Michele Kearney's Nuclear Wire

Major Energy and Environmental News and Commentary affecting the Nuclear Industry.

Saturday, October 4, 2014

National Academy of Sciences Moving Towards BEIR VIII

National Academy of Sciences Moving Towards BEIR VIII



http://theenergycollective.com/rodadams/1122581/national-academy-sciences-moving-towards-beir-viii

Grid More Vulnerable Than Thought

Grid More Vulnerable Than Thought

By EEnergy Informer
Sunset Lines Up With Manhattan's Street Grid
If vandals can do so much harm, what can determined terrorists accomplish  Ever since The Wall Street Journal published an article on the threat that a few vandals with assault rifles inflicted on a critical substation, there has been heightened concern about grid security. The 18 Feb 2014 article titled Assault on California power station

Energy Quote of the Day: ‘I Encourage You to Put in Place the Strongest Possible Safety Protections.’

Energy Quote of the Day: ‘I Encourage You to Put in Place the Strongest Possible Safety Protections.’

By Jared Anderson
High Gas Prices Prompt Bush's Decision To Lift Ban On Offshore Oil Drilling
Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein penned a letter to Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx this week urging the need for stricter oil tank car regulations, an issue some business have been pushing back against. Production from unconventional resource plays has overwhelmed existing oil transportation infrastructure – particularly pipelines – forcing producers to use railroads to get their

10 Questions with Author and Energy Expert Daniel Yergin

10 Questions with Author and Energy Expert Daniel Yergin

By U.S. Department of Energy
Daniel Yergin
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Daniel Yergin is the first recipient of the James Schlesinger Medal for Energy Security — an award that goes to an individual whose contributions have advanced our understanding of threats, opportunities and policy changes impacting the energy security interests of the United States. The award honors James Schlesinger, the first Secretary of Energy,

Friday, October 3, 2014

Federal Court Backs EPA’s Veto Of One Of The Largest Surface Mines Ever Proposed In Appalachia

Federal Court Backs EPA’s Veto Of One Of The Largest Surface Mines Ever Proposed In Appalachia



http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/10/03/3575279/court-epa-veto-surface-mines/

Changing Antarctic waters could trigger steep rise in sea levels


Changing Antarctic waters could trigger steep rise in sea levels
Sydney, Australia (SPX) Oct 03, 2014 - Current changes in the ocean around Antarctica are disturbingly close to conditions 14,000 years ago that new research shows may have led to the rapid melting of Antarctic ice and an abrupt 3-4 metre rise in global sea level. The research published in Nature Communications found that in the past, when ocean temperatures around Antarctica became more layered - with a warm layer of water bel ... more http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Changing_Antarctic_waters_could_trigger_steep_rise_in_sea_levels_999.html

Global Energy Use And CO2 Output May Double By 2100, MIT Report Finds

Global Energy Use And CO2 Output May Double By 2100, MIT Report Finds



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/02/mit-energy-report_n_5923372.html

ELECTRICITY: Why the oil majors are backing away from renewable energy


ELECTRICITY:

Why the oil majors are backing away from renewable energy


http://www.eenews.net/stories/1060006834

NEI Lauds DOE Support for Advanced Nuclear Projects


NEI Lauds DOE Support for Advanced Nuclear Projects


http://www.nei.org/News-Media/News/News-Archives/NEI-Lauds-DOE-Support-for-Advanced-Nuclear-Project

2°C Or Not 2°C: Why We Must Not Ditch Scientific Reality In Climate Policy

Posted: 03 Oct 2014 09:00 AM PDT
A new Comment piece in Nature argues we should “Ditch the 2 °C warming goal” as a basis for climate change policy. Their core argument, as Nature sums it up, is “Average global temperature is not a good indicator of planetary health. Track a range of vital signs instead.”read more
http://theenergycollective.com/josephromm/1866411/2-c-or-not-2-c-why-we-must-not-ditch-scientific-reality-climate-policy

National Science Foundation: Record California Drought Directly Linked To Climate Change


Posted: 02 Oct 2014 10:00 AM PDT
A Stanford study funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) confirms a growing body of research that finds “The atmospheric conditions associated with the unprecedented drought in California are very likely linked to human-caused climate change.”read more
http://theenergycollective.com/josephromm/1545806/national-science-foundation-record-california-drought-directly-linked-climate-cha

Utility Dive Top Stories 10/3

 
Elon Musk reveals Tesla's next big thing: 'The D'
 
Tesla Motors' stock price jumped nearly 5% while Twitter and the rest of the Internet made jokes about Musk's "D."
 
 
Report: Duke Energy's NC utilities earning more than regulators authorize
 
Regulators say they are watching the situation closely.
 
 
Entergy wants to merge two Louisiana utilities
 
The two Entergy subsidiaries plan $5 billion in upgrades, up to 1,600 MW of industrial load growth.  
 
 
NRG acquires Pure Energies to grow customer acquisition for solar
 
NRG Solar is following market leaders SolarCity and Vivint toward vertical integration.
 
 
Ameren Missouri plans to replace coal plants with gas and renewables
 
The utility is moving away from coal in response to new EPA emission regulations.
 
 
HECO and Hawaii lawmakers plan push for community solar gardens
 
Electricity customers without available roofs can still own and benefit from solar.
 
 
ComEd begins enrollment for residential demand response program
 
The Chicago utility says the voluntary program will begin next summer.
 
 
Maine welcomes larger customers into efficiency programs
 
The state anticipates saving 44,400 MWh annually.
 
 
 
What modern cities want from their utilities. (It ain't pretty.)
 
 
Wind Power Subsidies Stir Controversy in Texas
 
 
Executive Actions to Advance Solar Deployment and Energy Efficiency
 
 
Smart grid wins: a smart cities collaboration, Hawaii's smart grid upgrade and more
 
 
PSE&G Monitors Asset Condition
 
 
Duke Energy creates coal ash management, advisory board
 
 
U.S. coal exports fall on lower European demand, increased global supply
 
 
S. Korea approves restart of nuclear reactor, three remain offline
 
 
More about the plan to turn distribution utilities into "distribution system operators"
 
 
EPA Suggests Carbon Rule Could Change Based on Input
 
 

Big Oil vs. Public Health



Big Oil vs. Public Health
The ** EPA’s 1988 decision to classify fossil fuel waste as nonhazardous (http://jhsph.us3.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=0a43ad874dbe00d8f0545cfef&id=85fcc0e08a&e=9c1fcebfa3)
has had lasting consequences: 27 states now lack rules to monitor air quality near open sludge pits.

The exemption has saved Big Oil millions. But the lack of emissions data has made it almost impossible for Nordheim, Texas, residents to cite health concerns in opposition of a 204-acre commercial waste facility near a grade school. The mounting concerns of scientists and lawmakers are detailed in this in-depth Scientific American article.

The Quote: “Someone is putting a value on human life and saying the benefit to the larger society justifies the risks to people,” said David Brown, a toxicologist from Fairfield University. “We have to look deeply at why people’s lives place second in this analysis.”
** Scientific American (http://jhsph.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0a43ad874dbe00d8f0545cfef&id=d57d1d0faa&e=9c1fcebfa3)


Related: Open Pits Offer Cheap Disposal for Fracking Sludge, but Health Worries Mount – ** Inside Climate News (http://jhsph.us3.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=0a43ad874dbe00d8f0545cfef&id=1f70e462fa&e=9c1fcebfa3) I am appealing this. There is nothing unconventional about this article. The following articles demonstrate this. https://www.npr.org › 2022 › 02 › 16 › 1081119920 › greenwashing-oil-companies Accusations of 'greenwashing' by big oil companies are well ... - NPR Feb 16, 2022ExxonMobil said it expects oil and gas production to be more or less flat through 2025, a spokesperson said. The firm, based in Irving, Texas, has also vowed to make $15 billion worth of lower ... https://www.seattletimes.com › opinion › big-oil-vs-clean-energy-and-healthier-communities 'Big Oil' vs. clean energy and healthier communities Five big oil companies make up 99 percent of the "No" campaign's funding. They've already amassed $16 million to buy misleading TV ads and flood our mailboxes with false information. They want... https://www.wsj.com › articles › big-oil-faces-off-against-clean-energy-giants-11614685112 Big Oil Faces Off Against Clean-Energy Giants - WSJ A battle for clean-energy assets is brewing between green-minded oil giants and the utility companies that currently dominate the fast-growing business. https://theconversation.com › what-big-oil-knew-about-climate-change-in-its-own-words-170642 What Big Oil knew about climate change, in its own words Oct 28, 2021A Congressional subcommittee on Oct. 28, 2021, questioned executives from Exxon, BP, Chevron, Shell and the American Petroleum Institute about industry efforts to downplay the role of fossil fuels ... https://www.statista.com › topics › 6818 › big-oil Big Oil - statistics & facts | Statista Jan 31, 2023Big Oil is distinct from the term Oil Majors, which encapsulates the largest oil companies by tanker chartering. State-owned counterparts to Big Oil are oil and gas producing heavyweights... https://www.pbs.org › newshour › nation › should-big-oil-pay-for-climate-damage-some-cities-and-states-say-yes Should big oil pay for climate damage? Some cities and states say yes - PBS Apr 14, 2022Alex Brown, Stateline. Leave your feedback. Should big oil pay for climate damage? Some cities and states say yes. Nation Apr 14, 2022 4:38 PM EDT. This story was originally published by Stateline ... https://news.harvard.edu › gazette › story › 2021 › 09 › oil-companies-discourage-climate-action-study-says Oil companies discourage climate action, study says Sep 28, 2021Tracing Big Oil's PR war to delay action on climate change. Geoffrey Supran, who co-authored a research paper on ExxonMobil's climate disinformation campaign in 2017, discusses current House investigation into the company's disinformation. ... Chan School of Public Health celebrates opening of $25M Thich Nhat Hanh Center for research ... https://www.ft.com › content › 44a3f8de-1e1f-4cae-a1fd-b197452c2ec9 Big Oil v The World review - Financial Times Jul 25, 2022Big Oil v The World review — forensic documentary examines climate change's culprits The BBC2 three-parter highlights the role of the oil and gas majors in spreading disinformation about... https://www.npr.org › 2022 › 05 › 07 › 1097177459 › big-oil-exxon-earnings-gasoline-prices-crude 3 things we learned about Big Oil's surging profits : NPR May 7, 2022Big Oil is riding the wave of higher energy prices. Unsurprisingly, it all comes down to surging crude oil prices. Brent crude futures, the benchmark globally, have surged more than 40% this year ...

Schools in the Danger Zone


Schools in the Danger Zone
Nearly 20 million US children—in 48 states—attend schools close to high-risk chemical facilities, vulnerable to a catastrophic chemical leak or explosion.

The greatest risks were found in California, Florida, Illinois, New York, and Texas, according to a new ** study from the Center for Effective Government (CEG) (http://jhsph.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0a43ad874dbe00d8f0545cfef&id=171b3dafbd&e=9c1fcebfa3)
that mapped the risk for 122,968 public and private schools.

The study hopes to overcome one major weakness: Industries dealing with hazardous chemicals—such as the ammonium nitrate responsible for the destruction of 3 Texas schools last year—aren’t required to post the information online. It took the study authors five years to pull together the research, said Sean Moulton, director of Open Government Policy, and co-author of the report.
** Al Jazeera America (http://jhsph.us3.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=0a43ad874dbe00d8f0545cfef&id=b3c5a5dbb1&e=9c1fcebfa3)

‘Indecent’ nuclear proposals


‘Indecent’ nuclear proposals


http://tribune.com.pk/story/770398/indecent-nuclear-proposals/

Structural Integrity Associates, Inc. Announces Patent-Pending Barrier System


Structural Integrity Associates, Inc. Announces Patent-Pending Barrier System

Engineering Consulting Company to the Energy Industry Develops New Innovation to Protect Power Plants and Critical Infrastructure


Read more here: http://www.heraldonline.com/2014/10/02/6382783_structural-integrity-associates.html?sp=/100/773/385/&rh=1#storylink=cpy

http://www.heraldonline.com/2014/10/02/6382783_structural-integrity-associates.html?sp=/100/773/385/&rh=1

Nuclear Cancer Study Awaiting Funding


Nuclear Cancer Study Awaiting Funding


http://www.greenevillesun.com/news/local_news/article_f052a38e-f9ee-50eb-8d09-5a073db496bc.html

Russia Gives $10Bln Credit to Belarus for Nuclear Power Plant Construction


Russia Gives $10Bln Credit to Belarus for Nuclear Power Plant Construction


http://en.ria.ru/business/20141003/193616260/Russia-Gives-10Bln-Credit-to-Belarus-for-Nuclear-Power-Plant.html

Sweden’s incoming government edging out nuclear power


Sweden’s incoming government edging out nuclear power



http://bellona.org/news/nuclear-issues/2014-10-sweden-edging-nuclear-power-incoming-government

Global Nuclear Power Industry


Global Nuclear Power Industry


http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-nuclear-power-industry-277882041.html

Finland: Nuclear reactor project still possible despite cabinet rejection


Finland: Nuclear reactor project still possible despite cabinet rejection



http://www.adn.com/article/20141002/finland-nuclear-reactor-project-still-possible-despite-cabinet-rejection

Tougher terms planned for Hinkley Point nuclear power plant


Tougher terms planned for Hinkley Point nuclear power plant


http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/43bb1be8-4a45-11e4-b8bc-00144feab7de.html?siteedition=intl#axzz3F6kRDl9G

Homeward Bound? Don't Hype the Threat of Returning Jihadists

Homeward Bound? Homeward Bound?
Don't Hype the Threat of Returning Jihadists
By Daniel Byman and Jeremy Shapiro
ISIS' army has attracted a stream of Western volunteers, but there is no reason to panic about their return home. Some may come back as terrorists, but the danger has been exaggerated, and the United States and the EU know how to handle such problems.http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/142025/daniel-byman-and-jeremy-shapiro/homeward-bound?cid=nlc-foreign_affairs_this_week-100214-homeward_bound_5-100214&sp_mid=47109184&sp_rid=bWljaGVsZXRrZWFybmV5QGdtYWlsLmNvbQS2

PennEnergy's Renewable Enery News 10/3

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Is Distributed Energy Storage the Energiewende’s Missing Link?

by Paul Hockenos, Correspondent | October 2, 2014 | 1 Comment
For years, critics of the Energiewende, Germany’s clean-energy transition, have carped that the country’s power system cannot be based on intermittent generation sources — namely onshore wind and solar PV — without advanced storag... Full Article
MAGAZINE
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Will Lithium Ion Work for Grid-Scale Storage?

by Michael Kanellos | October 2, 2014 | Post Your Comment
Lithium batteries have revolutionized consumer electronics and made EVs a mainstream reality. But will they play a similar role in energy storage? That was one of the most prominent questions at Energy Storage North America, the s... Full Article
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U.S. Energy Department Approves Transmission Line to Deliver Quebec Hydropower to New York

by Michael Harris, Online Editor, HydroWorld.com | October 1, 2014 | Post Your Comment
The U.S. Department of Energy issued a presidential permit approving construction and operation of a 1,000-MW transmission line to carry Quebec hydroelectric power to customers in New York City. Full Article
TOPNEWS
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How to Make a “Perfect” Solar Absorber

by David Chandler, MIT | October 1, 2014 | 2 Comments
The key to creating a material that would be ideal for converting solar energy to heat is tuning the material’s spectrum of absorption just right: It should absorb virtually all wavelengths of light that reach Earth’s surface from... Full Article
RESEARCH
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Renewable Gas from Wastewater Treatment Plant Fueling UK Homes

by Louise Downing, Bloomberg | October 1, 2014 | Post Your Comment
Extracting energy from “processed poo” to help power homes in the Birmingham area is what Severn Trent Plc, Britain’s second-largest publicly traded water company, is now doing to generate a cost-saving renewable gas. Full Article
TOPNEWS
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Here's a Great Solar Guerrilla Marketing Lesson from a Neighborhood Barbershop

by UnThink Solar, Tor 'Solar Fred' Valenza | October 1, 2014 | 2 Comments
I was walking home the other day and I just had to stop when I saw this simple but effective sign: While I didn’t need a haircut, I loved the creativity, and I thought about how this one little sign is a great lesson for some resi... Full Article
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A Bounty of Shared Solar

by Laurel Passera | October 1, 2014 | 1 Comment
I always enjoy learning obscure terms for collective nouns (a convocation of eagles, a bloat of hippopotamuses) so I wonder if we could coin a good term for a collection of shared solar programs? A ‘bounty’ perhaps? Whatever we ca... Full Article
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German Renewables Output Tops Lignite

by Stefan Nicola, Bloomberg | October 1, 2014 | 6 Comments
Renewables became Germany’s most important power source for the first time this year, according to Agora Energiewende. Full Article
TOPNEWS
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Energy News Roundup: Credit Suisse Cuts Oil Price Forecast, Gazprom’s Gas Exports Down & Oklahoma Wind Power Controversy

Energy News Roundup: Credit Suisse Cuts Oil Price Forecast, Gazprom’s Gas Exports Down & Oklahoma Wind Power Controversy

By Jared Anderson
A general view shows the Saudi Aramco oi
Analysts at investment bank Credit Suisse cut their 2015 benchmark global oil price expectations in the face of bearish fundamentals, forecasting Brent to average $97 per barrel and WTI to average $89/bbl. All eyes are on Saudi Arabian exports, which are currently at the lower end of the historical spectrum and could decrease further when

Move over Coal; Fast-Growing Solar Power Can Dominate World Energy Production, IEA Says

Move over Coal; Fast-Growing Solar Power Can Dominate World Energy Production, IEA Says

By Pete Danko
HUSUM 2012 Wind Energy Trade Fair
It’s easy to dismiss solar as a bit energy player. Look at the most recent Energy Information Administration data and you’ll see that utility-scale solar provided around 9.3 terawatt-hours of U.S. electricity in 2013, a mere 0.23 percent of total generation. But here’s the thing: Those numbers and other current data on solar are fast-fading

The Case for Electric Vehicles, Part 2: EV Costs

The Case for Electric Vehicles, Part 2: EV Costs

By Edward Dodge
'A World Without Petrol' Art Exhibition Launches In Sydney
Electric Vehicles today are considered to be more expensive to purchase than their Internal Combustion Engine counterparts. But the purchase price of EV’s versus ICE vehicles tells an incomplete story about the comparative costs. While none of the EV’s on the market today are cheap, they are competitively priced for their class of vehicle. The

Wind Power Subsidies Stir Controversy in Texas

Wind Power Subsidies Stir Controversy in Texas

By Texas Chamber of Commerce Energy Association
texas wind
Photo credit Texas State Comptroller Susan Combs is no fan of the Texas wind energy sector. The state has the largest wind capacity in the U.S., but Combs doesn’t seem to see the benefit of subsidizing wind energy; indeed, her office released a report that details the tax breaks given to wind power and recommends that they

Energy Quote of the Day: ‘The Gulf Coast is Going to be the Place for Having Any Storage’

Energy Quote of the Day: ‘The Gulf Coast is Going to be the Place for Having Any Storage’

By Jared Anderson
Hamburg Aerial Views
The US Gulf Coast is becoming the country’s preeminent petroleum storage hub as shale oil and natural gas liquids flow south to the massive refining and export center. In a move designed to capitalize on that trend, Enterprise Product Partners yesterday announced the $4.4 billion acquisition of storage company Oiltanking. And according to The American

Feds Approve Quebec-to-NY Power Line

Feds Approve Quebec-to-NY Power Line

By Todd Griset | PretiFlaherty
Bedouins Of The Negev Desert
A proposed electric transmission line connecting Quebec to New York will receive a key federal approval, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. The Energy Department’s decision to issue a Presidential permit to Champlain Hudson Power Express, Inc. focuses attention on the nation’s international trade in electricity, and may suggest increased reliance on power imports.
Pursuant to two Executive Orders — EO 10485 (September 9, 1953), as amended by EO 12038 (February 7, 1978) — no electricity transmission facilities may be constructed, operated, maintained, or connected at the U.S. border without first obtaining a Presidential permit from the Department of Energy. In 2010, Champlain Hudson Power Express, Inc. applied to DOE for a Presidential permit to construct, operate, maintain, and connect a 1,000-megawatt (MW), high-voltage direct current (HVDC) merchant electric power transmission system across the U.S./Canada border.http://breakingenergy.com/2014/10/02/feds-approve-quebec-to-ny-power-line/?utm_source=Breaking+Energy&utm_campaign=d8565a7f94-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f852427a4b-d8565a7f94-407304281