Full Story Here: Renewable Energy is Already Cheap+

From the Energy Information Aministration:

The “Total System Levelized Cost” is what the Department of Energy uses to assess the cost of different energy sources.  It represents the long term price adjusted for time value, since money now is worth more than money later.  According to that metric, coal is still cheaper than solar and wind (although wind is very close).

However, the operating and maintenance (O&M) cost of wind and solar PV is actually much lower than coal- less than half!  It’s the start-up cost which drives up their price, but once they’re built, they don’t need to pay for any fuel.  Most of the actual cost of wind and solar plants is actually just interest on the loans that they use to set up the plants.  This means it’s not really the plants themselves which are expensive- it’s their financing.  And since many of the companies that invest in renewable energy are brand new start-ups with no credit history, they’re stuck paying high interest too.

This suggests an obvious policy solution- more government grants and loan guarantees for renewable energy.  This would lower their interest, reducing the cost of servicing the bonds and therefore drop the adjusted price of renewable energy plants closer to their operating cost. At that point, we can have the best of both worlds- energy which is both cheaper and less polluting than coal or gas.

Of course, this would require a congress which isn’t completely corrupted by the fossil fuel industry, but we can dream.

(image from Stephen Leahy)

Tokyo (CNN) — Power plant workers began filling a cracked concrete shaft with fresh cement to stop highly radioactive water from earthquake-damaged nuclear reactors from draining into the Pacific Ocean, Japanese regulators said Saturday.

Water from the 2-meter deep, concrete-lined basin could be seen escaping into the ocean through a roughly 20-cm (8-inch) crack, the Tokyo Electric Power Company told reporters Saturday afternoon. Electrical conduits run upward through the space, which lies behind the turbine plant of the No. 2 reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

Go here for the full story.Official: Radioactive water leaking into sea through crack in concrete into the Pacific

From this day forward this blog will be dedicated to aggregating information about how much and how extended the Japanese Nuclear disaster is. It is our hypothesis and opinion that the extent of the damage is world wide and is still growing every day. This will reach every nook and cranny of the Pacific. Please stay tuned here and contribute information if it is useful to our knowledge of the problems.

Tokyo (CNN) — Radioactive iodine at more than 3,000 times the normal level has been found in ocean water near the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, where workers are struggling to keep reactors cool and prevent radioactive water from entering the Pacific.

Monitoring data collected Tuesday afternoon detected the I-131 isotope at 3,355 times the normal level, according to Japan’s Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency. The sample was taken 330 meters (1,080 feet) away from one of the plant’s discharge points, the agency said.

“I do not believe there’s an immediate threat to fishery products, as no fishing is being conducted within 20 kilometers of the nuclear power plant,” said Hidehiko Nishiyama of the agency.

Officials did not pinpoint a particular cause for the higher readings, and it was unclear whether a leak had already occurred or if the elevated levels resulted from airborne radiation.

Competition for oldest trophy in international sport once again returns to American waters. San Francisco has been selected as the host venue for the 34th America’s Cup. An official celebration event will be hosted in San Francisco on January 5th, event location details to be announced.

“We sought a venue that fulfills our promise – to showcase the best sailors in the world competing on the fastest boats,” said Richard Worth, Chairman, America’s Cup Event Authority.  “And hosting the America’s Cup in San Francisco will realize that promise.”

Go here for the full story:San Francisco to Host America’s Cup

Warner antique boat collection brings nearly $4 million

Full story: Scuttlebutt Magazine

South Korea has released three Chinese fishermen following a fatal clash between their trawler and a South Korean patrol ship earlier this month. Seoul says the incident happened in the Yellow Sea as coast guards tried to prevent Chinese boats from fishing illegally off South Korea’s west coast. It said the trawler intentionally struck the patrol ship to allow others to sail back into their waters – but the boat sank after the impact.

Officials said the 59-year-old fell ill shortly after returning from a visit to the Chinese mainland.  It is not yet clear whether she contracted the potentially fatal disease there or in Hong Kong.  The territory has raised its alert level to “serious”, meaning there is a risk of contracting the disease. The last outbreak of [...]

For the nine or 10 people besides me that follow China’s commercial aerospace sector, Reinhardt Krause posted an excellent summary on how China’s plan to build its first big passenger plane promises to reshape its fast-growing aviation market and what’s at stake for suppliers. Here’s my take on how it impacts Boeing and Airbus. The [...]

DESPITE the oil and gas boom in Southern Highlands, the people of Lai Valley in the Mendi district are instead turning to coffee as a sustainable income generation activity. The 50ha Komp Coffee plantation is being rejuvenated by landowners comprising old and young men and women. They did not waste time to dash into the [...]

Two Puna women were arrested Tuesday after police served a search warrant at a Nanawale Estates home. Vice officers recovered 6.3 grams of “ice,” drug paraphernalia and $1,460 in cash for forfeiture from the home in the Nanawale Estates subdivision, police said. Louise Torres, a 45-year-old resident of the house, was charged with meth trafficking, [...]