Energy

  • Nuclear mattersRussia, Italy to build new fusion reactor

    The reactor, designed by MIT researchers, is based on MIT's Alcator fusion research program, which has the highest magnetic field and highest plasma pressure of any fusion reactor, and is the largest university-based fusion reactor in the world; the new reactor, called Ignitor, would be about twice the size of Alcator -- but much smaller and less expensive than the ITER fusion reactor currently under construction in France

  • U.S. military warns of massive oil shortages by 2015

    A new study by the U.S. military warns of serious oil shortages by 2015: surplus oil production will disappear by 2012, and as early as 2015 the shortfall in output could reach nearly 10 million barrels per day; the Joint Operating Environment report paints a bleak picture of what can happen on occasions when there is serious economic upheaval: "One should not forget that the Great Depression spawned a number of totalitarian regimes that sought economic prosperity for their nations by ruthless conquest," it warns darkly

  • U.S. grid-security measures may hurt Canadian companies

    The growing concern in the United States over the security of the national grid has lead to security measures -- and proposed legislation -- aiming to make the security of the grid more robust; trouble is, much of the U.S. electricity comes from Canada, and some of the contemplated security measures my disrupt transmission of power from across the border

  • Is your water system up to standard? ASME/ITI/AWA J100-10: Standard for Risk Res

  • Nuclear mattersDoubts raised on nuclear industry viability

    There are two problems facing the nuclear power industry: civilian and military stockpiles and re-enriched or reprocessed uranium sources contribute 25,000 of the 65,000 tons of uranium used globally each year; the rest is mined directly, but scientists say that nobody knows where the mining industry can find enough uranium to make up the shortfall; also, the cost per kilowatt of capacity generated by nuclear power is $4,000; generating identical capacity from coal costs $3,000, and the cost for natural gas generation is $800; this makes the nuclear option a big financial gamble

  • A landmark investment to finance Canada-U.S. grid connection

    The biggest Canada-U.S. power grid project -- a privately funded 1,200- to 1400-megawatt transmission line between Quebec and southern New Hampshire -- will lower the cost of power throughout New England; the project could also meet one third of the New England's Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative commitments with the hydroelectric power Hydro-Québec could pump through the line

  • Energy futureOil production to peak before 2030

    New reports says that oil will become increasingly expensive and harder to find, extract, and produce; significant new discoveries, such as the one announced recently in the Gulf of Mexico, are only expected to delay the peak by a matter of days and weeks; to maintain global oil production at today's level will require the equivalent of a new Saudi Arabia every three years

  • Border Security Expo, February 14-16, 2011, Phoenix Convention Center

  • U.S. military jets, vehicles to run on biofuels and animal-corpse grease

    Honeywell says the U.S. Air Force will buy 400,000 gallons of algae/weeds/corpse-fat jet fuel, and the U.S. Navy will take 190,000 gallons

  • California faces major decision on dams

    California already has upward of 1,000 dams that provide water supply, flood control, and hydropower, but California growing water shortages; last month Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger insisted he would not sign off on any major overhaul of the water system without money for new dams and reservoirs

  • Nuclear mattersRolls-Royce, EDF to construct four nuclear reactors in U.K.

    The civil nuclear market is worth around £30 billion a year globally and is expected to grow to £50 billion a year in fifteen years' time, more than 70 percent of which will relate to the build and support of new facilities

  • Nuclear mattersMore efficient nuclear fuel sought

    DoE funds research to address the shortcomings of uranium dioxide -- the fuel most commonly used to generate nuclear energy

  • Energy futuresHome power plants project unveiled in Germany

    Two German companies unveil plans for installing gas-fired power plants in people's basements; in the coming year the program will install 100,000 of the mini plants, producing among them 2,000 megawatts of electricity, the same as two nuclear plants

  • Nuclear mattersU.K. assessing two nuclear reactors designs

    The United Kingdom wants to build more nuclear reactors, and the government is assessing two different reactor types -- the U.K.-EPR designed by Areva and EDF, and the AP1000 designed by Westinghouse -- for their suitability to meet U.K. regulatory standards

  • TrendGrowing investments in smart grid

    Investment is seen shifting from capital-intensive energy generating technologies, such as solar and wind, to those associated with energy storage, transportation and efficiency

  • Nuclear mattersU.S. halts uranium mining at Grand Canyon

    The Interior Department has barred the filing of new mining claims, including for uranium, on 1 million acres near the Grand Canyon

  • Questions raised about cost of, need for new electricity grid

    A new national grid system for the United States would involve stringing 19,000 miles of high-voltage lines at a cost of$60 billion; some experts say this is too expensive -- and unnecessary

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The Long View

  • Nuclear fusionCold fusion is enjoying a rebirth

    Researchers presented new evidence for the existence of this promising -- and controversial -- energy source' papers discussed last week at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society

  • Nuclear mattersHow long will the world's uranium deposits last?

    At current consumption rates, the planet's economically accessible uranium resources could fuel reactors for more than 200 years; further exploration and improvements in extraction technology are likely to at least double this estimate over time; if we extract uranium from seawater, and build breeder reactors, then supplies will last 30,000 to 60,000 years

  • Energy companies targeted by Web-borne malware

    New report says the energy companies experienced more Web-based malware attacks than any other vertical market in the third quarter of this year, with an increased rate of exposure of 189 percent

  • Shape of things to comeNew reactor design lessens risk of weapon proliferation

    Nuclear materials for power reactors cannot be stolen by those interested in using it for nuclear weapons while the material is in the reactor -- it is too hot to handle; the risks of diversion are during the enrichment process, and while the material is being transported; to lessen the risk, researchers offer innovative reactor design