The anxiety expressed by young people today about Climate Change is reasonable, but they offer no thought-out solution. We should examine the available scientific options in a form accessible to those without specialised knowledge and starting from what natural science has to say about energy and where to find it. (In this article precision is set aside to allow the science underlying the orders of magnitude to be clear and simple.) … [Read more...]
Investment risk: nuclear high, new load-following fossil fuel plants low
In the current policy environment many energy technologies can appear attractive with the right set of assumptions: discounted clean energy technologies (wind, solar and nuclear) where the discount rate is heavily influenced by risk (see graph) and, perhaps surprisingly, new load-following fossil fuel plants (especially natural gas) where continued wind/solar technology forcing actually provides substantial upside potential. CCS researcher Schalk … [Read more...]
Demystifying radiation – the nemesis of nuclear energy?
Recent reports from the United Nations that challenge commonly held views on ionising radiation may prove crucial for a nuclear renaissance, Abel González – a senior adviser with the Argentine Nuclear Regulatory Authority – told delegates at the World Nuclear Association Symposium held in London last month. “Shouldn’t the nuclear industry being doing all it can to debunk the myths about radiation?” he asks. … [Read more...]
Nuclear activist Shellenberger learns to love the bomb
For decades, the nuclear energy industry denied any connection between nuclear power and nuclear weapons. In recent years, however, writes Jim Green, nuclear campaigner with Friends of the Earth Australia, the industry has turned around and started openly acknowledging that there is a connection, hoping that this will secure political support. Prominent nuclear activist Michael Shellenberger has even gone a step further, notes Green: he welcomes … [Read more...]
UK offers green assurances for no-deal Brexit
The UK government says its environment and energy rules will remain in step with the EU’s even if it makes a hard, no-deal exit next year. Time, however, is running short, writes Sara Stefanini. Courtesy Climate Home News. … [Read more...]
An evening with ecomodernist Michael Shellenberger (or: a defence of nuclear power you have not heard before)
Pro-nuclear activist Michael Shellenberger, founder of the California-based global citizens movement Environmental Progress (“not paid by the nuclear industry”) was in Amsterdam recently, where he gave a very personal “Ecomodernist” defense of why nuclear power is good and how it should be supported. “It is about protecting the natural environment by concentrating human activity.” This article was first published on Energy Post Weekly. … [Read more...]
DNV GL’s Energy Transition Outlook shows massive shift of investment from oil and gas into power lines
The global energy transition will lead to a massive expansion of power lines at all voltage levels as well as a steep growth in the number of transformers and substations in the electricity system. This is one of the major new findings of the second edition of the Energy Transition Outlook, the annual flagship publication of global technical consultancy DNV GL. As a result, grid costs will triple, yet this cost explosion is offset by cost … [Read more...]
US nuclear power is on the verge of collapse – and there are no solutions on the horizon
Nuclear power appears on the verge of collapse in the US. This has profound environmental implications, writes Ahmed Abdulla of the University of California, San Diego. Yet, he adds, there are no simple solutions – and no signs that the trend can be reversed. Courtesy The Conversation. … [Read more...]
No plans to phase out coal in Romania, despite diverse energy mix
Coal accounts for about a quarter of energy produced in Romania, which is a net electricity exporter. Compared to countries like Poland where coal dependency is much higher, discussions about a coal phaseout could be more advanced. Why aren’t they? asks Claudia Ciobanu. Article courtesy of Just Transition. … [Read more...]
How rapidly can we transition to 100% renewable electricity?
Science tells us that, to avoid devastating climate change, we must rapidly cut greenhouse gas emissions to zero. How fast is possible, asks Mark Diesendorf  of the Cooperative Research Centre for Low Carbon at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Australia. He believes the sceptics may be wrong. … [Read more...]
Trying to make sense of the RWE/EON utility deal…
There is economic and financial market rationale behind the recent deal between E.ON. and RWE, writes financial energy specialist Gerard Reid. From a strategic perspective, however, the decision will impact customers negatively, and will be bad for the long-term sustainability of both companies, Reid argues. Courtesy Energy and Carbon blog. … [Read more...]
Ukraine’s power sector is set for a major transition
As the pillars of Ukraine’s power sector – coal and nuclear – are shaking, the country is on the point of a major energy transformation, writes Oleg Savitsky, climate and energy policy expert and journalist. But some crucial steps still need to be taken to make it possible. … [Read more...]
The nuclear industry is making a big bet on small power plants
Small modular reactors (SMR) offer many potential advantages over their full-sized peers. Whether these materialize remains to be seen, writes Scott L. Montgomery of the University of Washington. Nevertheless, SMRs are needed to help resolve the energy challenges of our time, the author argues. Courtesy: The Conversation … [Read more...]
A common goal for all sustainability advocates
Nothing is better for fossil fuel interests than current government policies supporting wind, solar and electric cars, writes independent researcher Schalk Cloete. These green technologies won't reduce fossil fuel consumption sufficiently for a long time to come, so the fossil fuel sector will be able to survive that much longer. In the third and last part of a series on green technology-forcing, Cloete calls on all sustainability advocates to … [Read more...]
The plethora of better alternatives to wind and solar power and electric cars
Technology neutrality can activate more than ten times greater sustainable development potential than current technology-forcing policies, writes independent researcher Schalk Cloete. In the second part of a series which follows an article about the dangers of technology-forcing of wind and solar power and battery electric vehicles, Cloete reviews eight alternative sustainable development solutions that he believes have greater climate mitigation … [Read more...]
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