UK push for civil atomic power highlights link with nuclear weapons

Last week, EiD published a post by Andrew Warren that the UK government is pursuing an uneconomic nuclear programme in large part so as to maintain and renew military nuclear capabilities. Now Andy Stirling, Professor of Science & Technology Policy in the Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex together with Philip Johnstone, Research Fellow, … Continue reading UK push for civil atomic power highlights link with nuclear weapons →

Energy in Demand News, January 14, 2024

EiD welcomes that the IEA published Renewables 2023 this week. It is encouraging to see that the world added 50% more renewable capacity in 2023 than in 2022 and next 5 years will see fastest growth yet. The IEA says that the world’s capacity to generate renewable electricity is expanding faster than at any time … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, January 14, 2024 →

Australia’s energy transition – electricity generated by solar and on-shore wind is the cheapest

Graham Readfearn writes on the Guardian website about recent analysis showing that solar and on-shore wind is the cheapest options in Australia. Analysis shows that small modular nuclear reactors would provide most expensive power and will not be available until 2030. What are your views? Note that CSIRO is the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research … Continue reading Australia’s energy transition – electricity generated by solar and on-shore wind is the cheapest →

Britain’s energy transition is more complex than meets the eye

The UK government is pursuing an uneconomic nuclear programme in large part so as to maintain and renew military nuclear capabilities, argues Andrew Warren, chairman of the British Energy Efficiency Federation, in an article on the BusinessGreen website. Submarine thinking: A 'lock-in' of nuclear power would be reckless for the economy and the climate … Continue reading Britain’s energy transition is more complex than meets the eye →

It’s a nuclear future for France’s energy transition

France’s latest Energy Bill has sparked controversy as it prioritises nuclear power over renewables. Dimitris Mavrokefalidis discusses France’s new energy bill in an article on the Energy Live News website. France shifts focus: Nuclear over renewables in new Energy Bill France faces criticism for its new Energy Bill prioritising nuclear power over renewables, omitting … Continue reading It’s a nuclear future for France’s energy transition →

Energy in Demand News, January 7, 2024

With the devastation of floods, heatwaves, hurricanes, forest fires and more, we know much more needs to be done to mitigate GHG emissions. Many commentators were concerned after COP28 last year that there was no sense of urgency. Read once more the comment from Fiona Harvey, published on EiD in December, on the need for … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, January 7, 2024 →

The role of small modular reactors in the energy transition

As the global need for decarbonisation becomes more urgent, small modular reactors are getting considerable attention. COP28 recognised the critical role of nuclear energy for reducing the effects of climate change. COP28 also saw 22 world leaders sign a declaration to make efforts to triple nuclear energy by 2050. SMRs have been touted as a … Continue reading The role of small modular reactors in the energy transition →

Generational divide in supporting nuclear energy

Young climate activists in Europe are calling on Greenpeace to drop its "old-fashioned" stance against nuclear energy. Scientists say the generational divide not surprising, as nuclear disasters are distant memories for some. Sheena Goodyear discusses in an article on the CBC news website. Greenpeace opposes nuclear energy. Young climate activists say that's 'old-fashioned' Young … Continue reading Generational divide in supporting nuclear energy →

High temperatures to affect France’s nuclear energy output

Euronews provides a news item on its website about the concerns in France that the high temperatures is affecting water quality in rivers and this will have an impact on its nuclear energy output. With France wanting to build new nuclear power plants in the future, leaving aside the question whether they should be built … Continue reading High temperatures to affect France’s nuclear energy output →

A wake-up call to the dangers of nuclear power

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has been in the news since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Russian invasion of Ukraine is the first time war has engulfed operating nuclear plants and, in a real sense, weaponised them as potential radiological weapons, or “dirty bombs”. Tilman Ruff, Honorary Principal Fellow, School of … Continue reading A wake-up call to the dangers of nuclear power →