Australia’s future economy – non nuclear, non uranium – theme for September
It’s time for Australia to see through the nuclear hype, and move towards 21st Century industries that have a real future.
Australia’s ‘resources boom’ cannot last indefinitely, and already threatens this country with an imbalance of industries. Australia needs to foster its more permanent industries – they will still be there when the mining quarries are emptied.
Mineral exports are at present a large contributor to the Australian economy, but there is no reliance on uranium, which is only a modest contributor.
Australia pioneered renewable energy technologies, and could lead again in these industries.
Meanwhile uranium mining and nuclear waste are negatives for Australia’s tourism industry, Australia’s agriculture, and our precious fresh water and groundwater.
It’s time to promote Australia as a clever, forward-looking society, and to see through the lobbying of desperate corporations and their propaganda for the ailing, aging, out-dated nuclear industry.
Energy efficiency and renewable technologies can combine beautifully with Australia’s needs to conserve water, promote agriculture, and to adapt to climate change, which is already happening in Australia.
For example – drought areas offer the potential for solar farms. Australia’s hot weather makes decentralised solar power a very economic option for homes, farms, schools, small and large businesses
Uranium company Paladin makes a loss, amid negative prospects for the future
the major risk for Paladin in the short to medium-term is the uranium price, with RBS Australia painting a somewhat negative view of this..
Uranium Price Dominates Paladin’s Prospects, 30/08/2010, Money, Chris Shaw Full year earnings for uranium producer Paladin fell short of expectations, the company delivering a loss of around US$53 million Continue reading
As ‘nuclear renaissance’ founders, nuke company moves to wind energy
Exelon’s actions often foreshadow where the energy industry is headed…..the momentum for the much-touted nuclear renaissance has slowed to a crawl
(USA) What Exelon’s Wind Energy Buy Means For the Future of Nuclear Power, BNET, By Kirsten Korosec | September 1, 2010 Exelon (EXC) announced this week it was buying John Deere Renewables for as much as $900 million, a purchase that marks the company’s entrance into the wind generation business and suggests its lack of confidence in a nuclear energy renaissance. Continue reading
Fear and loathing in the Four Mile uranium project companies
Alliance claimed it wanted to protect its interests but Quasar countered that the confidentiality of the meetings could be put at risk.
Uranium companies at odds on recording devices ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) Sep 1, 2010 A company involved in developing a uranium mine near Beverley in the far north-east of South Australia has lost an attempt to record confidential meetings. Continue reading
Global warming impacts on nuclear power plant
Last week, TVA violated its permit with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management when the river temperature topped 90 degrees……..
Hot river forces costly cutback for TVA | Chattanooga Times Free Press, By: Dave Flessner 23 Aug 2010, The Tennessee Valley Authority has lost nearly $50 million in power generation from its biggest nuclear plant because the Tennessee River in Alabama is too hot. Unless the summer cools down, TVA could lose millions of dollars more, pushing up fuel costs and consumer electric bills even after seven consecutive monthly increases. Continue reading
Uranium and nuclear economics – theme for September
Uranium is not even a good financial investment for Australians.
The nuclear energy business is teetering, world-wide, as nuclear reactors reach their closing date faster than new ones are built, and as nuclear building and nuclear waste costs escalate.
In Australia, uranium mining companies scramble on the gamble of China and other Asian and Middle Eastern countries “going nuclear”.
Meanwhile old nuclear weapons fuel combines with the worldwide glut of uranium, to make Australia’s uranium future look gloomy.
Strangely, uranium explorers crawl all over the country, in some sort of act of religious faith in an industry that is clearly failing. USA, UK, France, India all see their nuclear power industry stalling.
The great hope seems to be China – with a touching faith that the Chinese won’t wake up to the financial and environmental disaster that is nuclear power.
In the last quarter, despite the general ‘resource boom’, earnings for Australia’s uranium dropped 24%
Conflicts of interest in USA “independent” uranium study group
The Southern Environmental Law Center, for instance, objects to Henry A. Schnell, who is with the mining business unit of Areva, the French-owned nuclear services company.
Questions raised about Va. uranium study members, BusinessWeek, By STEVE SZKOTAKS, 27 Aug 2010, RICHMOND, Va. As an independent scientific panel is assembled to study the risks of uranium mining in Virginia, environmental groups are questioning whether some of its provisional members can be impartial because of their ties to the nuclear power industry or mining interests. Continue reading
Centre for Geomechanics to “scrutinise” Western Australia’s uranium mining
The tender was awarded to the Australian Centre for Geomechanics,…The new group comes as several resources companies including BHP Billiton and Toro Energy are vying to develop the state’s first uranium mine, which could be as early as 2013.
Experts appointed to scrutinise WA uranium , Rebecca Laws, on Perth Now , August 23, 2010 The State Government has appointed an independent group of experts to implement a regulatory framework for WA’s emerging uranium sector. Continue reading
Conflict of interest in uranium study group
“Unfortunately, it appears that several members of the provisional committee may have conflicts of interest….”
(USA) Regional groups voice concerns over uranium study committee, By TIM DAVIS/Star-Tribune, August 25, 2010 The Roanoke and Dan River basin associations want the National Academy of Sciences to investigate the backgrounds and professional relationships of several appointees to a provisional committee that will study uranium mining in Virginia. Continue reading
U.S. nuclear loans a BIG financial mistake
These kinds of advance payments are exactly the kind of financial shenanigans that brought the last nuclear-construction boom to an end, leaving utility ratepayers with billions of wasted dollars in costs.
Sorry, But Nukes Still Don’t Pencil Out, THE HUFFINGTON POST, Carl Pope, August 24, 2010 ” Continue reading
India’s Nuclear Civil Liabilty Bill intended to safeguard foreign nuclear companies, not the people
‘Intent is to give immunity on a platter’, The Hindu , 25 Aug 2010, Nuclear scientist A. Gopalakrishnan, a strong critic of the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill, has alleged that the real intent of the measure, ‘diluted’ by the Union Cabinet, is to provide foreign supplies total immunity from any liability Continue reading
Swing against Labor in NT due to Labor’s Aboriginal policy and nuclear waste dump plans
Mr Hampton said…….There’s obviously the issues …..in terms of the nuclear waste dump as well, so they’re federal issues……
Intervention cost Labor votes: NT minister – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), By Eleni Roussos, 24 Aug 2010, The Minister for Central Australia, Karl Hampton, says the federal intervention contributed to a swing against Labor in the Northern Territory. Continue reading
Renewable energy growing more than coal or nuclear
Both the US and Europe added more renewable power capacity in 2009 than they added coal, gas, and nuclear capacity. Globally, 80,000 megawatts of renewable capacity was added, with China adding nearly half the total and nearly three-quarters of the total
Renewable Energy Investment is Growing – 24/7 Wall St., Paul Ausick, 21 Aug 2010, An international policy network called the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century, or REN21, has released its global status report for 2010. Continue reading
Continued low demand, low profit for uranium
Cameco profit falls as it cuts uranium sales forecast -. Steel Guru , 18 Aug 2010, Cameco Corporation reported a weaker Q2 operating profit as results were hurt by lower uranium sales volumes and a lower realized uranium selling price. The top Canadian uranium producer also lowered its 2010 uranium sales forecast to 30 million pounds from a range of 31 million pounds to 33 million pounds as some customers deferred deliveries into 2011.Cameco said that it expects 2010 uranium revenues to fall 10% to 15% below 2009 levels compared with its prior forecast of 5% to 10% decline….
Steel Guru : Cameco profit falls as it cuts uranium sales forecast – 160993 – 2010-08-18
Australia’s major political parties fail on nuclear waste dumping
“When you attempt to impose nuclear waste dumps on unwilling communities it’s very likely to backfire and the dump won’t be established because community opposition will prevail,”
Anti-nuclear alliance gives thumbs down to parties – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), 17 Aug 2010, An alliance opposed to a nuclear industry in Australia says neither the Government nor the Opposition deserves to win the federal election.At a meeting of the Australian Nuclear Free Alliance in Alice Springs, traditional owners have raised renewed concerns about a proposal to house a nuclear waste dump at Muckaty Station near Tennant Creek. Continue reading
1 This month
of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 