Chicago Media Shun The Wind Power 2009 Conference – Oh the bankrupt Tribue ran an op/ed piece about government intervention

Posted on May 6, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

But you would think that a convention/conference that brings 15,000 participants, represents the future and is in a city with a mayor, Richard Daley, who wants to be the greenest governor in the US, that there would be some coverage of “The Latest In Wind Technologies” or “Where Does Chicago Fit Into The New Energy Future” or at least an address by the Mayor. NADA Zilch Nothing. Other people noticed however:

http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20090504006376&newsLang=en

May 04, 2009 07:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time

World Business Chicago Facilitates International Networking at WINDPOWER 2009 Conference

WINDPOWER 2009

CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–World Business Chicago (WBC) and its Chairman, Mayor Richard M. Daley, in conjunction with other key public, private and non-profit partners, tonight hosted a VIP networking reception as part of the American Wind Energy Association’s (AWEA) WINDPOWER 2009 Conference and Exhibition at Chicago’s McCormick Place.

The reception, with more than 200 people in attendance, was presented by a collaboration of organizations including the AWEA (Organizer/Sponsor), WBC (Organizer/Sponsor), MEGA (Sponsor), the City of Chicago (Organizer), the State of Illinois (Organizer) and the Illinois Finance Authority (Organizer).

The wind power industry is a top economic development priority for WBC, based on the industry’s high growth potential, profitability, job creation/diversity, and wage levels. Chicago offers wind industry companies locational advantages including a skilled labor force, proximity to markets and supplies, natural sources of wind in Illinois and the Midwest, available real estate, access to airports, rail and highway systems and strong public sector commitments to wind industry use and production.

“The WINDPOWER Conference provides World Business Chicago with a wonderful opportunity to showcase Chicago’s position as a prime location for wind power companies,” said Rita Athas, executive director of World Business Chicago. “By hosting this event, we are facilitating dialogue between visiting and local wind power companies, Chicago area companies that may do business with them and our local leaders, in order to foster growth and new opportunities.”

The Chicago area’s locational advantages for the wind industry are evident in recent additions of notable wind power companies include:

Area Headquarters

Acciona N. America HQ
E.ON N. America Climate & Renewables HQ
Nordex USA Inc. HQ
Suzlon Wind Energy Corporation N. American HQ
Invenergy LLC HQ
Midwest Wind Energy LLC HQ
Trintek Energy Consulting HQ
Wind for Illinois HQ

Area Non-Headquarter Offices

Vestas America
Horizon Wind Energy
Siemens Energy & Automation
Winergy Drive Systems Corporation – subsidiary of Siemens

WINDPOWER 2009, the largest annual wind conference and exhibition in the world, takes place May 4th – 7th, 2009. The show features more than 18,000 attendees and 1,200 exhibitors and is expected to generate an economic impact of more than $33.3-million to Chicago, according to the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau (based on the initial estimated attendance of 14,000). Approximately 80 Illinois companies will exhibit at the conference.

The 2009 show was originally set for Minneapolis and moved to Chicago to accommodate a 20% increase over expected attendance, which doubles last year’s show in Houston. WINDPOWER is one of the 50 fastest-growing shows in North America according to Trade Show Weekly. Chicago hosted AWEA’s convention in 2004, when it drew 3,000 attendees.

Everything you need to know to get there:

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/events/view?id=45803

Siterra Booth 5580 at Wind Power 2009

Company:	Siterra Corporation
Start date:	May 4, 2009
End date:	May 7, 2009
Cost:	see AWEA.com
Location:	McCormick Convention Center, Chicago IL
Website:	Visit event website

Siterra will have a booth (5580) at the AWEA Wind Power 2009 Expo in Chicago May 4-7.

WINDPOWER 2009 Conference and Exhibition is the largest annual wind conference and exhibition in the world featuring over 15,000 attendees and over 1,200 exhibitors. Each year, wind energy professionals gather at this event to learn about the latest industry developments and technologies, review new products and services in the expansive exhibit hall, and network with leading industry decision makers. Join us for what promises to be another exciting event taking place May 4th – 7th, 2009, at McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago, Illinois.
Directions:
McCormick Place Convention Center

Welcome to Chicago’s McCormick Place, a premier convention facility in North America. Located just minutes from downtown Chicago, McCormick Place is owned and operated by the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA) and attracts close to 3 million visitors each year. McCormick Place is comprised of four state-of-the-art buildings: the North and South Buildings, the West Building and Lakeside Center. Together, they form what many consider to be the economic engine that powers the entire convention and tradeshow industry. McCormick Place is committed to creating a great experience for every person, every time!

For a map of McCormick Place Convention Center: http://www.mccormickplace.com/floorplans/map_index.html

For more information: http://www.mccormickplace.com/index.html

Exhibitors: For information on exhibiting in Chicago, FOCUS One utilities, and guidelines and services, visit http://www.mccormickplace.com/exhibitor/exhibitor_01.html.

Guest Services: Click here to open a .pdf document outlining some of the guest services at McCormick Place Convention Center.

Accessibility Map: Click here to open a .pdf map showing the location of all elevators for wheelchair access.
For additional disability services at the convention center, visit http://www.mccormickplace.com/facilities/disabilities.html

Meeting Room Rentals: Interested in renting a meeting room at the convention center or connected Hyatt Regency McCormick Place hotel? Contact Stefanie Brown at sbrown@awea.org to receive additional information and a meeting room request form.

Parking at the McCormick Place Convention Center: There are several parking lots nearby to the McCormick Place facility including, South, North and West Buildings, Lakeside Center, Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, and Soldier Field South Lot. The parking rate is currently $19 per day (one time access). Or exhibitors may order a parking permit that allows for in-and-out privileges for $23.75. Click here to visit the parking & directions part of the McCormick Place website for more information. Please note – the parking information is subject to change and listed here as helpful information for conference attendees.

Driving Directions and Additional Parking Information for the McCormick Place Convention Center: http://www.mccormickplace.com/maps_direct/maps_dir.html
Contact:
Barbara Martin
barbara.martin@siterra.com
415-875-7114:}

WindPower 2009 – Not everything in Illinois is Coal, Oil and Uranium

Posted on May 5, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

I almost missed this. Tisk, Tisk Tisk…I got the lead from the UK…more Tisk Tisk or would that be Cluck Cluck

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/business-news/green-energy-experts-breeze-into-chicago-14291552.html

Green energy experts breeze into Chicago

Nine local companies are in the US this week to attend the world’s largest wind energy exhibition and conference.

They are taking part in an Invest NI trip to Windpower 2009, which runs until Thursday in Chicago. It is the first time companies from Northern Ireland have exhibited at the event, which has grown steadily since it was first run in 2001 by the American Wind Energy Association.

Around 15,000 leading industry professionals and decision makers from across the globe will come together to profile and learn about the latest developments and technologies in the sector.

Invest NI is supporting six local organisations to exhibit at the event alongside 10 other European companies, as part of a unique collaborative umbrella group Global Wind Alliance.

A further three local companies are attending the event with Invest NI assistance to explore possible new business opportunities and network with exhibiting companies.

Dr Vicky Kell, Invest NI’s trade director, said: “The global wind energy market is growing rapidly as governments seek to make use of this renewable source of power. In the US alone, the target is for 20% of electricity to be generated from wind by 2030.

I think it is pretty cool that the Windy City is the site for the Wind Power Convention BUT the Windy City don’t:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/columnists/chi-tue-greising-wind-may05,0,1462917.column

Don’t need a law to know which way the wind blows

David Greising

May 5, 2009

They have come here by the thousands, to the Windy City, to soak in a belief that wind is the power of the future, and that, just in case others do not see it that way, the law should make it so.

They are the wind-power industry, and they want us. They want us as customers, for starters. So far, so good.

But they also want us to sign on to a program that would invite the federal government to get involved in a system that is working quite well on its own. Not a good idea.

It is one thing for President Barack Obama to say that 20 percent of our nation’s electricity should come from renewable sources by 2030. It is quite another to draft a federal law to make it so.

David Greising Bio | E-mail | Recent columns

Central Illinois Where The Energy Past Confronts The Future – Which will win?

Posted on April 30, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

While Scooters and Wind Turbines may be the future the past always tries to claw its way back into the picture. In the past week we have had news about ADM’s efforts to inject poison into Mother Earth, a letter to the SJR indicating that a Carbon Tax would create the End Of Civilization As We Know It, and a team of Lobbyists here in Springfield and Chicago drumming up support for the extension of a pipeline from Peoria to the Wood River Refinery to complete the Rape Of Northern Canada…

Thank God no one suggested a New Nuclear Powerplant or I would have run out of space on this blog.

First ADM:

http://www.jg-tc.com/articles/2008/01/04/news/doc477daa5c2edd0528350999.txt

Friday, January 4, 2008 12:22 AM CST
Sequestration project in works at ADM; effort is similar to that planned for FutureGen

By CHRIS LUSVARDI, Staff Writer
clusvardi@herald-review.com

DECATUR — A project to test carbon dioxide storage capacity deep below Archer Daniels Midland Co.’s campus is scheduled to begin this spring.

The company will announce today a partnership with the Midwest Geological Sequestration Consortium, which is led by the Champaign-based Illinois State Geological Survey, to work on the $84.3-million project.

It will be one of seven projects the U.S. Department of Energy is funding to demonstrate carbon dioxide, or CO2, storage capacity in underground formations throughout the country. Researchers are looking for uses of carbon dioxide other than emitting it into the atmosphere.

“The whole idea is to understand what is going on in any given area to figure out whether this technique can be safe and effective,” said Robert Finley, director of the Illinois State Geological Survey. “Ultimately this is a technique that we are looking at very carefully to understand what the volume of the CO2 is that might actually be placed in the subsurface.”

The consortium will receive $66.7 million to test a part of the Mount Simon Sandstone, a saline-water-bearing rock formation that has increased in notoriety recently because the FutureGen plant in Mattoon also will test it. The formation runs below most of Illinois, Kentucky and Indiana and part of Ohio.

Beginning in late April, workers will drill more than 6,500 feet below the surface to the rock layer where the carbon dioxide will be stored. The drilling is expected to take about two months to complete, Finley said.

The energy department has awarded $4.2 million in funding for the drilling, Finley said. Another $5.24 million to cover the first year of the project is expected to be awarded within weeks, he said.

The project will inject 1,000 tons per day of carbon dioxide from ADM’s ethanol plant into the ground, Finley said. The layer where it will be injected is about 1,000 feet thick in the Decatur area, Finley said.

Injecting is scheduled to start in October 2009 and be completed in 2012. For two years after that, officials will monitor, take samples and make sure nothing is leaking from the formation.

OK let us see – How can something be CERTAIN and yet Experimental? No one will answer that question. The Illinois EPA which is being investigated by the Federal EPA for Collusion with Polluters gave them a permit in a heartbeat..:

http://myecoproject.org/global-warming-news/sequester-co2-first-us-large-scale-co2-storage-project-advances/

Sequester CO2: First U.S. Large-Scale CO2

Storage Project Advances

April 11, 2009 by Administrator
Filed under Global Warming News

Gob Knob Was SO CoooooooL – It was amazing to just walk right up to a 300 ft. Turbine and go inside

Posted on April 29, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

Many things to report about the trip. First I thought the Turbine was in Sangamon County. All the press always called the location as “south of Auburn”. Well yah but it is not even in Sangamon County. It is WAY south of Auburn like 3 exits. So I am driving down I 55 looking for this 360 ft. tower and not finding it. I almost turned back. This is no big deal but since it is all the way down at the Morrisonville exit in Montgomery County some journalist could have said so. I mean it is no big deal but geez:

http://www.sj-r.com/archive/x497776679/-Gob-nob-wind-turbine-to-begin-spinning

Gob knob’ wind turbine to begin spinning

Photos

T.J. Salsman/The State Journal-Register Work on the wind turbine 30 miles south of Springfield has gone fairly quickly for the past few weeks.

Related Links

Wind power by state (01/04/09)
Macoupin County considers wind turbines to diversify economic base (01/04/09)
Economic crisis slows wind-power boom (01/04/09)

By TIM LANDIS (tim.landis@sj-r.com)

THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER

Posted Jan 04, 2009 @ 12:13 AM

FARMERSVILLE — Dave White was reminded during construction why a hilltop just off Interstate 55 south of Springfield was selected as the site for a wind turbine that is expected to begin churning out electricity this week.

“One of the drawbacks (to completing the erection of the turbine) was that we couldn’t get the wind to stop blowing,” said White, one of 300 customers of the Rural Electric Convenience Cooperative of Auburn about to keep the lights on with the aid of wind-blown power.

The co-op has approximately 5,500 members in Montgomery, Sangamon, Morgan, Macoupin and Christian counties.

It has been more than two years since plans were announced for the “gob knob” wind turbine, named after the pile of “gob,” or coal waste, from a Freeman United Mine that operated at the site from 1951 to 1971.

The area 30 miles south of Springfield is part of the Freeman Mine State Wildlife Habitat Area and remains a popular seasonal hunting spot.

Equipment backlogs — the turbine was shipped from the Netherlands, and the blades from Mexico — repeatedly postponed the $1.8 million project after a ceremonial groundbreaking in the fall of 2006.

The difficulty in obtaining equipment in competition with major wind farms also resulted in downsizing of the original plans for a turbine that would have supplied up to 500 homes.

So when we finally found it, it was awesome…I know I am not much of an adjectives kind guy but the thing is best viewed from about a mile away. The closer you get the more you crank your neck and you lose all sense of detail. Not only that but the wind was a howling 40 miles an hour. Blade rotation 25 rpms.? Still it was only producing 75,0000 kilowatts out of the 90,000 it could produce:

http://www.recc.coop/

Open House April 25 !

“Gob Nob” Wind Turbine ProjectThe Gob Nob project is a unique partnership between RECC and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, which owns the land near Farmersville where the 900-kilowatt wind turbine is located.

Central Illinois is not blessed with the “prime” wind speed sites that can be found in the Peoria, Bloomington and Quincy areas. However, there are some specific locations in our area that can provide moderate wind resources. The Gob Nob site is one of those, where a 60-foot pile of coal tailings covers about 14 acres at the former Crown I coal mine . This extra height gives us access to the higher wind speeds needed to generate electricity almost every hour of the year.

The DNR has made this site available to our cooperative to enable us to generate clean, renewable energy for use by our members. All electricity produced by the turbine is fed through our Farmersville substation to power up to 370 homes and farms in the surrouding countryside.

Drivers on Interstate 55 south of Springfield can see the 900-kw turbine for miles from Exit 72, where they can stop for a closer look and visit the information kiosk to be installed at the base of the hill.

The turbine tower was constructed in late December of 2008, and commercial start-up was completed in early March of 2009. To see photos of the construction process, click here.

It was also really quiet. I need to go back sometime when it is a little less windy. I did not hear the “swoop swoop” noise that residents complain about…nor did I notice any “flicker” effect that all NIMBY’s report. That is not to say that they don’t exist. This machine this visit I did not witness it. Quite the opposite – they stopped it while we were inline to see the innards and I never noticed it. One minute it was going real fast the next it was stopped. They have been having bearing problems. The one big bearing that it sits on has been overheating and it has to be stopped to cool down. The manufacturer says that it will seat itself in a couple of months.

http://windforillinois.blogspot.com/

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Gov. Pat Quinn to Attend Wind Turbine Dedication Monday

FARMERSVILLE — More than two years after then-Lt. Gov. Quinn attended a ceremonial groundbreaking for the “Gob Knob” Wind Turbing east of Farmersville, now-Gov. Quinn will return to the site Monday to dedicate the unit.The turbine, just off Interstate 55 about 30 miles south of Springfield, began generating power last month for the Rural Electric Convenience Cooperative at Auburn. The project was delayed by the difficulty of purchasing the tower and turbine as worldwide demand has increased for wind-generated energy.

“Gob knob” is taken from the turbine’s location atop a hill created by coal waste at the reclaimed mine site. A public open house is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. next Saturday.

Read the full story here…

I never thought I would get a chance to steal from friend Will Reynolds, but here yah go. The final thing I will say for now was that the turnout was overwhelming. I pay attention to things like publicity profile, and expected numbers at events. The coop only has 5000 members or so. When we got to the tent that RECC had set up, there were dozens of people in and around the tent…3 full vans headed up the hill and probably 50-60 people inline up at the turbine. When I signed the book it was full and the staff had people writing their names on the blank BACKS of the pages. This attendence was generated from a little notice in the SJ-R and an even smaller notice in the Illinois Times. The attendance was totally off the chart. When I got out of the van at the top of the hill I said, “how does it feel to be on the wave of the future”. The Driver said, “pretty good actually”. I think I will leave it at that.

http://www.thereisaway.us/2009/04/closed_coal_mine_sprouts_wind.html

Closed coal mine sprouts wind turbine

I made a random stop during a road trip when I saw the new wind turbine off I-55 near Farmersville Illinois. I had heard about it being built but this was my first time seeing it. The ribbon cutting was April 20, just a few days after I went by.

I took a few pictures. They’re all pretty large if you click on them.

The turbine is at the site of a closed coal mine. The Hillsboro paper tells us:
The 230-foot turbine sits on top of a 60-foot gob pile at the former Freeman Crown 1 Coal Mine, which closed in 1971.
The site was covered with a layer of clay soil in 1991 and planted with a mix of grasses for wildlife cover, and donated to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources in 1995.

Oh I hear the grassland bird hunting is pretty good too.

Oh Great Now They Are Picking On Smart Meters – Heh pick on someone your own size

Posted on April 27, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

There are some nervous Techno nellies out there that see smart meters as stupid or worse dangerous

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124050416142448555.html

APRIL 27, 2009, 3:49 A.M. ET

Smart Meter, Dumb Idea?

New devices promise to cut energy use by giving consumers

more information. Critics say they aren’t worth the cost.

By REBECCA SMITH

Not everyone thinks smart meters are such a smart use of money.

Utilities are spending billions of dollars outfitting homes and businesses with the devices, which wirelessly send information about electricity use to utility billing departments and could help consumers control energy use.

The Journal Report

See the complete Energy report.

Proponents of smart meters say that when these meters are teamed up with an in-home display that shows current energy usage, as well as a communicating thermostat and software that harvest and analyze that information, consumers can see how much consumption drives cost — and will consume less as a result.

Such knowledge, however, doesn’t come cheap. Meters are expensive, often costing $250 to $500 each when all the bells and whistles are included, such as the expense of installing new utility billing systems. And utilities typically pass these costs directly on to consumers. CenterPoint Energy Inc. in Houston, for instance, recently began charging its customers an extra $3.24 a month for smart meters, sparking howls of protest since the charges will continue for a decade and eventually approach $1 billion.

Consumer advocates fear the costs could be greater than the savings for many households. They also worry that the meters will make it easier for utilities to terminate service — so easy that they will disconnect power for small arrearages that wouldn’t have caused a termination in the past.

View Full Image The Journal Report: Energy

John Weber

What’s more, the cost to consumers could go beyond the extra charges imposed by utilities. That’s because consumers usually are left to their own devices (literally) when it comes to adding the in-home displays and home-area networks that use data from the meters to control appliances and other pieces of equipment.

“What we’re most concerned about is that consumers realize real benefits from the meters” from the start, says Michelle Furmanski, general counsel for the Texas House Committee on State Affairs, which is considering legislation that could establish more protections against disconnections.

Ms. Furmanski says that her committee is also looking into the lack of information on meter deployments that is available to the public. The utilities have claimed “trade secret” protections for important financial details about their meter programs, including contract terms with vendors. Such secrecy makes it impossible for consumers to analyze why costs for what appear to be similar services vary so much among utilities.

Or There is This:

http://earth2tech.com/2009/03/27/opinion-smart-meters-are-not-the-answer-to-the-us-power-problem/

Opinion: Smart Meters Are Not the Answer to

the U.S. Power Problem

Written by Subodh Nayar

Subodh Nayar is the Chief Operations Officer of Powerline Telco

Empowering consumers with actionable intelligence about their power will not be the outcome of the deployment of smart meters. Rather, it will be exactly what the utilities intend for it to be: a cost-effective way to implement real-time pricing, demand side management and distribution system monitoring.

Why? The buyer and seller of electricity have opposite power consumption interests. We (buyers) want to have control over the total power we consume and independent confirmation we are getting what we pay for. Electric utilities (sellers) seek to maximize the profits from a business model that requires them to generate, transport and deliver a consistent quality of power — regardless of demand — in exchange for a guaranteed rate of return.

Electricity generated on the power grid isn’t stored, so the grid is engineered and operated to meet peak levels of demand, which might only exist for a few hours per month. Without control over demand, responding to demand spikes will cause the quality of power supplied to fluctuate outside accepted norms, i.e., delivered voltage lags outside the 5 percent acceptable quality band, or frequency fluctuates outside its 2 percent quality band. That can only change if demand can be controlled, so utilities want three things from smart meters:

To protect their return on investment (ROI) by not reducing the total amount of electricity sold.
To free up supply reserved for unpredicted variations in peak demand with direct load control. (If the utility was granted direct control over devices with the highest amperage — the air conditioner (40 amps) and the hot water heater (30 amps) — it could shed 70 percent of the average consumer load, temporarily reducing consumption.)
To reshape the demand curve, shifting demand from the peak busy hours to when demand can be met with baseload power (peak load shaving).

Metering has never been intended to reduce overall consumption.

A smart meter could report on whole house electricity usage, but it could not report on the demand from individual household devices. To make intelligent decisions about energy use, measurement should take place at the outlet, in the device or even on the power cable connecting the device to the outlet. This information can also track the quality of the power being delivered, which can affect the life of the device. Current, temperature and time data could be collected inexpensively, using existing technology, and transmitted over an Internet connection to one of the many service providers with a business intelligence platform. This data can be mined to reveal power quality issues that affect consumption. For example, a low voltage reading will tell you that the device will need to draw more current, increasing the total power cost for that device. Or if your dishwasher were drawing a current for longer than similar appliances, that could alert consumers that a maintenance check is in order.

I tend to think of them as just better meters myself. But to the industry itself they WILL give you a back rub and carry you to bed and tuck you in when you fall asleep:

http://www.smartmeters.com/

Smart grid could prevent catastrophic power outages

Monday, 27 April 2009 12:05

Six summers ago on a particularly warm August afternoon, a tree that should have been trimmed triggered the largest power outage in American history. The problem quickly spread from Ohio throughout the north-eastern United States – eventually leaving more than 40 million people without power.

The economic damages from the massive blackout have been estimated at $6 billion. Smart grid technology could have prevented it from ever happening. A digitised power infrastructure would allow consumers, utilities, and power generation sources to communicate for the first time. In cases where the power grid is stressed, grid operators would be informed of the situation and could react accordingly.

It seems as if the dream of a smart grid may be finally coming true. President Obama has made the technology central to his “rebuilding America” plan as a way to create new jobs and reduce America’s carbon footprint. The stimulus package, enacted in February, included $38.7 billion for the Department of Energy (DOE), of which $4.5 billion is to go directly towards smart grid investments.

Personally technology IS as technology DOES. It is how yah use it yah know.

Gob Nob Wind Turbine And CES Poker Scoot – What a weekend

Posted on April 27, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

What a weekend. I went to the Gob Nob open house on Saturday and We staged Community Energy Systems first annual fundraiser, Springfield Scooter Club’s, Poker Scoot. Much more will follow. I have a dentist appointment this morning so all I can record here and now is how EXCITED I was by both.

Gob Nob was amazing. The wind was gusting to 40 miles an hour. The turbine was pumping at 25 rotations per minute and generating 75,000 kilowatts. That was still 20,000 kilowatts SHORT of its top capacity. It was real quiet contrary to critics. We got to go inside!!! More later.

Sunday was the Poker Scoot. The wind was gusting to 30 miles an hour. What a challenge. There we were at Grab-A-Java at 2:00 pm with the wind ripping the registration forms from our hands. Still it was a blast. 5 stops, 5 cards and a winning hand. Springfield to Rochester to Chatham and back to Springfield again. NO Casualities! We raised some dough and some consciousness and made the TV. Yahoo. No wait that is trademarked. Whooo Hoo…Much more later.

Nuclear Power Goes South – I don’t want to work, it’s jam band Friday

Posted on April 24, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

I just want to bang the drum all day….That is a direct quote from Duke Power’s William Griggs when asked why there are 12 nuclear power plant license applications in the south eastern US.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZclddLcOYYA
Well maybe not but they sure see it as easy money. Once again to cheap to meter:

http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=40785

ENERGY: Protests Greet Nuclear Power Resurgence in US South
By Matthew Cardinale

A recent protest at the Oak Ridge nuclear plant in Tennessee.

Credit:Nicholas Foster/Atlanta Progressive News

WAYNESBORO, Georgia , Jan 14 (IPS) – Residents and environmental activists are in a bitter dispute with large U.S. energy corporations and the federal government over the safety of nuclear power, as more than a dozen corporations plan to, or have filed, paperwork to open new nuclear power plants, primarily in the U.S. South.

Energy giants like Southern Company, Entergy, and Florida Power and Light are attracted by billions in governmental incentives offered under the George W. Bush Administration.

“There’s a whole suite of incentives being pumped out by the federal government to try and cajole the utilities back into the game,” Glenn Carroll of Nuclear Watch South told IPS.

The U.S. Congress last month passed 38.5 billion dollars in loan guarantees to the nuclear industry. “If they can’t pay back the loan, or don’t want to pay back the loan, the government will guarantee the banks up to 80 percent,” Carroll said.

Five sites have already applied for the first combined licensing applications in 32 years, Roger Hannah, a spokesman for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, told IPS. They are located in south Texas, Bellefonte in Alabama, Calvert Cliffs in Maryland, North Anna in Virginia, and Lee Site in South Carolina.

Four companies have applied for Early Site Permits for sites in Grand Gulf, Mississippi; Clinton, Illinois; North Hanna, Virginia; and Plant Vogtle in Burke County, Georgia.

“We’ve had indications of interest from 12 to 15 other companies,” Hannah said.

The NRC held a public hearing in Waynesboro, Georgia, one of the closest affected cities to Plant Vogtle, on Oct. 4, 2007, to address the NRC’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The NRC must produce the EIS, as per the 1970 National Environmental Policy Act.

The NRC insists the risks posed by nuclear power are small and within federal guidelines. However, activists argue the draft EIS ignores many issues and contend that nuclear power is unsafe.

At a time Georgia is in a historic drought, when residents are being told the state is running out of drinking water, the NRC and other agencies allow over a billion gallons of water per year from the Savannah River to be consumed by the existing Plant Vogtle Units 1 and 2.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzgXpGzVvMU

It could be their enormous water demands that kills them this time but they have never been a very good idea on so many levels.

But here is what the rah rahs had to say about it:

http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf41.html

The Energy Policy Act 2005 then provided a much-needed stimulus for investment in electricity infrastructure including nuclear power. New reactor construction is expected to start about 2010, with operation in 2014.

In February 2007 the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) reported that it saw a need for 64 GWe of new nuclear generating capacity in the USA by 2030 – 24 GWe of it by 2020, with nuclear representing some 25.5% of output by 2030.

After 20 years of steady decline, government R&D funding for nuclear energy is being revived with the objective of rebuilding US leadership in nuclear technology. In 1997 nuclear fission R&D was, at US$ 37 million, lower than in France, South Korea, or Canada – only 2% of total energy R&D, which compared pathetically with 68% (US$ 2537 million) of a much larger budget in Japan. From the 1999 budget, this situation has been turned around with various programs including the flagship Nuclear Energy Research Initiative (NERI) and also Plant Optimisation. The first 45 NERI grants were awarded in 1999, signalling a reinvigoration of the federal role in nuclear research, following successful conclusion of the advanced reactor program in 1998.

For FY 2008 (from October 2007) the Department of Energy is seeking $875 million for its nuclear energy programs. . The Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative for closing the fuel cycle and supporting the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership would receive $395 million of this and Generation-IV R&D would get $36 million, chiefly for the very high temperature reactor. The Nuclear Power 2010 program aimed at early deployment of advanced reactors would get $114 million.

For US nuclear plant data, see Nuclear Energy Institute web site, nuclear statistics section.

Contents

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUBvCGBa0B0&NR=1

South Carolina is so confident about building the Nuke that they at least are going to self finance theirs. What happens when an actual State goes bankrupt?

http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE51B46920090212

South Carolina regulators OK nuclear

power project

By Jim Brumm

WILMINGTON, North Carolina (Reuters) – South Carolina regulators have unanimously approved a request by the state’s largest utility, South Carolina Electric & Gas (SCE&G), to join with a state-owned utility to build two nuclear reactors.

The South Carolina Public Service Commission vote on Wednesday gave South Carolina Electric & Gas the right to begin raising electricity rates next month to help pay for its portion of the $9.8 billion project.

SCE&G, a subsidiary of SCANA Corp, and Santee Cooper, known formally as the South Carolina Public Service Authority, plan to build the two reactors at the site of the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station near Jenkinsville, about 30 miles north of the state capitol, Columbia.

The commission approval also puts the SCE&G/Santee Cooper project ahead of the other 16 applications filed with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a combined construction and operating license (COL) for a nuclear power plant.

The NRC’s review of the COL applications is expected to take three to four years. It has been three decades since a nuclear power plant was built in the United States.

The South Carolina utilities have contracted Westinghouse Electric Co. — owned by Japan’s Toshiba and Shaw Group — to build the nuclear plant and expect to have the first reactor in operation by 2016.

SCE&G proposes financing its planned $5.4 billion investment in the new power plant by raising rates 0.49 percent in March and another 2.8 percent in October 2009, followed by increases in each of the next 10 years.

The first increase will be about 53 cents a month for SCE&G customers using 1,000 kilowatt hours of power per month, which now costs $107.60, according to SCE&G spokesman Robert Yanity.

As a state-owned utility, Santee Cooper does not need to seek Public Service Commission approval of its investment in the planned nuclear power plant.

Some people take that bang the drum more seriously than they take Nuclear Power:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTrwg8bt14k&feature=related

But heh you know how they arrre in the sowth…all gracious, laid back and stupider than well a hog waller:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/environment/2009-03-29-nuclear-power-energy-return_N.htm

Nuclear power inches back into energy spotlight

By Paul Davidson, USA TODAY

The nation’s nuclear power industry — stuck in a decades-long deep freeze — is thawing.

Utilities are poised to build a new generation of nuclear plants 30 years after the Three Mile Island accident, whose anniversary was Saturday, halted new reactor applications. The momentum is being driven by growing public acceptance of relatively clean nuclear energy to combat global warming.

Several companies have taken significant steps that will likely lead to completion of four reactors by 2015 to 2018 and up to eight by 2020. All would be built next to existing nuclear plants.

Southern Co. (SO) says it will begin digging an 86-foot-deep crater this June in Vogtle, Ga., to make way for two reactors after recently winning state approval, though it won’t pour concrete until it gets a federal license, likely in 2011. At least five power companies have signed contracts with equipment vendors. And Florida and South Carolina residents this year began paying new utility fees to finance planned reactors.

The steps signal that a nuclear renaissance anticipated for several years is finally taking shape. Seventeen companies have sought U.S. federal approval for 26 reactors since late 2007. All have enhanced safety features.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjyUrA1sD18&feature=related

Then again if you are a Nuclear Tourist you will have much more to see:

http://www.nucleartourist.com/us/us-plant.htm

That is right IF YOU ARE a Nuclear Tourist:

The following links provide information about each of the nuclear plants in the United States. The first links and maps provide information from the NRC website. The final links are Virtual Nuclear Tourist site and utility pages.

NRC Pages

Map of the United States Showing Locations of Operating Nuclear Power Reactors

Select a triangle showing the location of an operating nuclear power reactor from the map below.

Sorry about the kid and the drum but new Nukes is a lame idea:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9EHYaMsJhA&NR=1

If We Stop The Big Spewers We Can Keep The Little Ones – Green lawn mowers

Posted on April 17, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

I have always said that if we stopped the polluters with the 10 to 20 story smoke stacks (look around, you know who you are). And we stopped airplanes from polluting then we would not have to worry about lawn mowers, barbecues and hotdog roasts. But still – can’t they see what they are doing to me?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEOV5vWfSgI

Of course freight trains are big polluters too:

http://www.blackanddecker.com/CordlessMower/

The smart, no-mess, no-hassles alternative to gas powered lawn mowers.
Cut the hassle out of cutting your grass with the Black & Decker 24 Volt battery-powered mulching mower. It saves time getting started without the frustrations of pull cords, messing with gas & oil, trips to the gas station, and costly maintenance. And without the fumes and the
spills from gas, you’re also saving the environment from harmful
emissions. And did you hear? It was rated the highest
performing cordless mower in 2008 by a leading
consumer magazine.
Easy to use AND powerful? No brainer!Benefits of the 24 Volt Cordless Mower

no gas No Gas to Mess With
– No fuel to store, spill or clean
– No need for tune-ups

easy to start Easy Starting
– No pull cord
– Starts with a pull of the switch

Environmentally Conscious
– Zero emissions in your yard
– Energy Star rated – Reduced noise
– No gas needed for operation, no spills
warranty

Service and Support – from the brand you trust

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViC8ZY_-omM&feature=related

No I am not talking about these though I am going to be using one later today

http://www.ecomowers.com/URLrewrite.asp?404;http://ecomowers.com:80/Buy_s/56.htm?gclid=CP_R9Zqn-JkCFSbxDAodngJDFA&Redirected=Y


Sunlawn LMM40 Lightweight Manual Push Reel EcoMower Ships same day MSRP $179.00 Super Sale! $139.00 You Save $40.00!	Scotts 20 inch Classic Push Reel Lawn Mower Ships same day List Price: $169.00 Our Price: $159.00 You Save $10.00!	Brill RazorCut 38 Premium Manual Push Reel EcoMower Ships same day List Price: $249.00 Our Price: $239.00 You Save $10.00!

Cutting Swath: 16 inches (40cm) Cutting Height: 0.5 to 2.2 inches Weight: 19.3 pounds Blades: 5 Suitable for all North American grasses

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wph_bI10eVk&feature=related

This is What I am talking about…A manly TRACTOR:

http://www.electrictractor.com/

The Ultimate Non Polluting Series of

Electric Tractors

for Towing, Mowing and Moving

Can you go GREEN and still be cost effective?

Of course you can with our Electric Ox series of tractors!

Just look at some of the features and benefits of using our state of the art non polluting technology:

Quiet and Emission Free – ideal for indoor and outdoor applications

Minimal Operating and Maintenance Costs

Increased Productivity

Superior Power and Performance

Smooth, Intuitive Operator Controls

Instant On – No Idling required

Versatile Product Line

To learn more about the progress of the Electric Tractor Corporation Click Here.

To learn more about our Electric Ox product line, Click Here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-a248mSVtkM

We are talkin bad boys here:

http://electriclawntractor.com/

Edmond Electric Co. LTD.

Fantastic Investment Opportunity!

Use no more gas to mow your lawn! We offer a reliable, cost effective, and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional gas ride mowers.

About our Company

We are a new company, we became incorporated on Oct 17th 2003, over the last few years we have developed and tested this state of the art design, it will cut up to 2 acres of grass on a 50cent charge,

We have made design changes of a special model for a manufacturer in Europe,

We also are hoping to set-up factories to manufacturer electric tractors in Ontario, Canada, and the US and Europe

We have developed a patent pending special microprocessor controller for the kit: this acts as the brains for the tractor and incorporates the safety and other features of the tractor,

The electric tractor is a real pleasure to operate and you will appreciate the no worries starting in any weather with almost no maintenance features, your neighbours will also appreciate the lower noise levels of your electric tractor.

Sincerely,

Brian Edmond
President
Edmond Electric Co. Ltd
Canada.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFmrDin4Ovw&feature=related

wowowowowowowowowowow

http://www.modernelectrictractors.com/

Modern Electric Tractors Incorporated

Announcing the first commercially produced battery-operated riding lawn mower built in the United States since Wheel Horse discontinued their models in the mid-1980’s. The METI Classic. Please see the Products tab for pricing and specifications.

We have taken the original General Electric Elec-Trak concept and design of the 1970’s, which is proven, and then advanced it. Our first completed model is the METI Classic. The new METI Classic has a body-style which is very similar to the original Elec-Trak with minor changes. By following the original Elec-Trak design, the new Classic is compatible with the attachments built for the battery-operated Elec-Trak, New Idea, and Wheel Horse series of mowers of the 70’s and 80’s. We have upgraded the electronics, beefed up the frame, raised the height of the rear battery box to accommodate taller batteries, and incorporated a stronger lift.

Now this I can see:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0JiS6P1YBY&feature=related

Peak Oil I Love YOU…Leanan does an amazing job

Posted on April 16, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

It is rare well at least medium rare that I give credit where credit is due but the Peak Oil folks and Leanan in particular deserve so much credit. Day in and Day out..NO MATTER what the price of oil or gasoline…they still believe that we are running out of the stuff. That is great because WE ARE:

http://www.peakoil.com/

From the paranoid:

http://www.peakoil.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=47647

http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0415/p13s01-wmgn.html

Economic slump provides

tinder for global conflicts

With more people pushed into poverty,

the probability of armed rebellions increases around the world.

By David R. Francis | Columnist

The new director of the National Intelligence Agency caused something of a stir last month when he warned Congress: “The primary near-term security concern of the United States is the global economic crisis and its geopolitical implications.”

On that theme, Hampshire College professor Michael Klare sees the world economic meltdown as already prompting “economic brush fires” around the world and worries whether these could prove “too virulent to contain.”

It seems as if the lyrics “trouble, trouble, trouble” from Meredith Willson’s “The Music Man” have become too real in today’s world.

Last November Robert Zoellick, president of the World Bank Group, noted that the global financial crisis would hit hardest the “poorest and most vulnerable” in the developing world. At that time, Mr. Zoellick calculated another 100 million people around the world had been driven into poverty as a result of soaring food and oil prices. These prices have eased. Nonetheless, hundreds of millions in poor nations must try to balance household budgets on incomes of $2 a day or less.

Now he’s forecasting the world economy will shrink by 1 to 2 percent this year, with difficulties possibly extending into next year. That’s much worse than the bank group’s forecast last year. It will be the first time world output has actually declined since World War II. And each 1 percent decline

in developing-country growth rates pushes an additional 20 million people into poverty, Zoellick reckons.

“The political ramifications [of rising poverty] will be great … though hard to predict,” says John Sewell, a senior scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars in Washington. Before the election last fall, he assembled a group of experts who urged the incoming president to streamline the nation’s development tools. These are now spread among 12 government departments, 25 government agencies, and almost 60 government offices. “No one is in charge,” the group held.

Powerful droughts around the world could cause food shortages, reversing a dramatic drop in global poverty that the economic crisis recently halted, worries Mr. Klare, an expert on peace and world security.

In Africa and in East Asia, population growth also adds to economic pressures.

As for brush fires, the driest tinder lies in eastern European states such as Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, and Bulgaria, he says. There, the people in fragile democracies had the notion that rising prosperity in the 1990s and up to 2006 would continue forever. Now the money from the West has dried up and gone home, leading to an economic bust.

“That is what is driving them to rage,” says Klare. “The promises have been taken away.”

To the paradoxical:

http://www.peakoil.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=47644

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30240000/

Renewable energy’s environmental paradox

Wind and solar projects may carry costs for wildlife

Sandy Seth, via Friends of the Bosque del Apache via AP

Sandhill Cranes fly in formation into the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge near Socorro, N.M., last year. Environmentalists have raised concerns that the birds’ habitats could be affected by a planned sun and wind power transmission line.

WASHINGTON – The SunZia transmission line that would link sun and wind power from central New Mexico with cities in Arizona is just the sort of energy project an environmentalist could love — or hate. And it is just the sort of line the Interior Department has been tasked with promoting — or guarding against.

If built, the 460-mile line would carry about 3,000 megawatts of power, enough to avoid the need for a handful of coal-fired plants and to help utilities meet mandated targets for use of renewable fuel. “We have to connect the sun of the deserts and the winds of the plains to places where people live,” Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said recently.

But the line would also cross grasslands, skirt two national wildlife refuges and traverse the Rio Grande, all habitat areas rich in wildlife. The graceful sandhill crane, for example, makes its winter home in the wetlands of New Mexico’s Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, right next to the path of the proposed power line. And much of the area falls under the protection of the Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

To the pusillanimously positive:

http://www.peakoil.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=47643

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2009/04/action-plan-for-50-how-solar-thermal-can-supply-europes-energy

April 15, 2009

Action Plan for 50%:

How Solar Thermal Can Supply Europe’s Energy

The solar thermal sector’s strategy to reach a 50% contribution

to Europe’s space and water heating requirements by 2050.

by David Appleyard, Associate Editor

London, UK [Renewable Energy World Magazine]

The research efforts and infrastructure needed to supply 50% of the energy for space and water heating and cooling across Europe using solar thermal energy has been set out under the aegis of the European Solar Thermal Technology Platform (ESTTP). Published in late December 2008, more than 100 experts developed the Strategic Research Agenda (SRA), which includes a deployment roadmap showing the non-technological framework conditions that will enable this ambitious goal to be reached by 2050.

A strategy for achieving a vision of widespread low-temperature solar thermal installations was first explored by ESTTP in 2006, but since then the SRA has identified key areas for rapid growth. These focus points include

the development of active solar buildings, active solar renovation, solar heat for industrial processes and solar heat for district heating and cooling. Meanwhile, amongst the main research challenges is the development of compact long-term efficient heat storage technology. Once available, they would make it possible to store heat from the summer for use in winter in a cost-effective way.

The ESTTP’s main objective is to create the right conditions in order to fully exploit solar thermal’s potential for heating and cooling in Europe and worldwide.

As a first step for the development of the deployment roadmap and of the Strategic Research Agenda, ESTTP developed a vision for solar thermal in 2030. Its key elements are to establish the Active Solar Building – covering 100% of their heating and cooling demand with solar energy – as a standard for new buildings by 2030; establish the Active Solar Renovation as a standard for the refurbishment of existing buildings by 2030 (Active Solar renovated buildings cover at least 50% of their heating and cooling demand with solar thermal energy); supply a substantial share of the industrial process heat demand up to 250°C, including heating and cooling, desalination and water treatment; and achieve broad use of solar energy in district heating and cooling.

They got it covered. My hat’s off to you.

What Can Happen To America If We Don’t Live Within Our Energy Means -South Africa

Posted on April 13, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

South Africa the home of the much touted and most used syngas projects in the world struggles to get by.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVLu16lU4iI

Originally started in response to WWI fuel shortages and escalated during WWII for all the obvious reasons …ummm apartheid and the efforts to defeat the ANC and Nelsen Mandella.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwgl4D4s-e4

It has left South Africa thus:

http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE5315U320090402?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews

South Africa says still facing major energy crisis

Thu Apr 2, 2009 1:21pm EDT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tG6CNhGoILs

By James Macharia

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa’s energy minister said on Thursday the country was still in the grip of a major power crisis despite being able to keep the lights on since a series of blackouts early last year.

Voluntary energy savings had failed to meet the required levels, and the country was risking new power cuts, the Minister of Minerals and Energy, Buyelwa Sonjica said in a statement.

State-owned utility Eskom, which provides 95 percent of the country’s power, has rationed electricity since early last year, but has not cut power since last April.

Sonjica said Africa’s biggest economy was suffering from a perilously low electricity reserve margin or spare capacity.

“The recent lack of blackouts has led to the assumption that our energy situation has been resolved,” Sonjica said.

“Unfortunately this is far from the truth. We are in trouble unless we all begin to take responsibility for our habits of energy wastage.”

Two years ago, Sonjica urged South Africans to save 10 percent of their electricity usage every year for the next five years but so far energy savings were way below that, she said.

Sonjica said a healthy electricity reserve margin was about 17 to 20 percent, to ensure that sudden changes in demand or supply and power-plant maintenance do not cause blackouts.

Eskom said in January the reserve margin was about 8 percent, and has said its long term target is 15 percent.

She said following the success of the Earth Hour over the weekend, and with winter fast approaching, she wanted South Africans to save power to ensure stable electricity supply.

Lights went out in homes across the globe on Saturday for Earth Hour 2009, a global event designed to highlight the threat from climate change.

Sonjica said the Earth Hour initiative would promote awareness that the country still faced a serious energy crisis because South Africa’s record on energy conservation was poor.

“South Africa is one of the least energy efficient nations in the world and the least efficient in Africa,” she said.

“We also hold the number 11 spot on the top 20 greenhouse gas emitters list and are responsible for 42 percent of Africa’s emissions. Every kilowatt of electricity you use produces 1 kg of carbon dioxide; one of the main greenhouse gases.”

Critics say the energy crisis that dented South Africa’s growth and investor-friendly image was caused by the government’s failure to invest in new power generation plants, coupled with surging demand led to the power crisis. Continued…

I don’t think that sounds so good…SO KEEP TALKING CLEAN COAL BABY…it is a quick way to energy death.

Community Energy Systems

Censys.org

Category Archives: electricity

Chicago Media Shun The Wind Power 2009 Conference – Oh the bankrupt Tribue ran an op/ed piece about government intervention

World Business Chicago Facilitates International Networking at WINDPOWER 2009 Conference

Siterra Booth 5580 at Wind Power 2009

Central Illinois Where The Energy Past Confronts The Future – Which will win?

Sequester CO2: First U.S. Large-Scale CO2

Gob Knob Was SO CoooooooL – It was amazing to just walk right up to a 300 ft. Turbine and go inside

Gob knob’ wind turbine to begin spinning

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Gov. Pat Quinn to Attend Wind Turbine Dedication Monday

Closed coal mine sprouts wind turbine

Oh Great Now They Are Picking On Smart Meters – Heh pick on someone your own size

Smart Meter, Dumb Idea?

New devices promise to cut energy use by giving consumers

By REBECCA SMITH

Opinion: Smart Meters Are Not the Answer to

Smart grid could prevent catastrophic power outages

Gob Nob Wind Turbine And CES Poker Scoot – What a weekend

Nuclear Power Goes South – I don’t want to work, it’s jam band Friday

South Carolina regulators OK nuclear

NRC Pages

Map of the United States Showing Locations of Operating Nuclear Power Reactors

If We Stop The Big Spewers We Can Keep The Little Ones – Green lawn mowers

Service and Support – from the brand you trust

Fantastic Investment Opportunity!

Peak Oil I Love YOU…Leanan does an amazing job

Economic slump provides

With more people pushed into poverty,

Renewable energy’s environmental paradox

Wind and solar projects may carry costs for wildlife

Action Plan for 50%:

What Can Happen To America If We Don’t Live Within Our Energy Means -South Africa

South Africa says still facing major energy crisis

World Business Chicago Facilitates International Networking at WINDPOWER 2009 Conference

Siterra Booth 5580 at Wind Power 2009

Green energy experts breeze into Chicago

Don’t need a law to know which way the wind blows

Related links

Sequester CO2: First U.S. Large-Scale CO2

Gob knob’ wind turbine to begin spinning

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Closed coal mine sprouts wind turbine

Smart Meter, Dumb Idea?

New devices promise to cut energy use by giving consumers

By REBECCA SMITH

South Carolina regulators OK nuclear

Map of the United States Showing Locations of Operating Nuclear Power Reactors

Service and Support – from the brand you trust

Fantastic Investment Opportunity!

Economic slump provides

With more people pushed into poverty,

Renewable energy’s environmental paradox

Wind and solar projects may carry costs for wildlife

Action Plan for 50%:

South Africa says still facing major energy crisis