Hinkley
Electricity from planned nuclear plant ‘could all end up being exported to countries with fewer renewables, like France, at a price massively subsidised by Britain’s hard-working bill payers’ It is a claim that, if true, would mean Britain is about to make one of the biggest economical mistakes in its history, a blunder that would damage our country’s finances for decades and almost inevitably cause the Government to fall. For, according to Keith Barnham, an emeritus professor of physics, the total subsidy paid to the planned Hinkley Point nuclear power station by the British taxpayer could reach a staggering £53 billion over its lifetime – and the main beneficiaries will be French. He argues that such is the likely growth of renewables that the UK will not actually need the Hinkley’s electricity, so it will be sold abroad. And, he says, the most likely customers are in France, home of energy giant EDF, which is expected to build the plant. Professor Barnham, of Imperial College London, argues that the expansion of renewables will mean that by 2029 there will be “no demand for continuous and expensive nuclear power in the UK”.
Independent 9th May 2016 read more »
Prof Keith Barnham: The Government should scrap its costly Hinkley Point deal and accept renewables can keep the lights on. With EDF’s decision on Hinkley Point C likely to be delayed until next year it is imperative that the government re-assesses the need for new nuclear power in 2025. The exponential rise in renewable power generation worldwide, reported in a recent paper in Nature Materials, has radically changed the electricity supply scene since 2006 when Labour decided for new nuclear. Renewable power has made new nuclear unnecessary in the UK and a possible electoral liability in 2020. Energy Secretary Amber Rudd said recently “new nuclear is the only proven low-carbon technology that can provide continuous power”. This statement is demonstrably incorrect in all respects. Until a prototype works, new nuclear remains an unproven technology and the carbon footprint of its construction cannot be accurately estimated. Furthermore, Rudd appears unaware that a number of proven, low-carbon technologies are already delivering continuous power to the UK grid. Data produced by her own Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) shows that in 2014 hydropower contributed 1.7 GW to the grid. Also six bio-electricity technologies, all capable of continuous power operation, together produced 4.5 GW of electric power. That is already 6.2 GW of continuous power, nearly twice the 3.2 GW that Hinkley will struggle to produce by 2030. Bio-electricity could provide ten times 3.2 GW before the first of the two proposed reactors at Hinkley operates. Our analysis in Nature Materials shows that, were these six bio-electricity technologies to continue expanding at the average rate they achieved from 2011 to 2014, they would produce 32 GW of power by 2024. Two of these proven renewable technologies, hydropower and biomethane produced from the anaerobic digestion (AD) of farm and food waste, have the lowest carbon footprints of all forms of electricity generation. The carbon footprint of existing nuclear generators is a matter of considerable controversy in the scientific literature but is probably at least five times higher. The low carbon footprint of AD is well established. If the waste is left to rot on farms or in landfill it produces copious amounts of greenhouse gases.
Independent 9th May 2016 read more »
The long-running saga surrounding the planned Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant has taken a further twist today, as reports suggested additional Chinese investors could back the project and it emerged a key UN committee has raised questions about the approval process for the controversial development. The news is likely to revive criticism of the initial deal, which prompted warnings from some quarters that Chinese investment in the project could present a security risk for the UK. CNNC is arguably seen as more controversial than CGN, given it has close ties to the Chinese military. A spokesman for the Department of Energy and Climate Change told the Guardian the government is “confident that we have met the relevant international requirements in relation to Hinkley Point C”. However, experts warned the UN ruling could strengthen the hand of those neighbouring countries that have voiced opposition to the Hinkley Point project, including Austria which has previously launched legal action over the subsidies provided to the proposed development. The UN committee advised the UK should now “enter into discussions with possibly affected parties, including parties that cannot exclude a significant adverse transboundary impact from the activity at HPC, in order to agree on whether notification is useful at the current stage”. The latest developments follow a series of delays to the project, which has seen EDF repeatedly stress it is nearing a Final Investment Decision despite widespread reports of tensions within the company over the planned investment.
Business Green 9th May 2016 read more »
The Nuclear Free Local Authorities (NFLA) welcomes a report noted in ‘The Guardian’ newspaper that the United Nations Economic and Social Council has ruled that the UK Government has failed to consult European countries properly over potential environmental risks at Hinkley Point. NFLA has consistently argued that the national and international consultations on the Hinkley Point C development have been inadequate, and the emergency planning and nuclear safety issues around the development should have received much more consideration. An Taisce (the Irish National Trust) shared such a view and went to the UK High Court to argue this and a number of other points relating to compliance with European environmental legislation. This ruling from the United Nations clearly may have an impact now on the High Court’s ruling to reject An Taisce’s original legal challenge.
NFLA 9th May 2016 read more »
Moorside
NUGEN, the company behind plans for a nuclear power station at Moorside, Sellafield, has released more images of how it might look.
In Cumbria 9h May 2016 read more »
Nuclear Research
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) has awarded contracts worth £12 million to support research projects over the next four years. The projects will attempt to find “innovative solutions to technical challenges” – focusing on areas such as waste management, site decommissioning, spent fuels and nuclear materials. The Direct Research Portfolio (DRP) contracts were granted to a series of consortia made up of corporations, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), research institutes and universities. The more than 70 organisations involved include the University of Cambridge and the National Nuclear Laboratory as well as around 20 SMEs.
Utility Week 9th May 2016 read more »
NDA 9th May 2016 read more »
Nuclear Skills
A NEW National College for Nuclear is to be set up in Bridgwater after £15 million in government funding was announced. The venture is one of five National Colleges aimed at creating ‘the workforce of tomorrow’ by delivering high-level technical training. Set across two hubs – one at Bridgwater College and the other in Cumbria – the college aims to train over 7,000 learners by 2020. The college, which is set to open its doors in late 2017, will meet the demand for highly skilled workers in the nuclear sector and will offer courses designed by employers for a range of highly specialised careers.
Yeovil Express 9th May 2016 read more »
The Government has announced £15 million in funding to set up the National College for Nuclear headquartered in West Cumbria and Somerset. The college is one of five National Colleges that will create the workforce of tomorrow by delivering high-level technical training to thousands of learners across England. Set across two hubs – one at Lakes College, Lillyhall and one in Somerset – the college aims to train over 7,000 learners by 2020. The college, which is set to open its doors in late 2017, will meet the demand for highly skilled workers in the nuclear sector and will offer courses designed by employers for a range of highly specialised careers.
Carlisle News and Star 9th May 2016 read more »
ITV 9th May 2016 read more »
SMRs
We need to continually improve nuclear energy. For example, many believe that smaller reactors could better meet our electricity needs than very large nuclear plants. Fortunately, such small modular reactors are on the horizon. Ranging in size from 50 megawatts to 300 megawatts, these reactors would be built from standardized designs for much less cost than, say, a 1,200-megawatt nuclear plant. These smaller units could be shipped by barge, truck or railroad to energy sites around the country. The first of the small modular reactors – known as SMRs – will be located underground at the Idaho National Laboratory. These modules are being developed by NuScale, a small Oregon-based nuclear startup company, which is sharing the cost with the U.S. Department of Energy. Each SMR module will generate 50 megawatts of electricity. Additional modules could be added as the need for more electricity occurs. In time, up to 12 modules would be grouped in a cluster to generate 600 megawatts.
Aiken Standard 9th May 2016 read more »
Radwaste
The Nuclear Free Local Authorities (NFLA) has submitted its views on a joint consultation by the Environment Agency, Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Natural Resources Wales on its proposals to release nuclear sites from radiation substances regulation as they are reaching full decommissioning. The joint proposal by the three national environmental agencies provides a set of requirements to enable site operators to make the decisions they need to bring a site to a state in which it can then be made available for other uses and eventually released from radioactive substances regulation (RSR) for unrestricted use. NFLA welcomes this early consideration of what will be an important environmental and waste management issue as nuclear sites are fully decommissioned over the next few decades. It also welcomes the proposed establishment of a sound and effective environmental framework for achieving this by a site wide environmental safety case (SWESC). NFLA (2) though raises three key concerns about the proposals: The way of assessing the radiological hazard of a site which has been released from radioactive substances regulation appears to be too flexible. It is not clear who is expected to regulate a site which is being made available for restricted use. Local authorities are unlikely to have the resources to regulate such a site. The proposals appear to allow for the unrestricted use of sites which may have nuclear waste buried and which could be capable of administering doses of up to 20mSv/yr if human intrusion occurs. It is the NFLA view that such sites should remain subject to radioactive substances regulation.
NFLA 9th May 2016 read more »
Companies
French oil giant Total is buying high-tech battery maker Saft for €950m (£749m) as it seeks to expand its electricity and renewable energy business. The offer values Saft’s shares at €36.50 apiece, a 38pc premium to the company’s share price on Friday, before the acquisition was made public. Total, which like other oil majors has been battling with persistently weak oil prices, said last month it would set up a new branch for gas, renewable energy and electricity. The company already has a more than 57pc stake in US solar panel and power station maker SunPower.
Telegraph 9th May 2016 read more »
Australia
An Australian royal commission on Monday recommended building a nuclear industry, including a waste dump, in the uranium-rich state of South Australia, propelling the case for overturning long-held opposition to nuclear power. The recommendation drew broad support from the federal government, and will likely be embraced by nuclear proponents to justify ending decades-long resistance to nuclear energy which has hinged on safety and environmental grounds. The government “stands ready to work with the South Australian Government if they choose to pursue any new economic opportunities in this area that create jobs and growth”, energy and resources minister Josh Frydenberg said in a statement.
Reuters 9th May 2016 read more »
A nuclear waste disposal site in South Australia could generate more than A$100 billion ($74 billion) in income over 120 years and the state government should pursue such an economic opportunity, a royal commission said in a report Monday. The state can safely increase its activities in the sector, although it will need to build public support to proceed, said the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission. South Australia, where BHP Billiton Ltd. operates the Olympic Dam mine, set up the commission last year to look at the role the state should play in the nuclear industry — from mining and enrichment to energy generation and waste storage. While Australia is home to the world’s largest uranium reserves, it has never had a nuclear power plant.
Bloomberg 9th May 2016 read more »
South Australia’s Royal Commission into the Nuclear Fuel Cycle has delivered its final report, recommending that the government should pursue the establishment of storage and disposal facilities for multi-national used nuclear fuel and intermediate-level waste. The announcement has been greeted as a fundamental change in the global nuclear waste discourse.
World Nuclear News 9th May 2016 read more »
US
“More than 70,000 containers of this waste (sometimes referred to as suspect TRU waste) were stored under a layer of dirt in the in the 1970s and 1980s, in the 200 Area Low-Level Burial Grounds of the Hanford Site. The intention was to retrieve the waste (which is why sometimes it is also referred to as retrievably-stored waste) at a later date when a national repository was established to accept transuranic waste.
Mining Awareness 9th May 2016 read more »
The Tennessee Valley Authority in the US has decided to sell an unfinished nuclear plant, as it does not see any need for large-scale power generation sources for at least 20 years. The authority has invested over $4bn in the Bellefonte Nuclear Plant property in northern Alabama in the past four decades. TVA president and CEO Bill Johnson said: “We sought public comments on whether to sell or keep the property and for what uses. “Our analysis of the property and its potential uses, and input from public officials, customers and Valley residents, indicate that offering the property for sale could better serve the public.”
Energy Business Review 9th May 2016 read more »
South Africa
South Africa’s National Nuclear Regulator expects to finalise a decision by 2018 on power utility Eskom’s two new site license applications, a senior official said on Monday.Eskom applied in March for the licenses to build new nuclear power stations, one on the east coast and another on the west coast, as part of an expansion that will generate an additional 9,600 megawatts in Africa’s most industrialised economy.
Reuters 9th May 2016 read more »
Renewables
The attractions of Britain for investors in renewable energy projects are at an all-time low, an authoritative new report has found. The UK routinely topped the annual league table for attractiveness to clean energy companies, run by consultancy Ernst & Young (EY), in the mid-2000s. For the first time, however, it has slid to 13th in the global rankings. Investors in renewable energy are being put off the UK by political posturing hostile to renewables and green efforts, and the slashing of government support for clean power supplies, in favour of potentially more expensive alternatives such as shale gas and nuclear power. Renewable energy investment worth tens of billions a year, and thousands of jobs, is likely to be lost by the UK as a result, the report found.
Guardian 10th May 2016 read more »
Renewable Heat
An independent report has called for new governance arrangements to fill the “vacuum” for decision making and delivery in the heat sector. The report from the Imperial College Centre for Energy Policy and Technology said there is a need for “strong city and local authority level involvement” in heat governance, although the resources to do this do not currently exist. The whole programme would also benefit from “national coordination”, the report said. For the UK to meet its carbon targets as agreed to in Paris it will have to decarbonise heat in over 20 million buildings, but there is “no one silver bullet” to do this, with a range of solutions each having a role to play. These include using the existing gas grid for hydrogen, electrification through heat pumps, and district heating networks.
Utility Week 9th May 2016 read more »
Renewables – community solar
Southill community solar farm has secured construction finance from Solarcentury and extended its share offer to ensure that the project will go ahead in the summer. Construction of the 4.5MW solar farm will begin in July and the project expects to be generating power by September this year. The project has already received more than £970,000 of investment and is aiming to raise a further £1.4 million to add to the bank funding, loans and social impact investors that make up the £4.1 million construction costs. The projected average annual return to investors is 5 per cent over the 25-year lifetime of the solar farm. Since the solar farm was granted planning consent in July 2015, it has been pre-accredited for the Feed-in Tariff and will be one of the last community solar schemes to be guaranteed the subsidy.
Utility Week 9th May 2016 read more »
Renewables – solar
Scottish solar power installer Campbell & Kennedy has been appointed to a four-year Renewables and Energy Efficiency contract with Procurement for Housing (PfH) Scotland. The framework provides a number of energy efficiency solutions such as solar PV, biomass boilers and electricity storage systems through its pre-approved suppliers. Since 2012, C&K has installed 11 megawatts of solar PV across a range of public sector clients over 20 years and will see a return of over £50 million made over the same time period. Glasgow-based Campbell & Kennedy offers PfH Scotland members solar PV, solar thermal, LED lighting and smart meters in addition to many other energy-saving solutions. The family business was appointed to a similar framework last year with PfH for England and has since been helping members with a variety of procurement needs.
Scottish Energy News 10th May 2016 read more »
Fuel Poverty
Following the recent elections in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, two major energy charities have published a joint report highlighting why progress to eradicate fuel poverty across the UK has slowed despite statutory commitments and current policies – notwithstanding last week’s elections to the Scottish parliament and devolved administrations in Wales and N. Ireland. The UK Fuel Poverty Monitor – produced annually by Energy Action Scotland and the National Energy Association in England – reports that huge variations and changes to relevant national and UK wide affordable warmth policies have inevitably hindered progress to eradicate fuel poverty. EAS and the NEA have produced the annual UK Fuel Poverty Monitor report since 2003. The report specifically aims to review fuel poverty policies in the four UK nations. It also provides an opportunity to identify cross-nation learning to inform policy makers and practitioners. The publication of this year’s report reviews progress on the previous recommendations that have been made since 2010 and draws this analysis together within each country and at a UK level.
Scottish Energy News 10th May 2016 read more »
