Japan to scrap nuke energy expansion (for renewable energy)

[jpak]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/05/10/world/main20061419.shtml

Japan will scrap a plan to obtain half of its electricity from nuclear power and will instead promote renewable energy as a result of its ongoing nuclear crisis, the prime minister said Tuesday.

Naoto Kan said Japan needs to "start from scratch" on its long-term energy policy after the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant was heavily damaged by a March 11 earthquake and tsunami and began leaking radiation.

Japan's nuclear plants supplied about 30 percent of the country's electricity, and the government had planned to raise that to 50 percent.

Kan told a news conference that nuclear and fossil fuel used to be the pillars of Japanese energy policy but now it will add two more — renewable energy such as solar, wind and biomass, and an increased focus on conservation.

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science illiterate win!

:bounce:

[flamingdem]

1. Wow, this is great. Let's hope they become leaders in the field

Props to Kan and Co. though of course this might have to do with elections!

[CountAllVotes]

2. great news!!!

Very glad to read this. Hopefully, this will set the stage for other countries to follow suit, including the USA! :) :thumbsup:


:kick: & recommend!

[proverbialwisdom]

3. RE: 'science illiterate win!'

For real or did you miss this?

http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201105070143.html

U.S.-Japan joint survey reveals high radiation beyond evacuation zone.

BY HISAE SATO STAFF WRITER

2011/05/08

The first map of ground surface contamination within 80 kilometers of the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant shows radiation levels higher in some municipalities than those in the mandatory relocation zone around the Chernobyl plant.

The map, released May 6, was compiled from data from a joint aircraft survey undertaken by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and the U.S. Department of Energy.

It showed that a belt of contamination, with 3 million to 14.7 million becquerels of cesium-137 per square meter, spread to the northwest of the nuclear plant.

After the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, those living in areas with more than 555,000 becquerels of cesium-137 per square meter were forced to relocate. However, the latest map shows that accumulated radioactivity exceeded this level at some locations outside the official evacuation zones, including the village of Iitate and the town of Namie.

"I am surprised by the extent of the contamination and the vast area it covers," said Tetsuji Imanaka, assistant professor of nuclear engineering at the Kyoto University Research Reactor Institute. "This (map) will be useful in planning evacuation zones as well as the decontamination of roads and public facilities."

The map was made with data showing the amount of accumulated radioactive substances across a grid comprising 1 to 2 km boxes. The measurements were taken between April 6 and April 29.

The U.S. Department of Energy used an airplane and a helicopter to survey the area within a 60-km radius of the plant, while the ministry hired a private helicopter to scan the area within 60 to 80 km.

Dosimeters were mounted on the aircraft, which flew at altitudes of about 150 to 700 meters to survey the ground surface...



Link from: http://enenews.com/high-radiation-beyond-evacuation-zone-kyoto-nuclear-professor-surprised-by-extent-of-contamination-and-the-vast-area-it-covers

[jpak]

4. OMFG - you should post this as a seperate thread

yup

[proverbialwisdom]

5. Please do.

And my apologies for not recognizing your comment as sarcasm.

[aquart]

6. Oh, look, they're locking the barn door.