Japan
Japan is considering joining a U.S.-led global nuclear compensation treaty in a bid to fend off excessive overseas damage claims related to nuclear accidents.
Reuters 14th Aug 2011 more >>
A round-up of news surrounding the ongoing Fukushima crisis 8th 12th August.
Greenpeace International 12th Aug 2011 more >>
Renewables
Howard Rogers, senior research fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, said in a study that Britain’s power network is not built for wind power accounting for more than a third of capacity on the system. He said that any more than 28 gigawatts of wind would mean it is likely that turbine owners would regularly have to be paid to keep capacity off the system. Earlier this year, six wind farms were paid £900,000 to stop generating for one night, because the system became overloaded. The study challenges the ambitious estimates in a study commissioned by the Government which estimates that 58 gigawatts of wind is likely to be built in a “medium activity” scenario by 2030, out of a total system of 80 gigawatts of capacity.
Telegraph 13th Aug 2011 more >>
In the countryside outside Aberdeen, seven turbines spin in the breeze. The wind farm near Huntly may look like any other, but it is not owned by a power company or local entrepreneur. This month it was bought by Ikea, the Swedish flat-pack furniture behemoth. the company plans to use its Scottish purchase as the first step in a drive to power its British stores from entirely renewable sources. The Huntly wind farm generates up to 25m kilowatt hours of electricity each year, equal to 30% of Ikeas consumption. Ikea said it would look for similar sites to get closer to its target. The chain is also installing solar panels on the roofs of its stores. Branches in Milton Keynes, Edmonton (north London), Southampton and Warrington have each been fitted with 4,000 panels in the past few weeks. In all, Ikea expects to install 39,000 panels across the nation at a cost of £4m. A handful of other well-known firms are experimenting with sourcing their own renewable energy. Audi, the carmaker owned by Volkswagen, is investing tens of millions of euros in North Sea wind power. Toyota recently built a solar farm at its assembly plant in Derbyshire.
Sunday Times 14th Aug 2011 more >>
