Greens’ Christine Milne strikes a positive note for Australia’s clean energy revolution
Greens urge creation of clean energy map for the community http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/election-2013/greens-urge-creation-of-clean-energy-map-for-the-community/story-fn9qr68y-1226678708055 BY:SID MAHER The Australian July 13, 2013
THE Greens will today propose the creation of new economic zones to speed the development of renewable energy as part of an election campaign roadmap to cut the nation’s reliance on fossil fuels.
Greens leader Christine Milne will unveil a policy allocating $2 billion to a task group within the Department of Energy to map Australia’s clean energy resources, involve local communities in planning energy projects and run a competitive tender to link clean energy hotspots to the national energy grid.
The policy argues “where our world-beating clean energy resources and genuine community support align”, renewable energy development zones should be established with quicker approval processes for clean energy projects. Continue reading
World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2013 shows nuclear decline, renewables rising
Report: Renewable energy overtaking declining nuclear http://www.pv-tech.org/news/solar_overtakes_nuclear_in_global_energy_output 12 July 13, Only 1.2GW of nuclear generation capacity was installed last year globally compared to 32GW of solar, according to a report proclaiming the end of the “nuclear renaissance”.
The World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2013, published yesterday, was written by numerous academics and independent energy consultants as a “reality check” on global use of nuclear energy.
It claims that with global electricity generation from nuclear decreasing “historically” by 7% last year, nuclear power is in decline as a power source compared to renewable energies.
The report singled out solar and wind as energy forms that were beginning to rival nuclear. It said that 80% of those it surveyed thought renewables would be able to compete with major power and utilities sectors, and that “all forms of solar will not need subsidies to compete” by 2030. Continue reading
Wind and solar projects bring dramatic rise in global renewable energy investment
Rise in global clean energy investment Renewable Energy Focus 12 July 2013 Global investment in clean energy in Q2 was up 22% from Q1, due to upturn in the financing of wind and solar projects and a 170% surge in equity funding for specialist companies on public markets.
The investment rose to US$53.1 bn, led by the US, which saw investment jump 155% compared to a weak first quarter, to reach US$9.5 bn, and China (up 63% at US$13.8 bn) and South Africa (up from almost nothing in Q1 to US$2.8 bn in Q2).
China was the largest investor in clean energy in Q2, followed by the US. Third on the list was Japan, down 5% at US$7.6 bn followed by South Africa and Australia, up nearly sixfold at US$2.3 bn. Among European countries, Germany led the way with US$1.9 bn, Continue reading
Mysterious radioactive black substance in Fukushima area
I would say they’re much more an ingestion hazard. And that usually tends to target children and agricultural workers. […] A child on average consumes between 100 and 200 milligrams of soil a day because of hand-to-mouth activity. So that’s something to really think about.
Japan’s Black Dust, with Marco Kaltofen http://fairewinds.org/podcast/japans-black-dust-with-marco-kaltofen 12 July 13, This week Fairewinds Energy Education interviewed Marco Kaltofen, a leading scientist who studies radiation as well as specific radioactive isotopes. Marco and Arnie discuss a recent sample that contained highly concentrated radioactive material from Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident. As the sound quality of this recording varies, we have transcribed the podcast so you can read along. Read Marco’s Report: Radiological Analysis of Namie Street Dust http://fairewinds.org/podcast/japans-black-dust-with-marco-kaltofen
Japan kids ingesting pieces of Fukushima fuel rods? Expert: Mystery black substance “very likely contains concentrated unburned nuclear fuel” (VIDEO) http://enenews.com/japan-kids-swallowing-pieces-of-fukushima-fuel-rods-expert-mystery-black-substance-very-likely-contains-concentrated-unburned-nuclear-fuel-video
Title: Japan’s Black Dust, with Marco Kaltofen
Source: Fairewinds Energy Education
Date: July 10, 2013
Marco Kaltofen, President at Boston Chemical Data Corp. & Doctoral student researcher at Worcester Polytechnic Institute: […] We kept hearing reports about something unusual, a black dust […] we finally got a very small sample of that […]
What’s different about this material is unlike a lot of the soil and dust samples we’ve gotten, there’s a real uniformity to this stuff. It’s a single substance. Continue reading
Test seafood for radiation, urges American Medical Association
American Medical Assn. Urges Testing Seafood For Radiation http://www.simplyinfo.org/?p=10663 July 11th, 2013
The American Medical Association has passed a resolution calling for the US to continue to monitor and publicly report radiation contamination in seafood. The original resolution included the language that cited Fukushima as a main reason for the concern and focused on the Pacific ocean. The final resolution broadened it to include all seafood.
The resolution was approved before the recent announcement that Fukushima Daiichi has been continually leaking contamination into the Pacific for the last 2+ years.
The resolution is a good step for public health. The current policy of the FDA does no ongoing seafood testing for radiation. That done soon after the Fukushima disaster was vague, using frozen fish of unknown catch date and fish with an unknown catch location within Japan. The FDA and USDA so far have not publicly released any seafood testing for products hauled places other than Japan. The current US contamination level before the government will intervene is 1200 bq/kg far higher than other countries including Japan.
Fukushima area – wind farm development going ahead
Wind farm takes shape off Fukushima as Japan seeks non-nuclear energy http://www.euronews.com/2013/07/12/wind-farm-takes-shape-off-fukushima-as-japan-seeks-non-nuclear-energy/ The first phase is complete of a plan to build the world’s largest offshore wind farm near the Fukushima nuclear plant that was crippled by an earthquake and tsunami in March 2011.
The first turbine has been delivered to the area and the facility is due to become operational in October.
It is part of plans by Fukushima Prefecture to ditch nuclear energy and move towards total reliance on renewable sources over the next 25 years.
By 2020 scores of giant turbines 200 metres high should produce twice as much power as the world’s current biggest offshore windfarm at Greater Gabbard off the UK’s Suffolk coast.
“First and foremost, we want to make this a symbol of Fukushima’s recovery. Secondly, this floating wind farm concept is the ace up our sleeves for the next stage of renewable energy development,” said Keisuke Murakami, Head of New and Renewable Energy at the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry. There have been concerns about radioactive water leaking into the sea from Fukushima, and official accounts have given conflicting evidence over whether fish are safe to eat.
The disaster all but shut down Japan’s nuclear industry, forcing the country to rely heavily on imported gas.
It is hoped that wind turbines will be more resistant to earthquakes, typhoons and tsunamis.
Sea bass fish found with very high radiation level
Highly Radioactive Fish Caught In Ibaraki http://www.simplyinfo.org/?p=10666 July 12th, 2013 Sea Bass caught near Hitachi Ibaraki was found to be considerably contaminated, the highest seen since April 2011. The fish at 1037 bq/kg of cesium only, left officials unable to explain why it is being found now.
The government and TEPCO have refused to fully compensate fishermen in the region leaving them in limbo. Meanwhile TEPCO has been pushing for permission from local governments and fishing groups to dump contaminated water into the sea. The new admissions that the plant has been leaking to the sea for the last two years raises even more concerns about local conditions and wider environmental contamination.
Australian Renewable Energy Agency sharing knowledge on industry development
Supporting renewable energy knowledge EcoGeneration — July/August 2013 As the Australian Renewable Energy Agency approaches its one-year anniversary, it is consulting with Australia’s clean energy industry to devise best practices for sharing project knowledge, in order to assist with the overall expansion of the industry.
In November 2012, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) released a consultation paper on its Supporting High-Value Australian Renewable Energy (SHARE) Knowledge Initiative in order to seek input from the clean energy industry in designing and implementing the initiative.
In particular, ARENA sought views on the extent to which project-specific information should be shared for the growth of the sector; the key issues the program should aim to address; and the questions the initiative should aim to answer.
Sharing industry information
SHARE is intended to disseminate knowledge from ARENA projects, and offer funding for strategic knowledge development that addresses key knowledge gaps and increases awareness and acceptance of renewable energy technologies. ARENA hosted one-on-one meetings with companies involved in developing utility- and large-scale projects as part of its consultation on designing and implementing SHARE. The Agency also sought input from stakeholders involved in smaller-scale projects, such as research projects, and noted the importance of information, data and knowledge from these smaller projects.
Its aim is to maximise the value of supporting individual projects, for both industry participants and the general community.
“Given ‘learning by doing’ is a key aspect of many ARENA-funded projects, this additional value can come in the form of information, data and knowledge that can lead to a cascade of new projects,” the Agency said in its SHARE consultation paper
The industry responds…… http://ecogeneration.com.au/news/supporting_renewable_energy_knowledge/082503/
Uranium sales talks going on now between Australia and India
Uranium sale: India, Australia to hold talks The Indian Express, Anubhuti Vishnoi : New Delhi, Sat Jul 13 2013 To arrive at a civil nuclear cooperation agreement that will create a framework for the sale of uranium, India and Australia will engage in a second round of negotiation by the end of this month in Australia.
Appointment of Maurice Newman to board of Tigerair damages its credibility
Tiger vows green future, but Newman’s got it by the tail, Crikey.com ANDREW CROOK | JUL 12, 2013 The appointment of Tony Abbott’s business adviser to the board of Tigerair has cast doubt on its green credentials. One renewables campaigner says it tarnishes the campaign.
Struggling discount airline Tiger Airways’ environmentally friendly fuselage is at risk of being torn apart by the appointment of a
well-known climate change sceptic to its board of directors this week.
Maurice Newman, a staunch anti-wind farm crusader who will head up Tony Abbott’s business advisory group …. (registered readers only) http://www.crikey.com.au/2013/07/12/tiger-vows-green-future-but-newmans-got-it-by-the-tail/
1 This month
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