Thorium reactors not likely to save the U.S. nuclear industry
crucially the technology, regulation, and business structures necessary to support a thorium reactor may not yet exist.
A coalition of South Carolina utilities developing what would have been the nation’s first new commercial nuclear reactor recently announced a decision to suspend that project partway through construction, following years of delay, billions of dollars in cost overruns.
While a thorium reactor might avoid some of these challenges, others are likely systemic to the state of the nuclear power industry from a technological, regulatory, and business perspective, and would be hard for the counties to avoid. The counties may also have more proximate opportunities to achieve similar goals, including by facilitating or developing renewable energy infrastructure.
Will Utah counties fund thorium reactor? JDSUPRA, PretiFlaherty 17 Aug 17, Could a coalition of rural counties in Utah and a startup company develop a thorium-fueled nuclear reactor for electric power and other purposes?
According to its website, the Seven County Infrastructure Coalition is currently comprised of seven counties in eastern Utah: Carbon, Daggett, Duchesne, Emery, San Juan, Sevier, and Uintah. The website describes the Coalition’s main roles and mission as “to identify revenue-producing infrastructure assets that will benefit the region” and “to plan infrastructure corridors, procure funding, permit, design, secure rights-of-way and own such facilities,” with operation and maintenance possibly outsourced to third parties.
Apparently under consideration by the Coalition are energy projects, including a “thorium energy” project and a “hydrogen plant” project. For example, the “Procurement” section of the Coalition’s website includes a Request for Qualifications for Project Analyst for Potential Thorium Energy and Hydrogen Plant Projects, as well as a Request for Qualifications Project Financial Analyst on Potential Thorium Energy Project. Continue reading
Standards Australia to ban home energy storage batteries!
Warnings of energy storage market chaos, as industry unites against home battery ban http://reneweconomy.com.au/warnings-energy-storage-market-chaos-industry-unites-home-battery-ban-71889/By Sophie Vorrath on 17 August 2017 One Step Off The Grid
The potentially industry crippling home battery installation safety guideline proposed by Standards Australia has again been slammed by the industry, as fundamentally flawed and – if passed – certain to throw the energy storage industry into chaos, both in Australia and overseas.
In a newsletter to members on Tuesday, Australia’s Energy Storage Council said that the current Draft Battery Standard ASNZ5139 – which effectively bans the installation of lithium-ion battery storage systems inside homes and garages on the basis that they are a fire risk – needed to be completely re-written.
“The draft Standard is not evidence-based and has enormous implications for the Australian and global battery storage industry,” the ESC said. Continue reading
Asia’s other nuclear problem – the mounting piles of plutonium
Tokyo and Washington Have Another Nuclear Problem, Foreign Policy, BY , AUGUST 17, This week, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono and Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera are meeting in Washington with their U.S. counterparts, Rex Tillerson and James Mattis, to discuss how the United States and Japan should respond to the latest North Korean provocations. This is wise; only through close cooperation with Japan and South Korea, and by working with China, will we be able to address effectively the nuclear threat Pyongyang poses.
18 August REneweconomy news
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Graph of the Day: South Australia’s wholesale price changes in 2017SA chart paints a picture of how power prices were higher when gas dominated the fuel mix in the state.
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Origin to add “a Hazelwood” of renewables by 2020, but says CET remains “critical”Despite an upbeat renewables outlook, Origin Energy CEO says the market is not out of the woods yet, and that for investment to keep up momentum, policy stability remains at a premium, and the introduction of a Clean Energy Target is critical.
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Jay Weatherill on hydrogen, load-shedding, community activism and his criticsThe SA Premier talks eggs, sausages, solar thermal, battery storage… and why the federal Clean Energy Target still matters.
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Origin FY17: Revenue up, margins up, customers downOrigin Energy lost electricity customers but grew revenue, price and margin for the full-year 2017. Overall the result was strong at virtually every line.
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Chinese climate impacts will hit Australian economyHow hard will climate impacts in China hit Australia’s economy? It’s a question for the Senate inquiry into national security implications of climate change.
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AGL launches free rooftop solar energy monitoring serviceAGL is offering households with rooftop solar systems a free service to help them protect potential savings by monitoring their systems.
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Origin rides high power price wave – but says it has to stopOrigin results show its retail division made the most of a “transitioning energy market.” But CEO says further power price rises “bad for everyone.”
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New Energy Solar recognised as an ABA100 winnerNew Energy Solar has today been recognised as an ABA100 Winner in The Australian Business Awards 2017.
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New Secretary appointed for DELWPThe Andrews Labor Government has today appointed Mr John Bradley as the new Secretary of the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP).
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1 This month
of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 