January 12 NEC Energy News
¶ “Pacific Pleads With Japan Over Nuclear Waste Release” • In a few months, Japan will start dumping one million tonnes of treated wastewater from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi power plant into the Pacific Ocean. Japan must work with the Pacific to find a solution to its nuclear waste plan or we face disaster, the Pacific Islands Forum warned. [Stuff.co.nz]
¶ “Pipe Issue Delays Startup Of New Vogtle Nuclear Unit” • The startup of the first of two new reactors at the Vogtle nuclear plant in Georgia is being pushed back to at least April, one month after officials with Georgia Power had planned to start generating electricity from the unit. The delay is due to a vibrating pipe in the cooling system. [POWER Magazine]
¶ “New UCF-Developed Battery Could Prevent Post-Hurricane Electric Vehicle Fires” • A researcher at the University of Central Florida has developed an aqueous battery that could prevent electric vehicle fires. The UCF-designed battery is fast charging, reaching full charge in three minutes, compared to the hours it takes lithium-ion batteries. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Ocean Heat Hit Another Record High In 2022, Fueling Extreme Weather” • The world’s oceans were the warmest on record for the fourth year in row in 2022, according to a study published in the journal Advances in Atmospheric Sciences. It is a troubling indication of the climate crisis caused by humans releasing heat-trapping gases. [CNN]
¶ “Wind Power Sets New UK Record” • National Grid ESO has confirmed that wind provided more than half of the UK’s power at one time on the evening of January 10, 2023, setting a new record, according to RenewableUK. Wind generated 21.6 GW of electric power in the half-hour period between 6:00 and 6:30 pm, providing 50.4% of the UK’s power. [reNews]
¶ “Storms Relentless As California Drenching Goes On” • The famously sunny southern coast of California has been hit by storm after storm since the December holidays, eroding roads, felling trees and causing landslides. As of Tuesday evening, at least 17 people had died in weather-relate incidents since the storms began, Governor Newsom said. [BBC]
¶ “Qcells Plans Largest Clean Energy Manufacturing Investment In US History” • The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported that Qcells, the solar panel manufacturing division of South Korea’s Hanwha, planned to invest in new factories in Georgia, saying it was “the largest clean energy manufacturing investment in US history.” Now it’s official. [CleanTechnica]
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