The French government announced a huge investment package for renewable energy last week, totaling €1.35 billion ($173 billion). The money is to be invested over the next 4 years.
THIN FILM SOLAR PANELS
Thin Film Solar Panels Are Here
France Launches €1.35 Billion Clean Energy Program
Posted in August 19th, 2010
by Zachary Shahan in Biofuels, biofuel, carbon capture and storage, clean energy, energy, energy industry, france, geothermal energy, marine energy, nuclear, nuclear energy, nuclear power, policy, renewable energy, smart grid, solar energy, transport, wave energy
The French government announced a huge investment package for renewable energy last week, totaling €1.35 billion ($1.73 billion). The money is to be invested over the next 4 years.
Nuclear Projects Looking for a Savior
Posted in August 1st, 2010
by Zachary Shahan in DOE, Texas, congress, department of energy, nuclear, nuclear energy, nuclear power, policy, politics
It was just a few hours ago when I wrote that I thought I’d be delving into the topic of nuclear energy a little more soon. Well, soon is now.
This post is about two nuclear reactors that are an urgent matter to some (in the nuclear industry and politics) and also, potentially, the source of a very big bill for U.S. taxpayers.
Historic Report: Solar Energy Costs Now Lower than Nuclear Energy
Posted in August 1st, 2010
by Zachary Shahan in business, clean energy, energy, nuclear, nuclear energy, nuclear power, renewable energy, solar, solar energy, solar power
For ages, people have been saying: “Solar is a great, clean, renewable energy source, but it is just too expensive. Other energy sources, like nuclear, may have some (or serious) environmental risks, but they are cheaper.”
Now, a new report out of Duke University says that solar energy and nuclear energy have passed a “historic crossover,” where decreasing solar energy costs and increasing nuclear energy costs have met, and then parted. Solar energy is now cheaper than nuclear energy and is getting increasingly cheaper every day.
Did the Nuclear Industry and Politicians Learn Anything from the BP Oil Spill?
Posted in June 24th, 2010
by Zachary Shahan in clean energy, congress, nuclear, nuclear energy, nuclear power, policy, politics
A major factor causing the BP oil spill to be the disaster that it is turning out to be is deregulation of the oil industry. You would think that if people, especially politicians, learned one thing from this disaster, it would be that we need strong government oversight of risky technologies.
It seems right now that some in the nuclear industry and Congress have missed that completely or just haven’t heard the news about the BP oil spill at all.
New Report Forecasts Solar Boom in NC — “Growing Solar in North Carolina”
Posted in November 19th, 2009
by Zachary Shahan in Florida, alternative energy, business, coal, electricity, energy, fossil fuel, fossil fuels, gas, green jobs, nuclear power, power, research, solar, solar energy, solar panels, solar power, solar technology
A new report by Environment North Carolina’s Research and Policy Center, “Growing Solar in North Carolina,” found that North Carolina (home of my UNC Tar Heels) could be a solar power giant soon.
The new report found that North Carolina has a lot of solar energy potential due to its “vast” solar energy intensity (which is nearly as much as Florida’s) combined with other economic, policy and technological factors.
Renewable Energy on the Rise, Fossil Fuels Declining
Posted in July 30th, 2009
by Zachary Shahan in Biofuels, Wind, alternative energy, clean energy, congress, fossil fuels, geothermal, hydropower, nuclear power, politics, renewable energy, renewable resources, solar energy, technology, wave energy, wind energy
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported good news for renewable energy enthusiasts this week. Energy from renewable resources has increased significantly over the last year. It is now higher than energy produced from nuclear power.
Will Peak Uranium Hit Nuclear Plants?
Posted in December 21st, 2008
The safety of nuclear plants is often debated, but we rarely hear about another potential issue for nuclear energy: peak uranium. That’s the point in time when when the maximum global uranium production is reached and begins to enter a permanent decline. And while we’ve known for some time that high-quality uranium supplies have been declining for the past 50 years, nuclear operators are finally getting nervous.
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Mini Nuclear Power Plants For Your Neighborhood In Five Years
Posted in November 9th, 2008
by Jerry James Stone in Nuclear Regulatory Commission, US Government, alternative energy, chernobyl, los alamos, nuclear, nuclear power, nuclear reactor, uranium
Scientists at the US government laboratory which developed the first atomic bomb say nuclear power plants smaller than a garden shed and able to power about 20,000 homes will be available within the next five years. The miniature reactors will be factory-sealed, absent of any weapon-grade materials, and also have no moving parts.
Awesome. Call them Nükleer and we can sell them at Ikea!
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Exelon Progressing Toward 3,000 MW of Emission-Free Nuclear Power in Texas
Posted in September 4th, 2008
Exelon, the largest operator of nuclear power plants in the United States has filed a license application with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US-NRC) to build two new nuclear power plants near Victoria, Texas. When operating, the plants will produce zero units of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury, sulfur oxides, and fly ash.
Exelon has chosen the Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (ESBWR) marketed by GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy. Each of the reactors will produce approximately 1,500 MW of electric power.
One of the key design features of the ESBWR is a large degree of passive safety provided by large water reservoirs, natural coolant circulation and safety systems that operate without any electrical power. (Link to animation of ESBWR safety system operation)
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