January 12 NEC Energy News
¶ “France’s New-Generation Nuclear Plant Delayed Again” • EDF announced there would be new delays and cost overruns for its troubled Flamanville nuclear plant in northern France, as the Covid-19 pandemic made the work more difficult. Projected costs were increased to €12.7 billion. Originally, the cost was projected to be €3.3 billion. [Digital Journal]
¶ “Green EU Label For Nuclear: Federal Office Sees Inadequate Assessment” • Wolfram König, president of Germany’s Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management, commented on the proposal that nuclear power be classed as green. He said that from a technical point of view, the position nuclear power is sustainable is “not tenable.” [Market Research Telecast]
¶ “A Year In Review: Advancing Energy Storage And Conversion Research” • Over the past year, researchers at NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) have pioneered innovative, interdisciplinary, and integrated R&D for advancements in electrochemical, molecular, thermal, and mechanical energy storage systems. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “85% Of US Electric Generating Capacity Retirements In 2022 Will Be Coal” • Operators have scheduled 14.9 GW of generating capacity to retire in the US during 2022, according to the EIA’s latest inventory of electric generators. Most of the scheduled retirements are coal-fired power plants (85%), followed by natural gas (8%) and nuclear (5%). [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Oceans Were The Warmest On Record In 2021, For The Third Year In A Row” • Last year was the hottest on record for oceans for the third year in a row. An annual study, published in the journal Advances in Atmospheric Sciences, found the past five years have been the hottest five on record for the oceans. The records go back to the late 1950s. [CNN]
¶ “US Saw Its Fourth-Hottest Year On Record In 2021, Fueled By Record-Warm December” • In the US, the year 2021 was marked by extremes, including exceptional heat and devastating severe weather. It had the second-highest number of climate disasters and billion-dollar weather on record. Here’s a recap of the year’s climate and extreme weather events. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “French City Cancels Hydrogen Bus Contract, Opts For Electric Buses” • The public transit agency for the city of Montpellier, on the southern coast of France, has cancelled a contract for 51 new buses powered by hydrogen fuel cells. The city had calculated it would cost 95¢/km for the hydrogen fueled buses versus 15¢/km for battery-powered buses. [CleanTechnica]
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