The Thing That Wouldn't Die Goes To Italia

I always find that the leads are somehow buried in these stories. These typically conservative pro-nuke governments always want the private sector to fund them but somehow are willing to let that majorly slide when push comes to shove. I'd like to lose weight without exercising and giving up cookies too but that's equally unlikely to happen.

It's also good to note that once you start one of these monster multi-year projects, they are almost impossible to stop because of the huge costs associated with such a step. Not unlike what we're currently discussing on the fate of the F-22 fighter program.

Finally, would it be wrong to think that it's curious to see "Italy" and "Speeds Up" right next to each other? :)

Analysis- Italy Speeds Up Nuclear Pland But Problems Pile Up - Alibaba.com - 27 Feb 09

"The government wants private investors to bankroll the nuclear revival which may cost between $3 billion and $6 billion per 1,000-megawatt plant, some industry estimates say. But the economic downturn has made access to funds difficult.

'It can be done using the Finnish consortium model involving developers alongside heavy industrial users who will underwrite offload contracts for baseload energy,' said Lorenzo Parola, head of energy and utilities at international law firm Allen & Overy in Milan. But he added that for the project to be bankable the state needed to take on risks such as siting, waste disposal, accidents and decommissioning. He also pointed to potentially big antitrust risks.

Private investors would also need guarantees that projects would not be scrapped when an opposition government took power.

Enel, Europe's second-biggest utility in installed capacity and which has nuclear capacity abroad, could face problems given its high debt, now at about 61 billion euros."

The Thing That Wouldn't Die Goes To Italia

I always find that the leads are somehow buried in these stories. These typically conservative pro-nuke governments always want the private sector to fund them but somehow are willing to let that majorly slide when push comes to shove. I'd like to lose weight without exercising and giving up cookies too but that's equally unlikely to happen.

It's also good to note that once you start one of these monster multi-year projects, they are almost impossible to stop because of the huge costs associated with such a step. Not unlike what we're currently discussing on the fate of the F-22 fighter program.

Finally, would it be wrong to think that it's curious to see "Italy" and "Speeds Up" right next to each other? :)

Analysis- Italy Speeds Up Nuclear Pland But Problems Pile Up - Alibaba.com - 27 Feb 09

"The government wants private investors to bankroll the nuclear revival which may cost between $3 billion and $6 billion per 1,000-megawatt plant, some industry estimates say. But the economic downturn has made access to funds difficult.

'It can be done using the Finnish consortium model involving developers alongside heavy industrial users who will underwrite offload contracts for baseload energy,' said Lorenzo Parola, head of energy and utilities at international law firm Allen & Overy in Milan. But he added that for the project to be bankable the state needed to take on risks such as siting, waste disposal, accidents and decommissioning. He also pointed to potentially big antitrust risks.

Private investors would also need guarantees that projects would not be scrapped when an opposition government took power.

Enel, Europe's second-biggest utility in installed capacity and which has nuclear capacity abroad, could face problems given its high debt, now at about 61 billion euros."

Renewable Energy, Batteries Included - In Ireland (and Elsewhere)

You heard the compressed air energy storage system (CAES) story nattered on here before. Yet more projects are being announced. This time in Northern Ireland.

Salt Caverns in Antrim Coast to Store Wind Power - Belfast Telegraph - 02 Mar 09

"Until now, critics of wind power — including Environment Minister Sammy Wilson — have warned that it is unsuitable for wholesale supply to the grid due to the problems of intermittent supply. But Gaelectric says the Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) facility planned for Larne would maximise the potential of renewable power, whilst stabilising electricity prices and emissions. It should allow wind energy to be integrated onto the grid more quickly and efficiently, boosting employment in businesses that construct and operate wind farms.

The technique uses off-peak power to compress air into an underground geological storage vessel, such as a depleted gas field, disused mine or, in this case, a salt cavern. The compressed air is later released to generate peak power at times of higher electricity demand."

A study for compressed air from wind power in Colorado and another project in the works in North Dakota.

Wind Integrated Compressed Air Energy Storage in Colorado by by R Moutoux

Mining Salt, Storing Wind - Bismarck Tribune - 11 Feb 09

"The Burke County mines would be near a proposed 2,000-megawatt wind farm that North Dakota regulators say will be one of the world's biggest wind energy projects. Hartland Wind Farm LLC is planning the $4 billion project in Burke, Ward and Mountrail counties. The company is a joint venture involving Denali Energy of Baxter, Minn., and Montgomery Energy Partners of Houston. It plans more than 1,300 wind towers with construction to start late next year.

Doyle said the idea is to get compressed air from wind farms during periods of low electricity demand and pump the air into underground mining holes and cap them. During periods of high electricity demand or when the wind is not blowing, the compressed air would be released and run through a turbine to create power, he said. 'The biggest problem with a wind farm is that when the wind doesn't blow, the lights go out,' Doyle said. 'This balances out that problem.'

Doyle said the compressed air energy storage technology has been used at a plant in Huntorf, Germany, since 1978 and at a plant in McIntosh, Ala., for about a dozen years. Both plants use depleted salt reservoirs to store compressed air. 'I'd like to say we're doing something new, but we're not,' Doyle said."

Renewable Energy, Batteries Included - In Ireland (and Elsewhere)

You heard the compressed air energy storage system (CAES) story nattered on here before. Yet more projects are being announced. This time in Northern Ireland.

Salt Caverns in Antrim Coast to Store Wind Power - Belfast Telegraph - 02 Mar 09

"Until now, critics of wind power — including Environment Minister Sammy Wilson — have warned that it is unsuitable for wholesale supply to the grid due to the problems of intermittent supply. But Gaelectric says the Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) facility planned for Larne would maximise the potential of renewable power, whilst stabilising electricity prices and emissions. It should allow wind energy to be integrated onto the grid more quickly and efficiently, boosting employment in businesses that construct and operate wind farms.

The technique uses off-peak power to compress air into an underground geological storage vessel, such as a depleted gas field, disused mine or, in this case, a salt cavern. The compressed air is later released to generate peak power at times of higher electricity demand."

A study for compressed air from wind power in Colorado and another project in the works in North Dakota.

Wind Integrated Compressed Air Energy Storage in Colorado by by R Moutoux

Mining Salt, Storing Wind - Bismarck Tribune - 11 Feb 09

"The Burke County mines would be near a proposed 2,000-megawatt wind farm that North Dakota regulators say will be one of the world's biggest wind energy projects. Hartland Wind Farm LLC is planning the $4 billion project in Burke, Ward and Mountrail counties. The company is a joint venture involving Denali Energy of Baxter, Minn., and Montgomery Energy Partners of Houston. It plans more than 1,300 wind towers with construction to start late next year.

Doyle said the idea is to get compressed air from wind farms during periods of low electricity demand and pump the air into underground mining holes and cap them. During periods of high electricity demand or when the wind is not blowing, the compressed air would be released and run through a turbine to create power, he said. 'The biggest problem with a wind farm is that when the wind doesn't blow, the lights go out,' Doyle said. 'This balances out that problem.'

Doyle said the compressed air energy storage technology has been used at a plant in Huntorf, Germany, since 1978 and at a plant in McIntosh, Ala., for about a dozen years. Both plants use depleted salt reservoirs to store compressed air. 'I'd like to say we're doing something new, but we're not,' Doyle said."