No Ramping Allowed

Yet another example of how nuclear "features" are often "bugs". Plant capacity factors [how much of the potential power from a source is actually generated] are often given as numbers unrelated to the actual demand for energy.

Fortunately, that issue is being looked into a bit closer by examining when the energy source is actually producing power when the demand is high and not producing it when the demand is low.  This is the "Effective Load Carrying Capacity" (ELCC). The California wind farms come out looking a lot better with that kind of modeling compared to the old school plant capacity factor numbers often used.
( More wind geek stuff . . . )

No Ramping Allowed

Yet another example of how nuclear "features" are often "bugs". Plant capacity factors [how much of the potential power from a source is actually generated] are often given as numbers unrelated to the actual demand for energy.

Fortunately, that issue is being looked into a bit closer by examining when the energy source is actually producing power when the demand is high and not producing it when the demand is low.  This is the "Effective Load Carrying Capacity" (ELCC). The California wind farms come out looking a lot better with that kind of modeling compared to the old school plant capacity factor numbers often used.
( More wind geek stuff . . . )

Yet Another Nuke on Fire in Germany

And the beat goes on.  No wonder they want these things shut down sooner than later.  Unfortunately, they seem to go into flames even when they're shut down [Kruemmel's nuke].  You can't win.  You can't get out of the game.

Fire Incident Reported at North German Nuclear Power Plant - IRNA - 14 Mar 08

"A technical glitch was reported at the north German Brokdorf nuclear power plant as a short circuit of a malfunctioning pump caused a fire in the facility, press reports Friday.  According to the nuclear supervisory board, workers at the plant managed to extinguish the fire.  Two of the four emergency power wires had to be turned off in a bid to repair the short circuit."

"The German government cited last year 'considerable security deficits' in some of the country's 17 nuclear reactors following a series of recent incidents and technical blunders.  Berlin had also asked the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to review all security and technical supervisory aspects of its nuclear program. 

Germany's nuclear power plants have reported 944 incidents between the period of early 2000 and late 2006, according to statistics released by the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS).  Meanwhile the number of registered breakdowns in German nuclear power plants since 1993 stand at 1,945."

Yet Another Nuke on Fire in Germany

And the beat goes on.  No wonder they want these things shut down sooner than later.  Unfortunately, they seem to go into flames even when they're shut down [Kruemmel's nuke].  You can't win.  You can't get out of the game.

Fire Incident Reported at North German Nuclear Power Plant - IRNA - 14 Mar 08

"A technical glitch was reported at the north German Brokdorf nuclear power plant as a short circuit of a malfunctioning pump caused a fire in the facility, press reports Friday.  According to the nuclear supervisory board, workers at the plant managed to extinguish the fire.  Two of the four emergency power wires had to be turned off in a bid to repair the short circuit."

"The German government cited last year 'considerable security deficits' in some of the country's 17 nuclear reactors following a series of recent incidents and technical blunders.  Berlin had also asked the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to review all security and technical supervisory aspects of its nuclear program. 

Germany's nuclear power plants have reported 944 incidents between the period of early 2000 and late 2006, according to statistics released by the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS).  Meanwhile the number of registered breakdowns in German nuclear power plants since 1993 stand at 1,945."

Arnie: Nukes Wunderbar

Surprise, surprise.

Schwarzenegger: Nukes Are Great - WSJ Blog - 14 Mar 08

"'I think nuclear power has a great future, and we should look at it again,' California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said, closing The Wall Street Journal’s 'ECO:nomics' conference. While he understands some people might still be afraid of the nuclear option, most Three Mile Island analogies are 'environmentalist scare tactics. The technology has advanced so much,' he said."

A minor detail noted here.  Those Areva ads weren't for nothing.  Ooh la la!  Freedom nukes!

"'We don’t make anything here anymore,' said David Crane, chief executive of NRG Energy in New Jersey, who suggested bringing Areva and French technology back to jumpstart the U.S. nuclear-power sector."

Arnie: Nukes Wunderbar

Surprise, surprise.

Schwarzenegger: Nukes Are Great - WSJ Blog - 14 Mar 08

"'I think nuclear power has a great future, and we should look at it again,' California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said, closing The Wall Street Journal’s 'ECO:nomics' conference. While he understands some people might still be afraid of the nuclear option, most Three Mile Island analogies are 'environmentalist scare tactics. The technology has advanced so much,' he said."

A minor detail noted here.  Those Areva ads weren't for nothing.  Ooh la la!  Freedom nukes!

"'We don’t make anything here anymore,' said David Crane, chief executive of NRG Energy in New Jersey, who suggested bringing Areva and French technology back to jumpstart the U.S. nuclear-power sector."

One Last Bad Joke for the Evening

DOE Shines $14M on Solar Energy Research - Slashdot - 13 Mar 08

Two items noted in the blogged posts:

"Eleven university solar research projects aimed at developing advanced solar photovoltaic (PV) technology manufacturing processes and products got a $14 million boost today from the Dept. of Energy." And..."$14 million is barely over an hour of the cost of the US occupation of Iraq: senate.gov [senate.gov]"

One Last Bad Joke for the Evening

DOE Shines $14M on Solar Energy Research - Slashdot - 13 Mar 08

Two items noted in the blogged posts:

"Eleven university solar research projects aimed at developing advanced solar photovoltaic (PV) technology manufacturing processes and products got a $14 million boost today from the Dept. of Energy." And..."$14 million is barely over an hour of the cost of the US occupation of Iraq: senate.gov [senate.gov]"