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npower has carried out a survey of business bosses that suggests a World Cup in England in 2018 would be great for businesses.

This project illustrates AREVA’s capacity for innovation. We are delighted to contribute to the development of innovative medical solutions that derive from our core business activities...(read more)

The Nuclear Fuel Processing Market to Grow at an AAGR of 6.4% during 2009–2020 - By Stephen Heiser - GBI Research’s new report, “The Future of the Global Nuclear Fuel Processing Industry to 2020” provides in-depth analysis and forecasts for the global nuclear fuel processing industry. ...(read more)

The risks associated with a nuclear reactor are still less than that of a hydroelectric dam or even something as rare as the impact of a meteorite, according to Julio Vergara, a professor at the Universidad Catolica de Chile and a former board member of Chile's Nuclear Energy Commission. - Edited by April Murelio - According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, despite a devastating 8.8-magnitude earthquake that rocked Chile's central-southern regions, experts believe a nuclear power plant could be safely built and operated in Chile. ...(read more)

Choosing Careers in Nuclear Science and Technology - By David Cardenas-Mazurkiewicz, IAEA Division of Public Information - Unrestricted by gender stereotypes that ruled the nuclear industry in the past, women today are working as nuclear engineers, project managers, inspectors, chemists, physicists, environmentalists and management members. This is evident at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), says resident Gender Concerns specialist Kaisa Clark, "There have been significant increases in the past ten years of the number of professional women employed at the IAEA, particularly in the nuclear safeguards, nuclear energy, nuclear applications and technical cooperation departments." ...(read more)

We must provide a steady hand – to continue doing what we’ve always done well, and to prepare for new and emerging challenges - Source NRC - Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Gregory B. Jaczko said Tuesday the agency must “provide a steady hand” in managing existing programs and “also must keep our eyes fixed on the horizon” to deal with the challenges the agency is certain to face. ...(read more)

The WNA Nuclear Energy Index℠ (TICKER: WNAI) will add three new constituents, effective 6:00 PM (EDT) Sunday, March 21, 2010. Two stocks will be deleted from the index, changing the number of index components to 65. The changes result from the quarterly rebalancing of the index. - Edited by Linton Levy - The WNA Nuclear Energy Index℠ (TICKER: WNAI) will add three new constituents, effective 6:00 PM (EDT) Sunday, March 21, 2010. Two stocks will be deleted from the index, changing the number of index components to 65. The changes result from the quarterly rebalancing of the index. The additions to WNAI are: ...(read more)

Launching regular international investor conference calls

PRONicaragua, recently reported that nearly US$1 billion are expected to flow into the country in foreign direct investment (FDI) in the next couple of years.

Breitling Oil and Gas Corporation, an independent producer based in Irving, Texas, plans to begin re-entry of the BREITLING-BURR #1, the first well prospect in its newly-formed Gulf Coast exploration initiative.

Funding was today awarded to E.ON and ScottishPower for design and development studies as part of the competition to build one of the world’s first commercial scale carbon capture and storage demonstration plants.

The funding will support Front End Engineering and Design studies, which will enable the bidders to further their designs for the projects at Kingsnorth and Longannet respectively. These studies involve detailed engineering and design work and will be completed within twelve months, after which the final competition winner will be selected.

This is one of the first set of studies of end-to-end commercial scale CCS on coal power plant in the world and will be used by project developers to examine and refine initial plans and reduce technical risk, so that more detailed project plans can be drawn-up and costed.

Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband said:

“These two promising projects are at the forefront of the UK’s efforts to build one of the first commercial-scale clean coal plants in the world.

“The award of design-stage funding demonstrates our commitment to this breakthrough technology. It has the potential to support tens of thousands of jobs and bring billions into the economy.

“CCS is the only technology that tackles carbon emissions from fossil fuel power stations, and given the world’s dependence on coal, is a vital technology to securing the world’s future energy needs and tackling climate change.”

ScottishPower’s Chief Executive, Nick Horler said:

“We are delighted to have been selected for the next critical stage of the government’s competition.

“The real work of finally making CCS a commercial reality begins today as this funding will now enable ScottishPower to take the technology from concept to design stage. It will tell us exactly what we need to know so that we can quickly build this new and essential technology.

“It also puts the UK back at the head of the pack when it comes to delivering full-scale commercial CCS on a global stage.”

E.ON UK’s Chief Executive Dr Paul Golby, said:

“This is excellent news for the development of clean coal in the UK coming as it does hard on the heels of our announcement about our scoping application for the Kingsnorth CO2 pipeline last week.

“It’s absolutely vital that we get CCS right and it’s especially heartening to see that we’re getting some real movement here in the UK now.

“We should always remember that the long game with CCS is not just about Kingsnorth, it’s about a worldwide battle against climate change.”

The funding is drawn from a pot of £90 million announced in the 2009 Budget. The precise amounts awarded to E.ON and ScottishPower are commercially confidential.

The UK has the most ambitious commitments on coal generation and CCS in the world. A Bill currently being considered by Parliament introduces a first-of-a-kind levy to support four CCS demonstrations in the UK. The Government will launch a competitive process for the three other projects by the end of 2010, provided the levy is passed.

Notes to editors

1. The CCS competition launched is for the design and construction of a commercial-scale post combustion CCS plant.
2. The UK Government’s ‘Framework for clean coal’ is unmatched both in ambition and commitment, delivering four commercial-scale demonstrations and ensuring that no new coal fired power stations are built without CCS.
3. More information about the UK’s CCS programme: http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/what_we_do/uk_supply/energy_mix/ccs/ccs.aspx

World-Leading Reactor Designer, Non-Profit Organization to Address Energy Security for Italy - By Stephen Heiser - GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) has announced it has signed an agreement with EnergyLab Foundation to support Italy’s pursuit of safe nuclear energy to address the country’s goals for energy security and cleaner energy. ...(read more)

There has been a clear shift of public opinion in favour of nuclear energy in key countries, with public consent now unlikely to be withheld from new reactor plans in many countries of the world. Public opposition to nuclear - By Stephen W Kidd - In Europe and the United States, signs of the long-discussed “nuclear renaissance” are increasingly positive. But it’s in China (which now has 21 out of the 53 reactors under construction around the world) that the initial boom is occurring. Increasing mentions of nuclear power in the mass media, often with a generally positive slant, are very welcome, but the industry now needs to build new reactors in great volume. China, with its vast requirements for clean power generation, is therefore the key. ...(read more)

Multiple Contracts for GSE’s VPanel Training Simulators - Edited by April Murelio - GSE Systems, Inc. (GSE), a leading global provider of real-time simulation and training solutions to the power, process, manufacturing and Government sectors, announced the award of approximately $3.3 million of new work in its nuclear simulation and training sectors. Approximately 20% of these awards occurred in the fourth quarter of 2009 and will be reflected in the 2009 year end contract backlog. The balance of these awards have occurred in 2010. These multiple contracts are to provide simulator upgrade services for existing customers in the United States, Europe and China, as well as multiple soft panel simulator (VPanel) awards in Canada, the United States and China. ...(read more)

RenewableUK Wave & Tidal 2010, 4th March 2010, QEII Centre, Westminster, London 

Good morning, it’s a real pleasure to be here to celebrate the success, and the future, of wave and tidal energy. And It’s also a pleasure to be here to be part of the official launch of ‘Renewable UK’. Our potential in renewable energy is so much broader than wind now, so it’s encouraging to see the sector adapting to the times.

Sir Arthur C. Clarke once said ‘How inappropriate to call this planet, Earth when it is quite clearly an ocean.’ And how fitting for today’s conference.

The potential of what we can do with natural resources at hand gives us a promising and diverse mix of our future energy supplies.

Harnessing electricity from our wave and tidal resource not only plays a crucial part in meeting our climate change targets; but also presents a significant economic opportunity for the UK.

We must reduce our emissions by 34 per cent by 2020 and up to 80 per cent by 2050. We face new challenges to our environment and our economy, we must adjust, in order to prepare for that low carbon future.

Because of the magnitude that ambition brings, wave and tidal energy will of course have a much bigger part to play in that move.

It’s a huge shift moving to low carbon which will in fact, become the sign of the 21st century.

Strategic Environmental Assessment

When my colleague, Lord Hunt, spoke at a similar conference to this last year, he told you that we would be carrying out a screening study, on wave and tidal energy in English and Welsh waters.

I am so pleased to announce that - we are now launching a full Strategic Environmental Assessment for wave and tidal energy - as part of an Offshore Energy SEA.

We have a number of plans in relation to energy including the development of offshore renewables generation – wind, wave and tidal stream. And not forgetting carbon capture and storage (CCS), and more rounds of offshore oil and gas licensing.

But before making a decision on these, we must carry out a Strategic Environmental Assessment.

The ‘scoping’ document will set out the draft plans and associated Strategic Environmental Assessment. So consultees can give us their views. The scope will be available on DECC’s offshore SEA website.

When that scope is agreed, my Department will carry out the assessment producing an environmental report for public consultation, hopefully by the end of this year.

I know how important the creation of an SEA is for the plans of each and every person in this room.

So I want this SEA to set the precedent for future developments and open the door to more commercial leasing rounds. For example, the one recently carried out by Crown Estate for the Pentland Firth.

We are reaching a stage where the ability to make firm plans, reaching out into the second half of this decade is more important than ever.

And a full SEA is the catalyst for turning those plans into a reality.

The Here and the Now

I’m proud to say we are seen as the leader in Marine Energy Technology.

But we also need to be the leader in developing that technology commercially too.

And we’re in the best position to do just that. Last summer my department published the UK Renewable Energy Strategy to help with this.

We dedicated a further £60 million to accelerate the development and deployment of wave and tidal energy devices and improve the UK’s, already, world beating testing and demonstration infrastructure.

As part of the additional £60 million we created, alongside the Carbon Trust, a £22 million Marine Renewables Proving Fund. And you all know that just last month the Carbon Trust announced the six projects which will benefit from that funding.

Because of that, some of the leading technologies should soon be at a point where they will be able to benefit from the existing £42 million Marine Renewables Deployment Fund.

The Technology Strategy Board (TSB) have also announced that it will be starting bidding rounds for research. With a total £12 million up for grabs.

It bolsters and compliments the different kinds of research being carried out under the Proving Fund.

This is the kind of practical and focused Research & Development (R&D) support which is important for this sector. And I applaud the TSB's plans to step up their support of wave and tidal R&D.

I know Renewable UK (and previously BWEA) has been working to identify and fill the funding gaps that wave and tidal technologies have experienced over the years. I’m pleased that your views are now being acted on.

And last September, I’m sure you’re all aware of the Marine Action Plan that my honourable colleague Lord Hunt, launched.

The Plan broke new ground because it’s an opportunity for you to sit down and work with us. We need you to help us set the agenda for this sector in the coming years - and explore how, together, we can ensure the success of the industry.

The UK being the world leader in wave and tidal technology, will continue to be seen by the world as a focus for research, development and deployment. We are determined to keep it that way.

For example, SeaGen, the world’s first megawatt scale tidal turbine has been operating successfully all year – recently clocking up 1000 operating hours. I understand that Marine Current Turbines hope to get permission to start 24 hour running soon.

Aquamarine’s Oyster prototype was successfully deployed at EMEC in the Orkneys last year. Pelamis and Rolls Royce/Tidal Generation Limited should have their new prototypes up and running by Autumn.

Construction is underway at Wave Hub in Cornwall with the expectation that it will be operating this time next year.

With the funding we announced in the summer last year, NaREC in the North East are building new onshore testing facilities and EMEC are extending their existing wave and tidal sites; and have plans underway for a new nursery site.

And I understand that ‘Peel Energy’ just this morning published their report on the ‘Mersey Tidal Power’. I welcome this study into the prospects for tidal power generation - from one of the estuaries with the best tidal resources in the country. And it learns from and complements the work we are doing on the Severn Tidal Power Feasibility Study and the Severn Embryonic Technologies Scheme.

These are the kind of developments that we need to see much more of in the coming years.
Of course, marine energy isn’t the only technology which we’re pursuing to secure our energy future.

Other Renewables - what the other half are doing

We expect that the majority of the UK’s renewable energy ambition will be delivered through wind power, and in particular through a huge expansion of our offshore wind industry.

The UK is already the world leader in offshore wind deployment, with nearly a gigawatt of generation already installed. We intend to stay in that lead position.

The Carbon Trust have estimated that the offshore wind industry could become a £75 billion industry and support up to 70,000 clean energy jobs by 2020.

We’ve just announced rights for companies to build a potential 32GW of additional capacity.
And we’ve nearly tripled renewable electricity consumption since 2000 and onshore wind grew almost 30 per cent from 2007 to 2008.

CCS

The geological structures beneath the North Sea offer some of the best opportunities for storing large volumes of carbon dioxide in Europe, if not the world.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts that CCS will be responsible for around 20 per cent of CO2 reductions by 2030. This is perhaps the most decisive act in achieving our climate change targets.

Developing and deploying CCS technology is a priority for us both.

Cooperation on Carbon Capture and Storage in the North Sea is urgently needed globally.
We have a unique asset in terms of depleted reservoirs and salt caverns in the North Sea. Which can be used to store away safely harmful CO2 emissions.

So even after the last drop of oil is recovered from beneath our waters, the North Sea has the potential to go on being very important asset to Britain or even Europe.

We will continue to provide support for the underpinning R & D that is so important to the ongoing development and success of technology like carbon capture and storage.

CCS may also bring other benefits to the UK. The AEA Group report suggested that Carbon Abatement Technologies, including CCS, could sustain between 30,000 and 60,000 jobs in the UK by 2030.

And on the recovery of the worst financial meltdown that I’ve certainly seen in my lifetime - I’m sure that’s welcome news.

On 10 December last year, the Pre-Budget Report contained a firm commitment to supporting four commercial scale demonstrations in the UK of CCS on coal power generation.

We made a start to address some of the major barriers to CO2 Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) in the Energy Act 2008.

This Act, together with changes we negotiated with the EU Directive on Carbon Capture and Storage, will mean CO2 that is permanently contained.

The estimated value to the UK from global markets for new advanced coal-fired power generation plant, including that fitted or retrofitted with CCS, could be up to £2 billion a year by 2020, which will double by 2030.

This equates to £20-40 billion in total between 2010 and 2030. And remember, almost 6,000 people are directly employed in the UK coal industry.

We must maintain our lead in the deployment of CCS as one of only five countries to have launched a competition to support a commercial scale CCS demonstration project.

Oil & Gas

Just a month ago, my colleague Lord Hunt also announced a new round of offshore licensing to give a further boost to the UK’s offshore oil and gas industries.

This record breaking 26th Round includes areas of the Continental Shelf not as yet explored, to boost activity in the basin.

And will help to secure also the future of the UK's oil and gas industry which right now provides three quarters of our energy needs and some 350,000 jobs.

Oil and gas will continue to have a major role in the British energy mix, for the foreseeable future. The evidence is clear however, that our oil and gas supply may not be able to meet our demand in the future.

Securing the necessary reductions through to 2050 - at an acceptable balance of cost, security and behavioural change has to be considered.

At the same time our electricity supply will most probably be some combination of thermal power stations - increasingly fitted with Carbon Capture Storage, nuclear, and renewable energy.

So in the long term, we need to make the transition from a system where we rely heavily on fossil fuels, to a system that includes nuclear, renewable and clean coal power.

Skills

The UK’s low carbon transition won’t add up to much if we don’t invest in our workforce. We have an ageing workforce and a depleting pool of young people in training.

And in order to remain competitive globally, British businesses will need ever more skilled employees to remain competitive.

No government has done more in closing skills gaps and creating opportunities for people who want them.

But we need people like you on board, leading the skills agenda in this country. You are the ones who will benefit from having a highly qualified and motivated staff who are in demand.

Skills and developing a healthy renewables supply chain, were two of the recurring themes raised during discussions in the Marine Action Plan.

Which is why I was pleased to see the Skills Accord that BWEA pulled together late last year. The commitment from Renewable UK - and all their partners - to train 60,000 entrants to the wind and marine energy industries by 2020, is a relief to see.

We need employers like you getting involved in the skills agenda. We all need to play our part because this sector needs highly skilled employees to bring the sector’s full potential to fruition.

So in the coming month, we will be publishing our consultation on our low carbon skills strategy. It will look at the main low carbon sectors to see what we can do to fill the gaps.

But it also looks at the ‘how’, not just the ‘what’ and the ‘who’.

By that I mean ‘how’ we can embed skills across all sectors for that rapid transformation that we need, to get to a low carbon economy.

Conclusion

We have the richest wave and tidal resources in Europe – and with our expertise in research and development, engineering, maritime operations and oil and gas exploration, we are world leaders in this field and we are determined to keep that lead.

We have some tough targets ahead of us with a lot of progress still to make.

An economic and technological revolution is taking place which is transforming the way we all live and work, setting profound challenges to governments, businesses and individuals across the world.

It’s a second industrial revolution of our culture so far. Britain was great in the original industrial revolution. It falls to us to grasp greatness this time round.

END

 

French President Nicolas Sarkozy called on experienced developed countries and related international organizations to provide financial and technological aid to boost the global expansion of nuclear energy - By Chris Smith - France this week hosted The International Conference On Access To Civil Nuclear Energy, an international conference on peaceful use of nuclear energy in Paris, where representatives from about 60 countries debated on how to simplify the access to nuclear energy and to safeguard the utility of nuclear power from military deviation. ...(read more)

MOX Fuel From Weapons-Grade Plutonium - By Duncan Williams - On February 25, 2010, the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announced that it entered into an inter-agency agreement with the government owned Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in order to evaluate the use of a nuclear fuel made from surplus weapons plutonium. This announcement comes on the heels of President Obama’s recently submitted FY 2011 Budget Request, which included a 25.8% increase in funding to the NNSA. ...(read more)

Nuclear energy has a vital role to play in our low-carbon future. President Obama has said that “we must harness the power of nuclear energy on behalf of our efforts to combat climate change, and to advance peace and opportunity for all people - Edited by Linton Levy - U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman addressed the plenary session at the International Conference on Access to Civil Nuclear Energy in Paris, France. His remarks as prepared for delivery are below: ...(read more)

France is among the world's top users and exporters of nuclear power. Roughly two-thirds of French electricity is derived from it - Edited by April Murelio - According to a report by VOA, French President Nicolas Sarkozy is urging the world community to embrace nuclear energy as an indispensable tool in the fight against global warming. Mr. Sarkozy also called for poor countries in particular to have access to nuclear power. ...(read more)

Projections for future growth in the use of nuclear power have again been revised upwards. We have already re-focussed our activities to help meet the needs of newcomers to nuclear power - By Sasha Henriques, IAEA Division of Public Information - IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano opened a busy Board of Governors meeting in Vienna, Austria with an introductory statement. ...(read more)