Law stating that Germany must outlaw nuclear power generation by 2022 is encouraging more talk of an EU-wide electricity system. After the Fukushima disaster in Japan, Germany decided to shut down its 17 nuclear power stations by 2022, closing the 7 oldest ones immediately. This has turned Germany from a net exporter of electricity, to a net importer of electricity … Read More
Wind farms producing more electricity
Record figures for energy generated from wind power in the UK. Thanks to Hurricane Irene, 7.2 per cent of our electricity was being produced by wind turbines on Tuesday 6th September at 11:58am. The latest reports from the British Wind Energy Association are understandably keen to talk up the renewable source of power, but other commentators have been more interested … Read More
RWE looking at sale of Npower
German utility giant RWE is reportedly assessing the sale of British energy firm Npower RWE, parent company of Npower, is assessing the sale of the UK company in a rethink of strategy. This comes after German parliament last week backed a withdrawal from nuclear power by 2022, following Japan’s nuclear crisis.
Germany to phase out nuclear by 2022
German chancellor Angela Merkel has ordered all of the country’s nuclear power plants to be shut down by 2022. Merkel’s coalition government has performed a complete reversal of policy regarding nuclear power. There have been many anti-nuclear protests in Germany following the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Germany is the largest industrialised nation to go anti-nuclear for 25 years. The country is … Read More
New EU stress tests for nuclear plants
EU Nuclear watchdogs have finalised continent-wide stress tests for all nuclear reactors following the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan All 143 of Europe’s nuclear reactors will undergo new stress tests devised by European nuclear watchdogs covering both natural and man made hazards. From 1 June, nuclear power plants will be tested for resilience to natural disasters like the earthquake and … Read More
Huhne announces 50% carbon reduction by 2025.
Energy Secretary Chris Huhne has committed the UK to halving carbon emissions by 2025, from 1990 levels. The Energy Secretary announced yesterday that ministers have accepted the Committee on Climate Change‘s proposal to reduce the UK’s carbon emissions by 50% by 2025 – the biggest commitment of any EU country so far. The secretary, briefing MPs on the 4th carbon … Read More
MPs say reforms are hiding nuclear subsidies
A committee of MPs has said in a report released today that the planned reforms to the energy market are hiding subsidies for nuclear power The coalition government’s planned reforms of the energy industry are hiding subsidies for nuclear power, says the Energy and Climate Change Committee (ECCC). The committee claims these covert subsidies are betraying the previous promise that … Read More
Nuclear is UK’s ‘cheapest low-carbon option’
The Committee on Climate Change has said in its renewable energy review that nuclear power remains the cheapest low carbon energy option The CCC said that nuclear power will stay the cheapest solution to growing a low carbon energy supply for at least the next 10 years. The The Committee on Climate Change report says that the UK’s energy supply … Read More
UK nuclear plans delayed after Fukushima
A decision to approve designs for Britain’s next generation of nuclear plants has been delayed for a safety review The workers at the nuclear power plant in Fukushima are still fighting to contain radiation after the earthquake and tsunami destabilised its reactors, designed with withstanding natural disasters in mind. In an attempt to incorporate any lessons learned from the crisis … Read More
Budget 2011 introduces new carbon tax
The Chancellor, George Osborne announced yet another ‘carbon tax’ in yesterday’s budget, dubbed the ‘2011 budget for growth’. This means businesses and consumers can expect higher electricity bills, as carbon-emitting coal and gas-fired plants are taxed £3.2 billion over the next 5 years. Nuclear and renewable companies should see increased profits, as the tax is applied to the oil and … Read More