a weapon. But Dr ElBaradei has kept silent. Confrontational politics, apparently, is not his style.
Times 7th Oct 2009 more >>
Iran plans to use a new generation of faster centrifuges to enrich uranium at a newly-revealed nuclear site, its atomic energy chief said in remarks published Tuesday.
Reuters 6th Oct 2009 more >>
Israel
The Israeli air force scrambled fighter jets on Tuesday after a light aircraft flew into restricted air space over its nuclear reactor in the southern Negev desert, officials said. The warplanes intercepted the aircraft and forced it to land at a nearby airstrip, where the pilot were handed over to civilian authorities for investigation, an army spokeswoman said.
Middle East Online 6th Oct 2009 more >>
Italy
The USA and Italy have signed nuclear cooperation agreements that could lead to construction of new nuclear power plants and improve cooperation on advanced fuel cycle R&D.
Nuclear Engineering International 2nd Oct 2009 more >>
Renewables
Britain and Norway are planning the world’s longest underwater power cable to share wind farms in the North Sea and help bring down electricity prices.
Telegraph 7th Oct 2009 more >>
Times 7th Oct 2009 more >>
Britain is sitting on the biggest source of marine energy in Europe. Tapping tidal and wave energy could one day produce about 10% of the world’s electricity consumption, so the incentive to develop turbines, hydrofoils and ducts which can convert this energy into watts is enormous. One such device, 150 metres of scarlet tubing known as the sea snake will be tested next spring at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney, on the principle that if it can function in the seas there, it can survive anything. This is the second generation of snake to be tested in the sea.
Guardian 7th Oct 2009 more >>
TWO major green energy projects in Scotland, including the east coast’s first offshore wind farm, are to be given more than £100 million of European funding. In a show of support for Scotland’s renewables industry, the European Commission will grant 40m (£37m) to a planned wind farm off the Aberdeen coast. A further 75m (£67m) will go towards a transmission hub off the north coast of Scotland, which would pave the way for the mass development of renewables in the Pentland Firth and on Shetland.
Scotsman 6th Oct 2009 more >>
Climate
Man-made greenhouse gas emissions will drop 3% in 2009 largely because of the worldwide financial crisis, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said.
Guardian 7th Oct 2009 more >>
Fuel Prices
Fuel bills have become a “scandal” as the biggest suppliers in the £25bn-a-year industry make vast profits supplying gas and electricity to Britain’s 20 million families, independent experts say. Today The Independent launches a campaign demanding that the “Big Six” power companies lower their prices, amid accusations that they failed to pass on cuts in fuel bills after the price of oil fell from last summer’s record highs.
Independent 7th Oct 2009 more >>
