New Nukes
THE chances of a new nuclear power station being built at Sellafield have increased. The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, NDA which owns land around the Sellafield complex has given the green light for another station to be built. Although no firm plans are in place, Prime Minister Gordon Brown welcomed the proposals on a visit to the site last week.
Newcastle Sunday Sun 25th Jan 2009 more >>
Nuclear Costs
Newly approved reactor designs could reduce global warming and fossil-fuel dependence, but utilities are grappling with whether better nukes make market sense, by Matthew L. Wald of the New York Times.
Scientific American, Earth 3.0 December 2008 more >>
Test Veterans
A Welsh Labour politician has added his voice for thousands of ex-servicemen involved in Britain’s nuclear tests in the 1950s to get compensation. John Smith, MP for the Vale of Glamorgan, says the government’s attitude is “a sad state of affairs.”
BBC 26th Jan 2009 more >>
The chief scientist at Britain’s controversial nuclear tests FLED the danger zone… while thousands of troops were left behind to be nuked. Dr William Penney’s own RAF batman (personal assistant) says he and top military brass left the area before the biggest bomb exploded in the South Pacific because, scientists admitted, they “didn’t have a clue what would happen”.
Sunday Mirror 25th Jan 2009 more >>
Iran
For President Obama, Iran’s revolutionary regime may prove threatening. The regime’s complicity in terrorism and threatening rhetoric against Israel have been constant features of its diplomacy. In the next few years these destructive characteristics may be buttressed by an Iranian nuclear bomb, giving an Islamist regime tremendous diplomatic leverage in a volatile region.
Times 26th Jan 2009 more >>
Renewables
A new international body to promote renewable energy is to be established today, in a move that its supporters insist has the potential to replace the global dominance of conventional power with wind, solar and other sustainable sources within a matter of years. Fifty-five governments have said they will commit themselves to full membership of the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena), at its founding conference in Bonn today. A total of 116 countries will take part. The US has not joined, but is widely expected to do so under the new administration. Britain, however, has not signed up to Irena, although it is understood to be sending officials as observers.
Guardian 26th Jan 2009 more >>
Energy companies should be able to tap the billions of pounds of state funding being used to bail out the banks in order to create a post-recession low-carbon economy, says the government’s climate change envoy. Elliot Morley wants the government to back clean energy projects such as offshore wind farms that cannot get funding because of the credit crunch.
Observer 25th Jan 2009 more >>
The economics of the world’s biggest offshore wind-farm project are “on a knife-edge”, the chief executive of one of the companies behind it has warned, casting doubt on the UK government’s energy strategy. Eon UK, the British arm of the German energy group, said the viability of its London Array project, a planned 1,000MW wind farm in the Thames estuary, had been called into question by the falling prices of oil, gas and carbon dioxide emissions permits.
FT 26th Jan 2009 more >>
