New Nukes
The nuclear industry will meet Chris Huhne, the Energy Secretary, for the first time this week and urge him to push on with plans to build a new generation of nuclear power stations across the country. Chief executives from the main energy companies will meet Mr Huhne in London on Thursday at a gathering of the Department for Energy and Climate Change’s Nuclear Development Forum. At Thursday’s meeting, EDF chief executive Vincent de Rivaz is expected to ask for the Government to set out its plans and timetable a date for Parliament to vote on them “as soon as possible”. He is also expected to tell Mr Huhne that he wants to see an “increasing commitment from the Government” as spending by EDF and its partner Centrica increases in anticipation of the formal go ahead. A consultation on 10 proposed sites closed earlier this year and the industry is waiting for the Government to make a final decision on an investment programme. EDF Energy is hoping to have the first new nuclear plant up and running at Hinkley Point by 2018. However, officials need to finalise the Government’s national policy statement for nuclear energy. Ministers have said it will not be available until late summer at the earliest.
Telegraph 12th July 2010 more >>
Regulation
The Food Standards Agency is to be abolished by Andrew Lansley, the health secretary, it emerged last night, after the watchdog fought a running battle with industry over the introduction of colour-coded “traffic light” warnings for groceries, TV dinners and snacks. The move has sparked accusations that the government has “caved in to big business”. As part of the changes Lansley will reassign the FSA’s regulatory aspects – including safety and hygiene – to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Its responsibilities for nutrition, diet and public health will be incorporated into the Department of Health.
Guardian 12th July 2010 more >>
Independent 12th July 2010 more >>
Energy Security
Britain’s competitiveness and future security will come under threat if the Government fails to act on energy policy, the Engineering Employers’ Federation (EEF) will warn today. The UK faces an unprecedented combination of energy challenges over the next decade and needs to invest billions of pounds in infrastructure, manage the risks associated with growing dependence on imported gas and meet renewable energy targets, the employment body says. The association has launched an “Energy Action Plan”, which it says is a blueprint for attracting as much as £200bn needed to meet the Government’s goals, and safeguard the interests of consumers. The plan urges the coaltion to keep to an existing timetable encouraging a greater reliance on nuclear power, and ensuring that Britain increases its gas storage capacity. “The Government must address the growing risk to the security of supply from the UK’s increasing dependence on imported gas,” the plan says.
The Independent 12th July 2010 more >>
There is only a limited window of opportunity to implement new policies and market reforms to generate the estimated £200bn of investment the UK needs in the next decade, the EEF argues in a report published on Monday. It says the energy industry must make far-reaching investment decisions as early as 2012 to secure finance and mobilise supply chains. The EEF wants the government to keep to the existing timetable for replacing nuclear power stations and reversing nuclear’s declining share of electricity generation. That means completing planning reforms later this year and finishing assessment of new reactor designs by next year. It says the two main support programmes for renewable energy – the renewables obligation for large-scale technologies and feed-in-tariffs for smaller ones – are poor value for money and need reform.
FT 12th July 2010 more >>
Uranium
China is buying unprecedented amounts of uranium, signaling that prices are poised to rebound after three years of declines. India and China are leading the biggest atomic expansion since the decade after the 1970s oil crisis to cut pollution and power economies growing more than twice as fast as Europe and North America. The boom, combined with slowing supply growth, may benefit Cameco Corp., a co-owner of the world’s largest uranium mine, and Areva SA, the largest builder of reactors.
Business Week 12th July 2010 more >>
Test Vets
AN MP has pledged to write to the Armed Forces Minister today to demand the Government pays compensation to Britain’s nuclear test veterans. Mid Derbyshire MP Pauline Latham made the pledge after reading in the Derby Telegraph about the plight of hundreds of veterans who suffered terrible illnesses after taking part in Britain’s nuclear weapons tests in the 1950s. Mrs Latham said that she would write to Nick Harvey who, as the Coalition Government’s new Armed Forces Minister, is responsible for dealing with the test veterans’ case. While other world governments – such as those in America, France and Russia – have compensated veterans who took part in their tests, British leaders have so far staunchly refused to accept responsibility for their veterans’ problems.
Derby Telegraph 12th July 2010 more >>
Hold the front Page 12th July 2010 more >>
Nuclear War
The Queen was to be put aboard a “floating bunker” and moved around remote Scottish lochs in the event of a nuclear attack on Britain, newly-declassified papers has revealed.
Telegraph 12th July 2010 more >>
Fuel Poverty
People in fuel poverty face being unfairly hit by the costs of investment in energy infrastructure and reducing greenhouse gases, a report says. Such spending may see energy bills rise by 50% – on top of 125% rises seen in the past six years – the government’s Fuel Poverty Advisory Group said.
BBC 11th July 2010 more >>
Renewables
General Electric and a solar technology specialist, Solarcentury, will today launch a scheme to help schools to invest in renewable energy. Solar panels could cut up to £840 from a school’s annual electricity bill and generate another £3,000 by feeding excess power back into the National Grid, they say. High upfront costs can be a deterrent: installation can cost up to £16,000 for a primary and £35,000 for a secondary school. Under the scheme, GE Capital will pay for installing solar panels, after receiving a small deposit from a school. A lease will then be paid back over 15 years, using income from the feed-in tariffs to pay for excess capacity.
Independent 12th July 2010 more >>
The minister for Climate Change, Greg Barker, will today launch a consultation on the Government’s strategy to boost energy self-sufficiency in communities. The public debate about microgeneration will look at ways to ensure the quality of generating technology and its installation, how to improve available products, and how to develop the microgeneration supply chain while providing more accessible advice. The consultation follows last week’s news that the Government is to overturn a ban on councils selling “green” electricity back to the national grid by the end of the year.
Independent 12th July 2010 more >>
News that the Scottish government is to scrap the home renewables loan scheme, which has helped nearly 3,000 people add green energy devices to their homes since 2007, is a blow to hopes of achieving our environmental goals. Home energy use accounts for more than a third of Scotlands greenhouse gas emissions. Getting hous eholds to generate their own energy from renewable sources such as solar and wind on site is a crucial part of Scotlands strategy for reducing those emissions. For many households, it is only the existence of the grant scheme, which offers up to 4,000 towards costs, that make microgeneration schemes viable. Many will worry that this announcement indicates the Scottish Governments willingness to de-prioritise the environment at a time of economic hardship.
Herald 12th July 2010 more >>
Environmental organisations have reacted with anger to the scrapping of a scheme that helped homeowners meet the cost of installing green devices such as solar panels and small wind turbines. Almost 3000 households have benefited from the Scottish Governments home renewables grant scheme, which offered up to 4000 towards the cost of environmentally friendly power systems. It was set up in 2007 and has handed out a total of 7.4 million but budget cuts mean it will close on July 23.
Herald 12th July 2010 more >>
Scotland on Sunday 11th July 2010 more >>
