Call to Adelaide University to stop endorsing nuclear energy as “zero emissions”
ADELAIDE UNIVERSITY IS WRONG IN 2013.
IT SHOULD CORRECT ITS ERRORS IN THE SAME MANNER OF INTEGRITY IT IS
SUPPOSED TO CORRECT ANY LEARNED PAPER.
Is Nuclear Power Zero Emissions and Carbon Neutral, Paul Langley’s
Nuclear History Blog, 3 Jan 2013,“………..MAY THE Vice C hancellor OF ADELAIDE UNIVERSITY MODIFY HIS ENDORSEMENT OF THE ZERO
EMISSION STATEMENT HIS INSTITUTION PUBLISHES. IT IS IN ERROR.
IN 2006 SHORTLY AFTER ADELAIDE UNIVERSITY FOUND THAT NUCLEAR VETERANS
SUFFERED A FAR HIGHER CANCER RISK THAN NON VETERANS, BLAMING THIS
INCREASE NOT ON THE BOMB TESTS BUT ON PETROL FUMES IN THE DESERT (IN
ITS DRAFT REPORT) AND BY COMPLETE IGNORANCE OF ANY POSSIBLE CAUSE,
DISMISSING THE BOMBS COMPLETELY, THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT PROPOSED
THE BUILDING OF A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA’S NORTH.
CLOSE TO THE PEOPLE MOST AFFECTED BY THE BOMB FALLOUT Continue reading
The nuclear fuel cycle is a big emitter of greenhouse gases
ADELAIDE UNIVERSITY,
…………HAS COME ON BOARD AS PART OF THE PUSH TO ESTABLISH NUCLEAR
POWER IN AUSTRALIA….. DR JIM GREEN HAS WRITTEN EXTENSIVELY ON THE CARBON CONTRIBUTION OF
NUCLEAR POWER
Is Nuclear Power Zero Emissions and Carbon Neutral ?, Paul Langley’s
Nuclear History Blog, 3 Jan 2013, NO. OVER THE PAGES OF THIS BLOG I
HAVE EXPLAINED THE NATURE OF BOTH THE EMERGENCY (FUKUSHIMA) AND NORMAL
EMISSIONS OF RADIO NUCLIDES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS.
THE MINING, MILLING, TRANSPORT, VERY OPERATION, WASTE STORAGE AND
WASTE DISPOSAL OF SPENT FUEL ALL INVOLVE CARBON INTENSIVE SOURCES OF
POWER.
THE DIESEL SUBSIDY RECEIVED BY URANIUM SUPPLIES IS HUGE AND COSTLY,
AND DIESEL IS NOT CARBON NEUTRAL. THE TRANSPORT AND STORAGE OF SPENT
FUEL IS NOT CARBON NEUTRAL.
RATHER THAN REDUCE EMISSIONS NUCLEAR POWER CREATES BOTH RADIO CHEMICAL
AND CARBON EMISSIONS.
NUCLEAR POWER HAS A CARBON FOOTPRINT THROUGHOUT THE FUEL CYCLE.
I WOULD URGE READERS TO CONTEMPLATE THE RELATIVE ADVANTAGES AND COSTS
OF NUCLEAR AS A RADIO CHEMICAL AND CARBON EMITTER OVER OTHER SOURCES
OF ENERGY WHICH EMIT NEITHER.
I QUESTION ANY STATEMENT BY ANY LEARNED INSTITUTION WHICH CLAIMS
NUCLEAR POWER IS CARBON NEUTRAL, FOR IT IS NOT. Continue reading
Radioactive waste in Arkaroola Wilderness now tax-payers’ problem, not Marathon’s
In February of this year, Marathon was paid $5 million in compensation by the State Government over the decision to stop it exploring in the Flinders Ranges.
it is ironic the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary is home to a radioactive waste facility.
Radioactive waste being stored in shed in Arkaroola, THE AUSTRALIAN BRYAN LITTLELY with Giuseppe Tauriello From: adelaidenow December 25, 2012 IT’S the nuclear-waste facility that few people know about – 21 barrels of medium- to high-level radioactive material stored in a tin shed in South Australia’s Outback paradise.
The waste is in the heart of Arkaroola, the Outback wilderness sanctuary the State Government hopes will one day be included on the World Heritage list.
The facility, known as Painter Camp, is not registered under the Radiation Protection Act and a management plan for its safe and secure operation is still being developed.
In a revelation likely to outrage environmental groups and anti-nuclear campaigners, responsibility for Painter Camp now lies with the State Government, Continue reading
Marathon’s Arkaroola uranium project: summary of events
Radioactive waste being stored in shed in Arkaroola, THE AUSTRALIAN BRYAN LITTLELY with Giuseppe Tauriello From: adelaidenow December 25, 2012 @,,,,,,,A MARATHON PROJECT
February 2005: Adelaide-based Marathon Resources commences exploration at the site around Mt Painter and Mt Gee in the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary.
September 25, 2007: The sanctuary’s leaseholders raise concerns that wildlife and flora will be destroyed by a uranium mine proposed on the property. Marathon wants to mine almost 45 million tonnes of ore to produce 900 tonnes of uranium a year.
February 12, 2008: The State Government suspends exploration in Arkaroola indefinitely for what it describes as a significant breach of the exploration licence.
July 31, 2010: Marathon resumes its controversial exploration of the Mt Gee area after a major clean-up.
February 22, 2011: Then-Premier Mike Rann claims he is “unashamedly pro-mining” but is considering options to safeguard Arkaroola. He tells Parliament all options are on the table.
June 9, 2011: A Greens motion to protect the Arkaroola mountains from mining is passed in the Upper House.
July 22, 2011: Premier Rann announces the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary will never be mined, labelling it unique.
February 2012: The State Government pays Marathon $5 million in compensation for the exploration ban. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/radioactive-waste-being-stored-in-shed-in-arkaroola/story-e6frg6n6-1226543320645
Solar power success is putting the brakes on gas-fired electricity in South Australia
Solar Helps Delay South Australian Peaking Power Plant http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=3489by Energy Matters, 27 Nov 12 Construction of a gas-fired power station at Tepko near Mannum in South Australia has been put on the backburner again; thanks in part to the state’s solar households. Continue reading
Whyalla making wind turbines – it’s not wiped off the map by carbon tax
Wind Turbine Towers To Be Manufactured In South Australia, http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=3485 by Energy Matters 26 Nov 12, 20 wind turbine towers for South Australia’s Snowtown II wind farm will be constructed in Whyalla.
Siemens Ltd is working with E&A Contractors, who are planning to build a wind tower manufacturing facility in the town using equipment and personnel from former wind tower manufacturers RPG; which was recently placed into Voluntary Administration.
According to a press release from Minister Greg Combet’s office, over 80 per cent of wind turbine towers used in Australia so far have been sourced from Australian suppliers.
“As part of this great project we have actively collaborated with Australian suppliers to supply the towers locally,” said Siemens Ltd’s Vice President David Pryke. “E & A have demonstrated strong business acumen and a commitment to re-establishing the wind tower business for South Australia by acquiring the key assets and people of RPG.”
Minister Combet’s office used the opportunity to again criticise previous comments by Opposition Leader Tony Abbott who
suggested Whyalla would be “wiped off the map” as a result of Australia’s carbon tax.
Construction of Snowtown Stage II started late last month and consists of a 90 turbine expansion of the existing Snowtown wind farm, which will add 270 megawatts capacity.
Snowtown II is expected to be capable of generating enough electricity to supply around 180,000 South Australian homes when it is operational by the end of 2014.
Stage 1 of Snowtown Wind Farm was completed in 2008 and generates enough power to supply nearly 70,000 households.
Owned by TrustPower, Snowtown wind farm is situated on the Barunga and Hummocks ranges west of Snowtown, around 150 kilometres north of Adelaide. The turbines use Siemens’ Direct Drive technology, which eliminates the gearbox, and longer blades.
Marathon resources chairman suggests South Australia for global nuclear waste dump
- Repository for nuclear waste … The inevitability of all global stakeholders agreeing that a safe haven must be found somewhere in a stable geological and political environment is an opportunity this State should consider.. Peter Williams, Chairmans Address 2012AGM_
What a uranium company CEO thinks of the Australian media
Funny – I go through the uranium so-called news each day. What I find there is a succession of obvious handouts from the uranium lobby, presumably to grateful journalists, who don’t bother to check the accuracy of these uranium market forecasts . Article after article has glowing predictions for the financial boom to come, (just a little later) from investing in uranium.
Nearly every article concentrates on China.And, I think to myself. Do these uranium dreamers ever consider that the Chinese might be intelligent? That they might notice how unpopular nuclear power has become globally, and the reasons why (- economic, and safety). Yes, China is reported as planning to expand its nuclear power programme. Oh goody! They might want our uranium! But what if China wakes up to the dismal outlook for nuclear, elsewhere.
But never mind. The Australian media dutifully regurgitates the China uranium-buying boom to come, – no mention of the other countries (especially India’s political mess over nuclear power). We carefully ignore the nuclear decline in Germany, Switzerland, USA, UK, even France.
However, the poor old uranium lobby still thinks itself to be hardly done by Australia’s government and media.- Christina Macpherson
Marathon Resources Chairman , Peter Williams, lambasts Government on resources industry attitude – today’s A.G.M. 22 Nov 12,
“……..The overwhelming influence of environmental and heritage activists and bureaucrats in South Australia in recent years, supported by Government, has seen the pendulum swing far away from balanced development and economic growth….
The SA Government’s actions in the North Flinders have jeopardised the State’s reputation as a safe place for resource investment…. “
South Australian government rolled over for BHP, but Olympic Dam uranium mine still uneconomic
High costs stall Olympic Dam BY: SARAH MARTIN, SA POLITICAL REPORTER : The Australian November 14, 2012 BHP Billiton chief executive Marius Kloppers says the Olympic Dam mine will not be expanded until the high-cost environment in Australia improves, with the resources industry overheated by too much demand.
The South Australian Labor government yesterday granted the miner an extension until October 2016 to its existing indenture agreement for the shelved mine expansion, in line with the project’s environmental approvals….. subscription only http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/high-costs-stall-olympic-dam/story-e6frg9df-1226516169013
BHP Billiton should have a new Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for controversial heap leach uranium mining
“No approval is sought to implement these initiatives at this stage” [original EIS] ”
“He has given environmental approval for one type of mining process, and has now said he will allow that approval to stand for a completely different processing technique using a novel technology that has yet to be invented, without any further assessment”. “It is simply outrageous that BHP Billiton is not being asked to seek further approvals for this completely different mining method. “
The Greens will move today to disallow the extension of the Olympic Dam Indenture approval until October 2016.
New Roxby method needs a new Roxby EIS Greens Parliamentary Leader Mark Parnell has questioned whether Mining Minister Tom Koutsantonis has the capacity to do his job, and has demanded a new Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) assessment of the proposed brand new processing option of ‘acid heap leaching’ at Olympic Dam be conducted before the project is allowed to commence.
The call comes in response to Mining Minister Tom Koutsantonis’s false claims on ABC 891 radio this morning that it was always BHP Billiton’s intention to shift to the ‘heap leaching’ process and this had been covered in the EIS:
(David Bevan: But if they’re looking at a new technology, a new way of doing this, won’t you need a new Environmental Impact Statement?) Koutsantonis: Well, no, because BHP has foreseen that in the next, you know, five to six to seven years they may have been switching to this technique. (Abraham: Was that covered by the Environmental Impact Statement?) It was, yes.
Yet in over 7,000 pages of the original EIS, the Supplementary EIS and the Government’s response to the EIS, the only mention of heap leaching is:
The feasibility of heap leaching of the lower-grade ore at Olympic Dam is under investigation. At this early stage, recoveries of copper and uranium from heap leaching appear too low, but this option continues to be investigated. Continue reading
South Australian government jumps to obey BHP? Greens will oppose extension of Olympic Dam Expansion Indenture Agreement.
BHP: Jump! SA Govt: How High? …..for 4 more years 13 Nov 12 The Greens will move in Parliament to stop any extension of the Olympic Dam Expansion Indenture Agreement.
The Weatherill Government has agreed to an extension of the starting date for the project in the controversial contract until October 2016.
“The Indenture was a dud deal for South Australia when we debated this in Parliament last year, and will still be a dud deal in 4 years’ time,” said Greens Parliamentary Leader Mark Parnell.
“Instead of again meekly accepting whatever the world’s richest resource company wants, the Government should seize the opportunity to start renegotiating terms to expand local procurement, increase royalty returns and improve environmental outcomes.
“The project appears years away. Yet, the Government has recklessly locked in last century environmental outcomes decades into the future.
“BHP Billiton appears to be moving further and further away from job-rich local processing, and yet has still managed to lock in a feeble ‘production based’ royalty rate for 45 years.
“Surely it would be better to finalise the Olympic Dam Expansion contract with BHP Billiton when the project is actually guaranteed to begin?
“That will ensure royalty rates, local processing and procurement targets and environmental conditions are based on the expectations, rules and operating conditions of the day, not locked in years ahead,” he said.
Uranium One’s CEO gives “Yes – But” statement on future prospects, following latest loss
Uranium One’s CEO Discusses Q3 2012 Results – Earnings Call Transcript Seeking Alpha November 6, 2012 “…..This upcoming discussion does contain certain forward-looking information with respect to Uranium One’s operations and financial results. Actual future results may differ from expected results for a variety of reasons which are described in the cautionary statements regarding forward-looking information in our press release..
… during the quarter, we did determine that it would not be economical to mine, the South Zarechnoye satellite deposit due to lower uranium prices following the Fukushima incident together with a decrease in the resource base
resulting from recent exploration work.
As a result, we incurred non-cash expenses $79 million by writing down the carrying value of South Zarechnoye. This resulted in a net loss for the quarter of $61.6 million or $0.06 per share…… Uranium One now owns 100% of the Honeymoon mine
Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) find S.A.’s solar rooftop energy is lowering mains consumption
Thanks in part to the state’s solar feed in tariffs, currently at nearly 26c per kilowatt hour for new participants for any surplus electricity exported to the mains grid; South Australia has the highest penetration of rooftop PV of all the National Electricity Market (NEM) states.
Solar Driving Down South Australia’s Mains Electricity Consumption http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=3448 by Energy Matters, 31 Oct A report from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) shows a substantial drop in demand for mains grid supplied electricity in South Australia. Continue reading
Free energy fuel: South Australia’s wind power is making fossil fuel power too costly
How wind is changing the energy game in South Australia REneweconomy, By Giles Parkinson on 31 October 2012 Nowhere in Australia has wind energy had as much of an impact on the existing electricity infrastructure as in South Australia. According to the latest figures from the Australian Energy Market Operator, wind energy accounted for more than 22 per cent of capacity and 20 per cent of supply over the past year – although it has been higher over
shorter periods – and at times supplied more than 80 per cent of the state’s energy needs.
The fact that wind energy, once built, supplies energy at near zero marginal cost and lowers the wholesale price of electricity has helped push more expensive fossil fuel generation out of the system, which is why fossil fuel generators are keen to reduce the extent of the renewable energy target. In South Australia, it has forced the closure in winter of the two local coal-fired generators that once supplied nearly one-third of the state’s needs. Continue reading
Australia’s uniquely beautiful cuttlefish in need of protection
Christina’s note: The cancelling of BHP’s plan for a mega uranium mine at Olympic Dam has had one bit of very good “fallouT – in that they now probabaly won’t want the desalination plant at Spencer Gulf. That would have alomost certainly resulted in the extinction of this unique and beautiful animal, which depends on the delicate balance of salt and fresh water for its breeding area
More protection urged for cuttlefish http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-10-19/more-protection-urged-for-cuttlefish/4323270 Oct 19, 2012 Greens MP Mark Parnell is urging an immediate listing of the giant
Australian cuttlefish as a protected species. Some Whyalla locals say cuttlefish numbers in upper Spencer Gulf fell
from an annual aggregation of about 200,000 to about 6,000 for the most recent breeding season. Research is yet to pinpoint a cause.
Mr Parnell said even if over-fishing was not the cause, there would be no harm in giving the cuttlefish more protection.
“There are some simple actions they can take – protect these fish under state law, seek their protection under federal law and put in place an emergency recovery plan that involves all the best science, and not just throw your hands up in despair and say ‘Well they’re disappearing and there’s nothing we can do about it’,” he said.
1 This month
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
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