Dounreay
Plans for massive increases in the amounts of radioactive waste dumped into the air and sea by the Dounreay nuclear plant on the north coast of Scotland have run into opposition from local authorities. Shetland and other councils are alarmed at proposals to discharge quantities of radioactive gases and liquids hundreds – or even millions- of times greater than in recent years. They are worried about the long-term risks for human health and the environment.
RobEdwards 23rd Dec 2012 more »
Herald on Sunday 23rd Dec 2012 more »
Energy Policy
If the beastly Europeans do not rapidly sort out the problems with EU ETS and move to a higher target across Europe, we will unilaterally in the UK throw our targets out of the pram. And – by the way – chuck out the legally binding Forth Carbon Budget (oops sorry, revise it upwards) so that a rather randomly determined amount of unabated gas can be shoehorned into the system running at full tilt. Presumably, if said beastly Europeans DO move to a higher target, then the two original scenarios put forward by DECC resume their places for consideration. Otherwise they are Trumped. So it’s time, clearly to write urgently to Herman Van Rompuy, asking him if he would be good enough to ensure that the EU puts up its targets by the end of 2013 to save the UK from breaking its own laws on climate change budgets, missing its own targets on 2020 decarbonisation, and certainly having to abandon hope of reaching targets set down in its own laws on Climate Change in 2008. Not a big ask really, it is Christmas after all.
Alan Whitehead 22nd Dec 2012 more »
Radwaste
A petition to the leader of Cumbria County Council – Vote NO on 30th January 2013 to the plans for an underground nuclear dump in the Lake District.
No Lake District Nuclear Dump 22nd Dec 2012 more »
Sizewell
Unlike Sizewell A the waste from Sizewell B and from the proposed Sizewell C&D are to be stored on site until at least 2130. This will turn the Sizewell area into a massive nuclear waste dump for at least the next 110 years. The site will contain over 100 times the amount of radioactivity released by Chernobyl.
Peter Lux 22nd Dec 2012 more »
Japan
Stefan Larus Stefansson, Iceland’s ambassador to Japan, recently gave a lecture in Tokyo about the very high geothermal potential in Japan. He said that if Japan were to invest in fully realizing its geothermal potential, the country could replace 25 nuclear reactors.
Clean Technica 22nd Dec 2012 more »
United Nations University 15th Dec 2012 more »
Japan’s next prime minister, Shinzo Abe, reiterated Saturday that he will reconsider the current government’s policy of not allowing utilities to build new nuclear reactors. Abe, head of the Liberal Democratic Party who is set to become the new premier on Wednesday, made the remarks to reporters in Tabuse, Yamaguchi Prefecture, hinting that he could jettison the policy aimed at reducing dependence on nuclear energy following last year’s Fukushima disaster. Abe has said the new government will judge whether to allow power companies to build new reactors in line with his pronuclear party’s stance of determining the country’s future energy mix within the next 10 years.
Mainichi 22nd Dec 2012 more »
Plutonium found in 3/11 disaster debris.
Energy News 22nd Dec 2012 more »
Germany
Why aren’t low-carbon goals enough in themselves? Why does Germany go beyond emissions trading?Germany wants to fight climate change and reduce the risks of nuclear power at the same time. Nuclear power is rejected because of the risks, the costs and the unsolved waste issue. In addition, there is no economic case for it to play a major role in the world’s energy supply.
German Energy Transition 22nd Dec 2012 more »
