Tomorrow’s benefits of fusion can be achieved with fission today
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NRC Staff Whiffs On Nuclear Licensing Modernization
"NRC staff claim they have met the mandate given to them by Congress. But the sheer length of the proposed regulations alone demonstrates this is not the case. The draft framework is twice as long as either of the legacy, prescriptive licensing frameworks, Part 50 and 52, that it is intended to supplant. That is because the staff largely cut and pasted the old rules into the new framework, then added further burdensome regulations, including qualitative health objectives that cannot be complied with and expanded requirements for the notorious 'As Low As Reasonably Achievable' radiation standard, a further invitation to endlessly ratchet regulatory requirements. These latter two standards have been added by NRC staff despite longstanding and clear direction from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission not to use either standard in the way that staff proposes to use them."
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‘Degrowth’ Looks As Bad As It Sounds
"Less-necessary production is often in the eye of the beholder, but fuel, food, clothing and transportation might not be the first sectors that come to mind when consumers consider things they can do without. As for the goals of fewer private jets and a reduction in purchasing power among the rich, even ecological economists ought to understand that there will be a downside for those who produce what the rich purchase. The authors might consider what happened to shipyard workers when the U.S. Congress sought to soak the rich by applying a heavy tax on yachts in 1990. Sales plummeted, and so did jobs."
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The ‘unprecedented’ risks facing our power grid this winter should be a wake-up call for government
"The United States is one of the top energy producers in the world, and Americans should not have to doubt their ability to stay warm and have reliable power this winter. We expect the power grid to keep the refrigerator humming, car charging, and economy running. It’s imperative the Biden administration nominates a FERC commissioner who can set our power grid up for success by prioritizing its safety, reliability, and affordability."
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This little-known bottleneck is blocking clean energy for millions
"But experts say the United States needs to radically expand transmission lines — now spanning 700,000 miles across the country — to accelerate the energy transition. Scientists estimate that transmission will have to increase 25 percent over the course of the decade to meet U.S. climate goals."
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U.S. defense bill could make it harder to ship fuel in crises -experts
"The annual must-pass National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, amends the Jones Act waiver process to require the request be made public, establishes a 48 hour holding period after publication, prohibits any ship with goods on waterways from obtaining the waiver and requires a presidential determination that the waiver is needed for national defense."
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Texas grid proposals tee up new natural gas fight
"Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) and state lawmakers are pitching a plan to mandate new natural gas generation to avoid future power crises in Texas. Patrick — who presides over the state Senate — suggested economic incentives for gas-fueled plants at the expense of wind and solar, similar to an unsuccessful bill he backed last year."
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GOP Will Advance American Interests Through Climate Policies
"Ultimately large-scale global emission reductions will require new innovative technologies that deliver reliable, resilient, and cleaner affordable energy. Here too, America is poised to lead. Federal policies must prioritize fostering innovation and commercialization of affordable clean energy technologies that can both bolster the momentum of emissions reductions at home and be exported to help reduce emissions globally."
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Green battery backed by billionaires Gates, Bezos and Branson plans factory to ‘reshape energy system’
"Recharge reported in 2020 that Minnesota-based utility Great River Energy was planning to build a 1MW/150MWh grid-connected demonstration storage plant using Form Energy’s secret battery technology – providing 1MW of output for 150 hours straight – as it closes all but one of its fossil-fuel power plants."
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Compared to Europe, the American farm system is more efficient and sustainable
"Ultimately, we should recognize the wonders of modern agriculture. The benefits of high-yield farming are apparent: We feed more people more sustainably, all while having to charge them less for it. For instance, we need 60 percent fewer cows yet produce twice as much milk as we did in the 1930s. We need to build on these types of successes to make our food system more efficient and sustainable."
