24.11.2023

MEPs fully include nuclear in Net-Zero Industry Act

The European Parliament has adopted its position on the proposed Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA), which is intended to bolster Europe's manufacturing output in technologies needed for decarbonisation. MEPs included nuclear fission and fusion among a list of 17 technologies covered by the legislation.

25.9.2023

VIHREÄ SÄHKÖ: VERKOT TULEVAT VASTAAN MUUALLAKIN KUIN SUOMESSA

Europe's electricity industry has warned that unprecedented investments are needed to upgrade ageing electricity grids, or the EU will fail to meet its clean energy targets.

3.7.2023

SAKSA: YLI PUOLET SÄHKÖSTÄ UUSIUTUVAA

Renewable share of German power use climbs to 52.3% in first half

24.6.2023

RUOTSI: LISÄÄ YDINVOIMAA JA "GREEN"-TAVOITTEISTA LUOPUMISTA

Swedish parliament passes new energy target, easing way for new nuclear power. Sweden's parliament on Tuesday adopted a new energy target, giving the right-wing government the green light to push forward with plans to build new nuclear plants in a country that voted 40 years ago to phase out atomic power.
Hanging the target to "100% fossil-free" electricity, from "100% renewable" is key to the government's plan to meet an expected doubling of electricity demand to around 300 TwH by 2040 and reach net zero emissions by 2045. "This creates the conditions for nuclear power," Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson said in parliament. "We need more electricity production, we need clean electricity and we need a stable energy system."
Sweden's parties agreed a deal in 2016 that new reactors could be built at existing sites. However, without subsidies, it has been seen as too expensive. The new right-of-centre coalition says new reactors are essential to power the shift to a fossil-free economy and has promised generous loan guarantees. Around 98% of electricity in Sweden is already generated from water, nuclear and wind.
State-owned utility Vattenfall is looking at building at least two small modular reactors and at extending the life of the country's existing reactors. Critics say nuclear power is expensive, will take too long to build and is unsafe.
The focus on nuclear power is part of a wider shift in environmental policy in a country that has long touted itself as a "green" champion. The coalition plans to cut the bio-fuel mix in petrol and diesel, leading to bigger CO2 emissions, a move that could mean Sweden missing 2030 emissions goals.
Proposals by Sweden to allow countries to prolong subsidies for standby coal power plants have also been met concern in the EU, while Stockholm also wanted Brussels to water-down a landmark law to restore deteriorating natural habitats. 
At home, plans to simplify environmental permitting could speed up the build-out of wind power and allow miners to exploit large deposits of rare earth elements, crucial in electric motor production. [EMP]

17.6.2023

SUOMI-RATA KESKEYTETÄÄN - TURUN OIKORATAAN 460 MEUR

Olen vuosien ajan kirjoitellut ratamafiaa vastaan ja osoittanut kaikkien suurten ratahankkeiden (Pisara, Turku, Tampere, Itä, Jäämeri, Tallinna) yhteiskunta-taloudellisenkin kannattamattomuuden. Eilen julkistettu Orpon hallituksen ohjelma sentään keskeyttikin kalleimman oikoratahankkeen. Ohjelman mukaan "Suomi-radan valmistelu keskeytetään. Jäljellä olevat varat palautetaan omistajille." 

Sen sijaan Orpon lemmikki hyväksyttiin seuraavin sanoin: "Valtio toteuttaa Turun tunnin juna -hankkeen, joka käsittää Espoo–Salo-oikoradan rakentamisen ja Salo–Kupittaa-yhteysvälin parantamisen. Rakentaminen käynnistyy Espoo–Lohja ja Salo–Kupittaa-yhteysväleillä. Rakentamisvaihetta varten valtio varautuu osana investointi-ohjelmaa pääomittamaan rahoitusta kokoavaa yhtiötä, jonka osakkaina voivat valtion lisäksi olla kunnat."

Ja "Itäradan hankeyhtiön toiminta jatkuu."

Seuraavassa taulukossa näytän eri ratahankkeille esitetyt investointirahat:

Rata

Investointi (MEUR)

Suomi-rata Helsinki-Tampere

0

Lentoradan suunnittelu

43

Turun Tunnin juna -yhtiön pääomittaminen (Espoo–Lohja & Turku–Salo)

460

Espoon kaupunkirata

179

Rantaradan kehittäminen

80

Pääradan kehittäminen Helsinki–Tampere, Liminka–Oulu-kaksoisraide, Tornio–Kolari -radan sähköistäminen

535

Karjalanradan kehittäminen Luumäki–Imatra 2. vaihe

215




24.3.2023

SAKSA VASTUSTAA YDINVOIMAN LUKEMISTA UUSIUTUVAKSI / PÄÄSTÖTTÖMÄKSI

The European Union is negotiating more ambitious targets to expand renewable energy this decade, but the talks have been deadlocked by a dispute over whether countries can meet the goals using "low-carbon hydrogen" produced from nuclear power.

Oh Thursday, ministers from the seven countries - Austria, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain - wrote to Sweden, which holds the rotating EU presidency and represents countries in EU policy negotiations, calling for the targets to be kept free of non-renewable energy sources.

"Taking into account low-carbon hydrogen and low-carbon fuels in the 2030 (renewable energy) targets would decrease the ambition and slow down renewables deployment, which in turn would jeopardize the achievement of the climate targets," the ministers said in the letter, seen by Reuters.

They said this decade will be decisive for limiting climate change - and that renewable power and hydrogen will be the main drivers of the emissions cuts needed to do this.

"Additional renewable energy capacity can be installed within short timeframes and at comparatively competitive costs," the letter said.

Nuclear energy is low-carbon, but not renewable. The fuel source divides EU countries, with Austria and Luxembourg firmly opposed, while others including Germany are phasing out their reactors and countries including Denmark and Ireland are nuclear-free.

France, which has historically relied on nuclear energy for 70% of its power, is leading the push to open up the EU renewable energy targets.

Last month France, Poland, the Czech Republic and six other pro-nuclear EU countries warned that excluding nuclear from the targets would slow development of hydrogen fuel, which Europe is betting on to decarbonise heavy industry.

An EU diplomat said frustration was growing among some countries over France's push for nuclear at a late stage in the negotiations, and a separate row in which Germany is stalling an EU law on car emissions after it had already been agreed.

Such moves by Europe's two biggest economies "paint the picture of the big member states playing by different rules than the small ones," the diplomat said.

The seven countries said they were open to discussing low-carbon fuels' contribution in other EU laws, including on gas networks - but that renewable goals should only be met by wind, solar and other renewable energy sources. [EMP]

5.1.2023

TUNNIN JUNA KESTÄÄ PUOLITOISTA TUNTIA!

Olen vuosien varrella moneen kertaan kirjoittanut järjettömistä ratahankeista ja kumonnut niiden propagandassa hehkutettuja väitteitä. Nyt vihdoin Turun Tunnin Juna Oy myöntää, että tunnista puhuminen on valetta. Sen mukaan nopea kaukojuna, joka ei pysähdy välillä missään, vie aikaa 1h 18min. Sen sijaan tavallisempi kaukojuna , joka pysähtyy matkalla 3 kertaa, vie optimistisesti 1h 26min, mikä on vain 26 min vähemmän kuin nykyinen juna Helsinki-Kupittaa.