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#renewablesnow

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DoomsdaysCW

A Surprisingly Simple Solution to Protect #Birds From #WindTurbines Gets its Biggest Test Yet

Painting one turbine blade black has shown promise for preventing collisions. Now researchers are seeing if it can work in #Wyoming.

By Kylie Mohr, Summer 2024

"A year ago, a Golden Eagle approaching the Glenrock/Rolling Hills wind farm in Wyoming might have seen a dangerous optical illusion: A turbine’s blades, spinning at more than 150 miles per hour, would appear not as solid objects to be avoided, but as a blur the bird could fly through. Scientists believe this disorienting visual phenomenon, known as motion smear, contributes to the collisions that kill an estimated 140,000 to 679,000 birds per year at #WindFarms in the United States.

"The same eagle soaring over the area’s scrubby sagebrush today will see warning signs. Those once indistinct and innocuous-seeming blurs will present clearly as physical masses, signaling to birds that they should steer clear.

"Such is the hope, anyway, of a study now testing a surprisingly simple tool for making wind farms less hazardous to birds: black paint. This summer, PacifiCorp, which owns the facility, aims to finish painting one blade on each of 36 turbines there. Over the next several years the company and its partners, including the federal government, will keep track of how many eagles and other daytime-flying birds those turbines kill compared to their previous toll and to the remaining 100 or so that have not been painted. Search teams will look for eagle carcasses, while specially trained dogs will sniff out other birds and #bats. 'We’re trying to have as little impact as possible while also trying to provide electricity to customers,' says Jona Whitesides, a spokesperson for PacifiCorp."

Read more:
audubon.org/magazine/surprisin
#SolarPunkSunday #RenewablesNow #ProtectWildlife #FlyingWildlife

Audubon · A Surprisingly Simple Solution to Protect Birds From Wind Turbines Gets its Biggest Test YetBy Kylie Mohr
Public
DoomsdaysCW

6 Ways to Protect #Bats and #Birds From #WindTurbines

By Russell McLendon
Published October 22, 2019

"Wind turbines are an important source of clean, #renewable energy. They're one of the fastest-growing power sources in the U.S., outpacing even natural gas. Unfortunately, they also sometimes kill birds and bats.

"That may sound like an environmental Catch-22, but it doesn't need to be. From new designs and smarter locations to high-tech tracking systems and ultrasonic 'boom boxes,' many American #WindFarms are experimenting with various ways to make their turbines safer for flying #wildlife. "

Read more:
treehugger.com/ways-to-protect
#SolarPunkSunday #RenewablesNow #ProtectWildlife #FlyingWildlife

Treehugger6 Ways to Protect Bats and Birds From Wind TurbinesWind turbines can kill birds and bats, but they don't have to. Here are a few ways to help them coexist.
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DoomsdaysCW

Solar, Windfarms, #rewilding, #housing -- all are way better uses for the land!

Should #GolfCourses Be Converted Into #Solar Or #Windfarms?

by Tom Hale, 2/25/2025

"It sounds like one of President Donald Trump’s most dreaded nightmares: what if the world’s golf courses were transformed into wind and solar farms? A new study has highlighted that the land occupied by golf courses in the 10 countries with the most courses could generate up to 842 GW of solar power and 659 GW of wind power – far exceeding the existing installed capacity in many cases.

"If the US were to transition entirely to #Renewable energy by 2035, it would require thousands of square kilometers for onshore wind and even more for solar farms. In theory, the space occupied by US golf courses alone could provide about 20 percent of this capacity, the study concludes.

"Another finding was that more land is allocated to golf courses than renewable energy production across many countries, including the US and the UK.

"Maintaining these lush greens comes at a steep environmental cost too – sapping #water resources, destroying #wildlife habitats, and relying heavily on #fertilizers and #pesticides. The researchers point out that golf courses occupy vast amounts of land yet serve a relatively small, often #rich subset of the population.

"'Golf courses, which often occupy vast areas of land and are accessible only through exclusive membership, highlight significant land use conflicts. The concept of energy justice argues that the benefits and burdens of energy supply and land use should be distributed equitably across society. In this context, the general public could benefit if decision-makers decide to use these exclusive golf courses for renewable energy projects,' the study authors write.

"Some countries have taken this idea seriously in the past. For instance, Japan has turned some of its disused golf courses, built in the 1980s during a boom of interest in the sport, into fields of solar panels.

"While the researchers say they’re not proposing that renewable energy companies swoop in to seize the world’s golf courses, they do suggest their project highlights the need for better discussions on land use and energy infrastructure.

"'Our study does not advocate for the direct conversion of golf courses, but it highlights the vast potential for renewable energy on similarly large and #underutilized areas,' Dr Jann Weinand, lead author of the study and Head of the Integrated Scenarios department at the Institute Jülich Systems Analysis at Forschungszentrum Jülich, said in a statement.

"'In light of the ongoing debates about land use for renewables, it is crucial to consider how we allocate land overall – especially when significant space is dedicated to activities that benefit only a limited segment of the population,' added Dr Weinand.

"The study is published in the journal Environmental Research Communications."

Source:
msn.com/en-us/weather/topstori
#Degrowth #Capitalism #EatTheRich #SolarPunkSunday #RenewablesNow

www.msn.comMSN
Public
DoomsdaysCW

Strawberry fields forever, and with transparent #PV

Scientists have grown strawberries under thin-film cadmium telluride panels with varying transparency. They found that 40% transparency maintained a greater than 80% yield of uncovered plants. If all strawberry farms in the world were converted to #agrivoltaics, they would produce up to 173 TWh a year.

by Lior Kahana, February 25, 2025

"The experiment started on February 20, 2024; data was collected across 112 days. Per the results, the average fresh weight of the control strawberries was up to 50.8 g. The 10% transparency module had underneath a fresh weight of up to 9.5 g, the 30% had 15 g, the 40% had 25.5 g, the 50% had 20 g, the 60% performed with 19.5 g, the 70% with 51.7 g and the 80% transparency had an average fresh weight of 30.7 g.

"'The results indicate that strawberries grown under 70% transparency PV modules exhibited a fresh weight 140.6% of the average control,' the group said. 'Additionally, yields exceeding 80% of the control were observed with 40%, 50%, and 80% transparent PV modules, which makes their deployment legal for areas that have agrivoltaics policy based on maintaining a greater than 80% yield.'

"Based on their data, the academics conducted a statistical analysis that proved that the transparency rate impacts the growth yield. This analysis found a strong positive correlation between the measured photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and strawberry fresh weight, with Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) of 0.693. PAR represents the portion of light that plants use for photosynthesis.

"In addition, the researchers used their results and the system advisor model (SAM) software to estimate the electricity generation potential of strawberry agrivoltaics farms in Canada and globally. They found that the Canadian potential ranges between 595 GWh and 1,786 GWh annually, depending on the transparency level of the modules. That will result in a CO2 emission reduction of 65 kilotons (kt) to 196 kt annually. On a global scale, the electricity potential of strawberry fields ranges between 58 TWh and 173 TWh, and the CO2 reduction is between 27 Mt and 82 Mt annually.

"'The adoption of agrivoltaics in the Canadian strawberry sector could facilitate energy self-sufficiency and transform it into a net electricity exporter, generating additional revenue for farmers,' the team concluded. “These findings highlight the substantial benefits of agrivoltaics, including enhanced agricultural productivity, significant clean energy generation, increased farmer income, and lower food prices.'"

Read more:pv-magazine.com/2025/02/25/str
#FoodSecurity #SolarPunkSunday #SolarCells #SolarPower #SolarPunk #RenewableEnergy #RenewablesNow #TransparentSolarPanels #TransparentPhotovoltaics #TransparentsPV

pv magazine InternationalStrawberry fields forever, and with transparent PVScientists have grown strawberries under thin-film cadmium telluride panels with varying transparency. They found that 40% transparency maintained a greater than 80% yield of uncovered plants. If all strawberry farms in the world were converted to agrivoltaics, they would produce up to 173 TWh a year.
Public
DoomsdaysCW

I just archived this web page on the #InternetArchive. I plan on doing that with every US government page that I come across with useful information!

#OrganicPhotovoltaics Research

"The benefits promised by #OPV #SolarCells include:

Low-cost manufacturing: Soluble organic molecules enable roll-to-roll processing techniques and allow for low-cost manufacturing.
Abundant materials: The wide abundance of building-block materials may reduce supply and price constraints.
Flexible substrates: The ability to be applied to flexible substrates permits a wide variety of uses."

energy.gov/eere/solar/organic-

Archived version:
archive.ph/jhrg9
#SolarPunkSunday #SolarPunk #SolarPower #RenewableEnergy #RenewablesNow

Energy.govOrganic Photovoltaics Research
Public
DoomsdaysCW

#OrganicPhotovoltaics: the path to lightweight, flexible and transparent #SolarCells

Researchers at #HiroshimaUniversity are creating organic photovoltaics that are sustainable and offer many benefits over traditional #silicon-based solar panels.

"Itaru Osaka’s story with organic photovoltaics began as a PhD student working in the research group of Hideki Shirakawa at the University of Tsukuba in Japan. In the 1970s, Shirakawa, along with American scientists Alan Heeger and Alan MacDiarmid, found a way to make plastics that can conduct electricity — a discovery that won them the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2000.

"These days Osaka has his own research group at Hiroshima University that is working with these ‘conjugated polymers’ to make carbon-based, ‘organic’ photovoltaic cells. In contrast to typical silicon-based cells, which are relatively bulky, heavy, rigid and opaque, the organic alternatives are flexible and transparent enough to be placed where existing cells cannot, such as on the walls of buildings, the glass of greenhouses and even on the sides of tents.

"Significantly, their fabrication is expected to be cheaper and consume less energy than silicon-based photovoltaics."

Read more:
nature.com/articles/d42473-022
#SolarPunkSunday #SolarCells #SolarPower #SolarPunk #RenewableEnergy #RenewablesNow

www.nature.comOrganic photovoltaics: the path to lightweight, flexible and transparent solar cellsResearchers at Hiroshima University are creating organic photovoltaics that are sustainable and offer many benefits over traditional silicon-based solar panels.
Public
DoomsdaysCW

Researchers develop transparent #SolarCells that can supply energy from glass on buildings and cars — here's how it works

Story by Laurelle Stelle
October 18, 2024

Excerpt: "Not only would that be incredibly convenient and save people money on charging devices, but it also has broader implications. If clean energy-generating solar panels can be built into every clear glass surface, houses, cars, and huge buildings could get some or all of their energy needs met by the sun. That could permanently lower electric bills across the planet, while also reducing the demand for dirty energy sources."

msn.com/en-us/news/technology/
#TransparentSolarPanels #SolarPunkSunday #RenewablesNow #SolarPower #SolarPunk

www.msn.comMSN
Public
DoomsdaysCW

#GolfCourses Use More Land Globally Than #Solar or #WindEnergy

Story by Mihai Andrei, February 25, 2025

"The land use of #RenewableEnergy is often criticized in public and political debates. However, a new study shows that something as frivolous as golf courses use up more land globally than solar or wind energy. Golf courses, which often serve a small number of #AffluentPeople, are also terrible for the #environment and use up a lot of #water and resources.

Competition for space

"The lush greenery you see on golf courses is a well-maintained lie. Golf courses use enormous amounts of water — sometimes in regions already facing shortages. Maintaining that flawless grass also means heavy reliance on #fertilizers and #pesticides, which seep into local waterways, harming# wildlife and #polluting #ecosystems. To make it even worse, golf courses are apparently competing with renewable energy for space.

"Every acre we allocate to one use is an acre less for another. Currently, more than 38,400 golf courses span the globe, occupying vast stretches of valuable land. Surprisingly, researchers from Germany’s Forschungszentrum Jülich found that countries (especially richer countries like the US, the UK, and Canada) dedicate far more land to golf courses than to #SolarFarms or #WindTurbines.

"Let’s put this into perspective. If you take the golf courses in just the top ten golfing countries and convert them into renewable energy, you’d get an extra 842 gigawatts (GW) of solar or 659 GW of wind capacity. And to put that into perspective, that’s more than the entire quantity of renewable energy these countries produce and are forecast to have for a few years.

Replacing golf courses with something more useful isn’t a new idea, it’s already happening in some areas. In Japan’s Hyogo Prefecture, an entire golf course now hosts 260,000 solar panels, generating 125 gigawatt-hours annually. Meanwhile, in South Korea, 'screen golf,' indoor simulated golfing experiences, provide a popular, space-efficient alternative to traditional courses."

Read more:
msn.com/en-us/politics/general
#Renewables #RenewablesNow #GolfCourses #WaterIsLife #Rewilding #WindTurbines

www.msn.comMSN
Public
DoomsdaysCW

#China built out record amount of #wind and #solar power in 2024

By ISABELLA O’MALLEY
Updated 3:04 PM EST, January 28, 2025

"China raced ahead building #renewable energy last year, installing more wind and solar power than ever before and continuing to leave all other countries in the dust.

"The nation put up 357 gigawatts of solar and wind, a 45% and 18% increase, respectively, over what was operating at the end of 2023, according to China’s National Energy Administration. That’s akin to building 357 full-size nuclear plants in one year.

"The installations meant China surpassed a goal, six years early, of having 1,200 gigawatts from renewables by 2030, a benchmark Chinese President Xi Jinping set five years ago.

"The scale of the advance is important because at the same time, China remains the country that currently contributes the most to climate change, relying heavily on burning coal to make electricity, cement and for manufacturing.

"'While China’s overall emissions are the largest of any single country, they have recognized – at least, in part – that rapidly building renewables is essential for energy and climate security. Given the recent administration change in Washington, China is now well poised to lead the world in the energy transition,' said Daniel Jasper, senior policy advisor at #ProjectDrawdown, a group that publicizes climate solutions."

apnews.com/article/wind-solar-
#WindPower #SolarPower #Renewables #RenewablesNow

Public
DoomsdaysCW

Perhaps the Biggest Winner in $Germany’s Election: #NuclearPower

The victorious #conservatives and the surging #FarRight both are big fans.

Alexander C. Kaufman, February 27, 2025

"Nuclear energy may be the big winner.

"Europe’s largest economy shuttered its last reactors two years ago in what was meant to be an irreversible exit from atomic energy. But surging energy prices and electricity demand are driving calls to revive Germany’s nuclear power industry.

"As the victorious Christian Democratic Union (#CDU) and its sister party in Bavaria, the Christian Social Union, wrote in their party manifesto, 'We are resolved to stick with the nuclear energy option, counting on research on nuclear energy in its 4th and 5th generation, small modular reactors, and fusion reactors. We are assessing the resumption of operation of the recently-shut-down nuclear power plants.'"

motherjones.com/politics/2025/
#RethinkNotRestart #NoNukes #WaterIsLife #NuclearWaste #NuclearTerrorism #Renewables #RenewablesNow #GermanPol #NuclearPowerNoThanks #Atomkraft #AtomkraftNeinDanke

Mother JonesPerhaps the biggest winner in Germany’s election: nuclear powerThe victorious conservatives and the surging far-right both are big fans.
Public
DoomsdaysCW

#Palisades power plant will restart. Here's where on the #GreatLakes #NuclearPlants operate

Story by Sarah Moore, Lansing State Journal, 2/27/2025

"Owners of Michigan's Palisades nuclear energy plant this week announced a new five-year program aimed at restarting the power station while adding two smaller, modular reactors to the existing facility.

"Holtec has launched 'Mission 2030,' a program to build America’s first small modular reactors — Holtec’s SMR-300 — at the Palisades site in Covert Township, Michigan, with a target of 2030 for first commercial operation.' Holtec International said in a release. "The new SMR-300s will be co-located with the existing 800-megawatt Palisades plant, which is on track to restart after an extended outage following shutdown in 2022.'

"The program was discussed at a ceremony Feb. 25, at which #Holtec said it has joined forces with #Hyundai Engineering & Construction to build a 10-gigawatt fleet of SMR-300s in North America, the release said.

"Nuclear energy production is seeing growing interest for power generation because it requires no fossil fuels and can help reduce greenhouse gases. The systems, however, generate tons of highly #RadioactiveWaste that has to be stored. In #Michigan, waste is stored within a short distance of the #GreatLakes in some locations."

msn.com/en-us/news/us/palisade
#RethinkNotRestart #NoNukes #Renewables #RenewablesNow #WaterIsLife #RadioactivePollution #HoltecLies

www.msn.comMSN
Public
DoomsdaysCW

US‘s wind and #solar will generate more power than #coal in 2024

Utility-scale solar generation is up by over 30% amid future uncertainties.
John Timmer – Jan 27, 2025

"The rapid growth of #renewables has largely displaced #FossilFuel generation—specifically coal—rather than meeting increased demand. Despite the rise in demand, however, the long-term decline in coal has continued in 2024, with generation via coal down by nearly 5 percent. This will mean that this is the first year that wind and solar will combine to outproduce coal. Collectively, they'll account for roughly 17 percent of the US's energy production, while coal will only provide about 15 percent.

"The boost in wind and solar production has also been larger than the increase in generation from natural gas, which remains the single largest source of power on the grid, generating nearly 44 percent of the electricity used in the US.

"While wind currently accounts for 60 percent of the 'wind plus solar' figure, it's unlikely to stay on top for long. Generation from wind power grew by 7.6 percent compared to the same period a year earlier. By contrast, utility-scale solar generation increased by 31 percent over that same period, with small-scale solar (including rooftop installations) estimated to have increased by 15 percent.

"Adding in #hydropower and a handful of minor sources like #geothermal brings the total renewable electricity generated in the first 11 months of 2024 up to 23 percent of the total demand. Adding in nuclear to get the total of emissions-free generation brings the total up to 41 percent—just shy of the 44 percent produced by natural gas.

[...]

"But changes in policy are almost certainly on the way. The flurry of executive orders issued by the Trump administration includes a number of energy-related changes. These include defining "energy" in a way that excludes wind and solar, an end to offshore wind leasing and the threat to terminate existing leases, and a re-evaluation of the allocation of funds from some of the Biden administration's energy-focused laws.

"In essence, this sets up a clash among economics, state policies, and federal policy. Even without any subsidies, wind and solar are the cheapest ways to produce electricity in much of the US. In addition, a number of states have mandates that will require the use of more renewable energy. At the same time, the permitting process for the plants and their grid connections will often require approvals at the federal level, and it appears to be official policy to inhibit renewables when possible. And a number of states are also making attempts to block new renewable power installations.

"It's going to be a challenging period for everyone involved in #RenewableEnergy."

Read more:
arstechnica.com/science/2025/0
#SolarPower #WindPower #RenewablesNow #SolarPunkSunday

Ars Technica · US‘s wind and solar will generate more power than coal in 2024By John Timmer
Public
DoomsdaysCW

Korean Scientists Create ‘INVISIBLE SOLAR PANELS’ That Allow Windows To Generate Electricity

Eco-friendly #SolarPanels

"The advancements in materials science, particularly in the development of #perovskite and #QuantumDot solar cells, are setting the stage for a revolution in solar technology. These materials offer improvements in efficiency and versatility, promising to transform vast expanses of glass into power-generating surfaces that are both effective and unobtrusive​."

Posted by Emily Hart
January 26, 2025

"Korean scientists have introduced a groundbreaking innovation—transparent solar panels—that can transform windows into power-generating surfaces without compromising their transparency. In today’s densely populated urban landscapes, where space is a premium, this technology offers a solution to the spatial limitations of traditional solar panels, seamlessly integrating renewable energy generation into modern cityscapes.

"These 'invisible' solar panels represent a revolutionary step toward a sustainable and energy-efficient future, combining functionality with aesthetic appeal.

"The journey toward transparent solar technology took a significant leap in 2014 when researchers at Michigan State University developed the first fully transparent solar concentrator. This technology uses organic molecules to absorb non-visible wavelengths of light, such as ultraviolet and near-infrared, while allowing visible light to pass through.

"The absorbed energy is directed to the edges of the panel, where thin strips of photovoltaic cells convert it into electricity. This innovative approach ensures that windows and other transparent surfaces can generate electricity without losing clarity or altering their appearance.

"Since its inception, transparent solar technology has evolved, achieving remarkable strides in energy efficiency and practical applications. Initially, these panels operated with an energy conversion efficiency of just 1%, but recent advancements have pushed this figure to nearly 10%.

"Researchers like Richard Lunt from Michigan State University have focused on enhancing efficiency and scalability, envisioning a future where any glass surface can double as a power generator. These advancements hold the potential to revolutionize renewable energy deployment, particularly in urban settings, where traditional solar panels are less feasible.

"The applications of transparent solar panels are vast and diverse, spanning multiple industries. In architecture, these panels can be seamlessly integrated into buildings as windows, facades, or skylights, turning structures into self-sustaining energy sources. Urban infrastructure, such as bus stops, train stations, and public spaces, can adopt these panels to generate electricity without compromising design.

"Consumer electronics, including smartphones, wearables, and portable devices, stand to benefit from embedded transparent solar panels, reducing reliance on frequent recharging. The transportation sector is also exploring this technology, envisioning its use in vehicles, airplanes, and other mobility solutions.

"Despite their initial lag in efficiency compared to traditional opaque solar panels, ongoing research in advanced materials like perovskite and quantum dots has significantly narrowed the gap.

"These materials enhance light absorption and energy conversion rates while reducing production costs, making transparent solar panels increasingly competitive. Companies like Ubiquitous Energy are leading the way in commercializing these technologies, achieving conversion efficiencies close to 10% and exploring scalable manufacturing processes.

"The future of transparent solar panels is promising. As research continues and production methods improve, these panels are expected to become more accessible and affordable, accelerating their adoption across residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. Their ability to integrate into existing infrastructure without requiring additional land makes them particularly attractive for urban areas, where sustainability and space efficiency are paramount."

Read more:
scienceadvance.com/korean-scie
#SolarPunkSunday #SolarPower #RenewablesNow

scienceadvance.comKorean Scientists Create ‘INVISIBLE SOLAR PANELS’ That Allow Windows To Generate Electricity – Science Advance
Continued thread
Public
DoomsdaysCW

From 2022. I'm guessing it was #RussianDrones

#Sweden #drones: Sightings reported over #NuclearPlants and palace

18 January 2022

"Days of sightings of drones over key Swedish sites including nuclear plants have prompted the country's security service to take the lead in an investigation.

"Three nuclear sites have been targeted and sightings have been reported over airports and the royal palace.

"Authorities have not speculated on who is behind the mysterious drones.

"Police and the coastguard are searching the sea and islands around Stockholm, local media reports say.

"The latest sightings on Monday evening involved a drone above the #ForsmarkNuclearPlant, but security agency Sapo said it was also investigating earlier drone flights near the #Ringhals and #Oskarshamn power plants. Police appealed to the public to come forward with information.

"Sapo said the drones were suspected of 'grave unauthorised dealing with secret information'.

"'The security service is conducting the investigation regarding the drone flights over our nuclear plants. Regarding other drone observations it's so far a matter for the police,' Sapo official Fredrik Hultgren told the BBC.

"He refused to give details about the type of drone, but they have been widely described as military-style and as having large wings.

"Swedish TV reported that a police helicopter was following a drone flying above it at a height of up to 1,000m (3,280ft) to the south-west and north-west of the capital Stockholm.

"According to the Aftonbladet news site, a drone was seen over the weekend circling the parliament and government buildings, as well as the royal palace in Stockholm. Drones were earlier spotted near Kiruna and Lulea airports.

"Prosecutors are keeping an open mind over who is behind the drone flights. They come at a time of increased military alert in Sweden because of tensions between #Russia and the West over the Russian military build-up near the borders of #Ukraine.

"Sweden has recently deployed troops to the Baltic island of Gotland in what officials describe as a signal that Sweden's military forces are ready to defend their territory.

"Sweden is not a member of the Nato defence alliance but said it was responding to three Russian landing craft moving into the Baltic Sea through Denmark's Great Belt Strait."

Source:
bbc.com/news/world-europe-6003
#RethinkNotRestart #NuclearPlants #NuclearPowerPlants #SecurityRisk #NoNukes #RenewablesNow

www.bbc.comSweden drones: Sightings reported over nuclear plants and palaceSecurity services take over an inquiry into a series of sightings and it is unclear who is to blame.
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DoomsdaysCW

A tale of two #NuclearPowerPlants along #LakeMichigan: Extended life and a revival?

WUWM 89.7 FM | By Chuck Quirmbach
Published January 10, 2025

"This year could be a big year for the status of two nuclear power plants around Lake Michigan.

"That includes a shutdown plant just 120 miles east of Kenosha that is seeking a first-of-its-kind restart.

"The year could also be significant for extending the life of #Wisconsin's only working commercial plant, located 95 miles north of #Milwaukee.

"On the west shore of Lake Michigan, #NextEraEnergy says it still wants a 20-year extension for the two reactors at the #PointBeachNuclearPowerPlant, located north of #TwoRivers, which would keep the site operating until the early 2050s.

"If that plan sounds familiar, it’s because #WUWM has been reporting on the proposal for about four years. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (#NRC) approval is still pending.

"In a written statement this month, Florida-based #NextEra said it has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Point Beach, 'ensuring it’s ready to produce energy for decades to come.' The company says the plant powers nearly 1 million homes and businesses and provides about 14% of Wisconsin’s electricity.

"But nuclear power critics, like #KevinKamps of #BeyondNuclear, say there are concerns that key parts of the power production units are too #brittle to last another 20-plus years. He says there’s an alternative.

"'Point Beach’s electricity could easily be replaced through the expansion of #RenewableEnergy in Wisconsin. It’s ready to go. It would be more effective for the people of Wisconsin. It would certainly be much safer,' Kamps says.

"On the east shore of the lake, the #PalisadesNuclearPlant in #CovertTownship, Michigan, shut down nearly three years ago. But at the urging of some federal, state, and local officials, the Biden administration has provided a $1.5 billion loan to Holtec International, which bought the mothballed plant from the utility Entergy, so Holtec can try to restart Palisades.

[...]

"A key concern appears to be the damaged steam generator tubes at Palisades, which are likely to need repair or replacement. On Jan. 14, Holtec and the NRC are scheduled to discuss the matter.

"The NRC says Holtec will have to prove the plant is safe.

"Incoming President Donald Trump has made conflicting statements about nuclear power, so it’s unclear if he will try to get the NRC to favor either of the Lake Michigan plants."

wuwm.com/environment/2025-01-1
#NoNukes #NoNukesForAI #RethinkNotRestart #HoltecLies #RenewablesNow #WaterIsLife #AgingNuclearPlants #NuclearSafety #NuclearWaste #NuclearIsNotCarbonFree

WUWM · A tale of two nuclear power plants along Lake Michigan: Extended life and a revival?By Chuck Quirmbach
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DoomsdaysCW

Since the 2011 #Fukushima accident, Japan has restarted 14 #NuclearReactors

1/10/2025

"Japanese utilities restarted two additional nuclear reactors in 2024 that had been suspended from operations in response to the 2011 #FukushimaDaiichi accident, taking the total number of restarted reactors to 14 since the accident.

"In November, #TohokuElectricPowerCo. restarted its 796-megawatt (MW) #Onagawa Unit 2 reactor, and in December #ChugokuElectricPowerCo. restarted its #Shimane Unit 2 (789 MW). Onagawa is the nuclear power plant located closest to the epicenter of the March 2011 #earthquake and tsunami.

"Most of the restarted reactors have been pressurized water reactors (PWR) located in western Japan. Onagawa Unit 2 and Shimane Unit 2, by contrast, are the first boiling water reactors (BWR) to be restarted. Onagawa Unit 2 is also the first reactor in the eastern part of the country to be restarted. Japan’s nuclear regulator prioritized the restart of PWRs due to public safety concerns regarding BWR technology, which is the design of the Fukushima Daiichi units.

"Japan suspended its nuclear fleet from 2013 to 2015 for mandatory safety checks and upgrades following the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi accident. Before the accident, 54 commercial nuclear reactors were operating in Japan, and nuclear power accounted for approximately 30% of the country’s electricity generation. Nuclear restarts have proceeded slowly since the first two units (#Sendai Units 1 and 2) were restarted in 2015. Restarts have been slow due to a significantly more stringent safety inspection and authorization process established after the accident and local court injunctions emerging from ongoing public safety concerns in some regions. Public support for restarts has been growing in Japan recently, however.

"Under the current restart process, once regulatory approvals have been granted, the local municipality and prefectural governments are consulted prior to restart. In addition to the 14 reactors already restarted, three more units (namely, the #KashiwazakiKariwa Unit 6 and Unit 7 and the #TokaiDaini unit) have received regulatory approval to restart but have yet to do so. Tohoku Electric Power announced in 2018 that Onagawa Unit 1 would be decommissioned rather than upgraded, but the utility plans to seek approval to restart Onagawa Unit 3. Restarting another 10 units is under regulatory review.

"The suspension of Japan's nuclear fleet after the Fukushima accident significantly increased dependence on natural gas, oil, and coal imports to make up for lost domestic nuclear generation. It also significantly increased the installed capacity of solar photovoltaic generation in the country, according to data from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Japan has limited domestic fossil fuel resources and imports virtually all the fossil fuels it uses. Consequently, Japan is the world's second-largest importer of liquefied natural gas (LNG) after China and the third-largest importer of coal.

"As part of Japan’s sixth long-term energy plan, last updated in October 2021, the central government called for the nuclear share of the country’s electricity generation to reach 20%–22% by 2030. Nuclear power accounted for about 6% of Japan’s electricity generation in 2023. A draft of Japan’s seventh long-term energy plan was released on December 17, 2024, and says nuclear power should account for 20% of Japan’s energy supply in 2040.

"Japan’s current policy intends to maximize the use of existing reactors by restarting as many units as possible and extending the #LicensedOperatingLife beyond the current 60-year limit."

Source:
gasprocessingnews.com/news/202
#NoNukesForAI #RenewablesNow #RethinkNotRestart #NoMoreFukushimas #TEPCOLies #KEPCOLies #NoNukes #NuclearPlants #NuclearPowerCorruptionAndLies

gasprocessingnews.comSince the 2011 Fukushima accident, Japan has restarted 14 nuclear reactorsJapanese utilities restarted two additional nuclear reactors in 2024 that had been suspended from operations in response to the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi accident, taking the total number of restarted reactors to 14 since the accident.
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DoomsdaysCW

'Chaos': #Peru Declares #EnvironmentalEmergency Over #OilSpill

"So far, we have not had any response from the oil company," said one fisherman whose livelihood has been threatened by the accident.

Julia Conley
Dec 27, 2024

"At least seven beaches and the safety of local wildlife have been impacted by an oil spill in northern Peru, said the South American country's Environmental Assessment and Oversight Agency on Thursday as the government declared an environmental emergency.

"The environmental watchdog, known as #OEFA locally, said in a preliminary report that about 10,000 square meters of surface seawater have been contaminated by the crude oil, which spilled from a vessel at a terminal of the #TalaraRefinery.

"Petroperu, the state-owned oil company, was preparing to load the oil onto a tanker when the spill was detected at #LasCapullanas beach.

"The company has not disclosed exactly how much oil spilled, but OEFA said it has extended over an area of 116-566 acres. Petroperu has also not stated the cause of the accident."

Read more:
commondreams.org/news/petroper
#BigOilAndGas #Petroperu #WaterIsLife #OceansAreLife #NoDAPL #RenewablesNow #EnvironmentalPollution #EnvironmentalDisaster

Common Dreams · 'Chaos': Peru Declares Environmental Emergency Over Oil Spill | Common DreamsAn oil spill in northern Peru has devastated at least seven beaches and local wildlife, sparking an environmental emergency. Petroperu's negligence has left fishermen stranded and marine life in danger. How many more times will this company be allowed to destroy our precious ecosystems? #SaveOurOceans #EnvironmentalCrisis
Public
DoomsdaysCW

#DrillBabyDrill! smh
#Alaska governor asks #Trump to roll back restrictions on #OilAndGasDrilling

By Becky Bohrer, December 20, 2024

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — "Alaska Gov. #MikeDunleavy’s wish list for the incoming Trump administration includes oil and gas exploration in the pristine #ArcticNationalWildlifeRefuge and reversing restrictions on #logging and road-building in a temperate #rainforest that provides habitat for #wolves, #bears and #salmon."

Read more:
apnews.com/article/alaska-gove

#RenewablesNow#BigOilAndGas#USPol
Public
DoomsdaysCW

Um, I can think of a lot better uses for £46 million! Like housing, renewable energy projects, climate change mitigation, etc., etc.

"A national memorial to #QueenElizabethII could cost as much as £46m, with the government calling on leading artists, architects and engineers to put forward ideas for the monument.

"The permanent memorial to the country's longest-reigning monarch will be placed in St James's Park, close to Buckingham Palace in central London.

"The government has set a provisional construction budget of between £23m and £46m excluding VAT for the project, with the money for it coming from public funds."

bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwy46e

BBC NewsElizabeth II: St James's Park memorial could cost up to £46mThe project will aim to create "an emotionally powerful place", with celebratory spaces as well as areas to encourage reflection, and a standalone monument.
#AbolishTheMonarchy#HousingForAll#RenewablesNow
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