Earthquake/tsunami in Tohoku, North East Japan (11th March 2011)

[soubriquet 0]

Letter to The Times.

 

"Sir, Despite the caveats expressed by some Liberal Democrats over nuclear power (“Nuclear power ‘unsellable’ after Japan crisis, warns Ashdownâ€, Mar 26), the question of safety can be assessed only by scientists and nuclear engineers, not by politicians. Recent calculations indicate new nuclear power costs of £59/MWh including development, construction and decommissioning, reducing to £50/MWh later. Levelised offshore wind costs are estimated at £203/MWh, including marine transmission and grid restructuring; onshore wind, £118/MWh. All renewables suffer from a low density of energy collection. Replacing one nuclear power plant (1.2 GW) by onshore wind would require about 300 square miles of countryside carpeted by 1,500x100-metre high turbines assuming 30 per cent efficiency. UK electricity use is about 100 GW. No generating system can be decarbonised without nuclear power and in our densely populated country unspoilt wilderness is at a premium. Stable and cheap electricity underpins all advanced economies. Present renewables are not a serious future option.

 

Professor Anthony Trewavas

Penicuik, Midlothian"

 

So. The solution is this. Equip (at what cost?) every home in Japan with solar panels. Who will pay for or maintain the system? When the sun doesn't shine, we need wind power. A second system, which doesn't work when the wind doesn't blow. Who pays for this, and at what cost? Finally, as backup, we need a fully installed thermal and nuclear power system.

 

The "low paid grunt work harvesting fruit, packing fish, working on production lines etc.," workers aren't going to grunting on the production lines when energy costs shut down production. That leaves middle class liberal arts graduates and bankers a real vacuum. Without people working for a living, where is the money going to come from?

[Metabo Oyaji 71]

Has Professor Trewavas included the costs of decontamination and compensation for economic losses after an accident? When your favorite onsen or ski area in Yamagata goes out of business because people think "Tohoku," or "Honshu," or "Japan" is much too dangerous to visit, who pays for that? (Regardless of whether such fears are justified, they exist and have real-life impact.)

 

I have priced out some solar systems, and for a 4 kW system (covering a family of 3's contribution to national power consumption), the fully-installed cost is 2-3,000,000 yen, depending on roof type. So equivalent to buying a new car, except that one is instead pre-buying one's electricity for the rest of one's life. With, it should be noted, basically negligible maintenance costs after installation.

 

Wind has more maintenance requirements, I assume, having moving parts.

 

[tokabochi 9]

I see a 6.5 (shindo 5+) yesterday and a 6.2 (shidno 5-) earlier this morning off the coast of Tohoku. OK good, that was the finale, all over now!

[muikabochi 208]

Hmmmm Muikamachi down for a shindo 3 again but I didn't wake up or feel anything at all.

 

I think the measuring machine thingy in Muikamachi must be positioned on top of a big jelly.

 

The readings from Shiozawa nearby always seem more in line with what we have here.

[Chriselle 158]

Originally Posted By: muikabochi

Hmmmm Muikamachi down for a shindo 3 again but I didn't wake up or feel anything at all.

I think the measuring machine thingy in Muikamachi must be positioned on top of a big jelly.

The readings from Shiozawa nearby always seem more in line with what we have here.

Or, you're just getting used to it.

[muikabochi 208]

I'm certainly more "used to it" than I would like to be, but no... I'm well super sensitised to even the slightest wobble now unfortunately.

[RobBright 35]

Alright earthquakes, **** off already and let me sleep!

[@tokyo 14]

I didn't feel anything..... was there one just?

[RobBright 35]

Yep there was...

[Ocean11 0]

We haven't scratched the surface of renewables yet. Despite the fact that they contain a lot of energy, waste food and human excrement are still being thrown away for the large part. Also generation using the thermal difference of deep sea water provides enough power for base loads. Introducing big trees into cities would also provide shade and biomass (if people can just be brought to accept that leaves are not a problem to winge about).

 

The idea that renewables must offer a complete and perfect solution right now is absurd, but otherwise seemingly intelligent people keep shaking their little heads and saying no, we must have nuclear or we're screwed. This 'doing of numbers' is a joke. Why don't you numbers-doing people do some numbers for my neighbourhood. Of course you would have no idea whatsoever about the resources we have here, but that shouldn't stop you from settling our fate with a few strokes of your pen.

The great US military of the great US people, having used up a large percentage of the world's oil for nothing, are now finding ways to fight their pointless wars using solar and biofuels. They seem to think it can be done. The Germans in their folly seem to think it's worth a shot too.

 

As for what various nuclear-loving 'greens' say, they ain't greens. They've recused themselves by their position on nuclear and the assumptions that lie behind it.

[muikabochi 208]

Leaves do stop trains though, I hear, Ocean.

[Tubby Beaver 209]

[Chriselle 158]

Tubby..that kinda choked me up...damn!!

[Tubby Beaver 209]

yeah its shocking eh? Those bastards don't even answer the question

[Jynxx 4]

That is the saddest thing I have seen.

Shit. Absolutely heartless.

[igloo 3]

[muikabochi 208]

Very sad.

[joshnii 2]

I know it isnt those dudes personally, but you can only sympathise with people messed up in this. They must feel so stressed and helpless.

 

Wouldn't be surprised to see some physical violence against someone.

 

Where's all this leading? A look down the road in 6 month, 12 months sure would be interesting.

 

[rach 1]

Here's the extent to the coverage on all this in the mainstream media here.... someone last night asked me if 'this was still making the news in

Japan?'. This being the whole thing... tsunami, Fukushima. And 'is that nuclear powee plant plant still shut down?'

 

As if it might all be over. Where do you start answering that?!

[minus 1]

That might actually be a Good thing in terms of potential visitors not getting bombarded with the gloomier stuff we are getting day in day out.

[fukdane 2]

Originally Posted By: joshnii

I know it isnt those dudes personally, but you can only sympathise with people messed up in this. They must feel so stressed and helpless.

Wouldn't be surprised to see some physical violence against someone.

Where's all this leading? A look down the road in 6 month, 12 months sure would be interesting.

It sure is going to be a test of character.
The stress and frustration is only going to crank up.

[grungy-gonads 54]

Shite only just got to see that.

 

How depressing.

 

Thing is you just know that man does actaully have a heart. He just is simply not allowed to utter any words off the official line.

 

Imagine how you feel going home in an evening after that lot. Assuming you do have a heart of course.

[scouser 4]

Originally Posted By: rach

Here's the extent to the coverage on all this in the mainstream media here.... someone last night asked me if 'this was still making the news in
Japan?'. This being the whole thing... tsunami, Fukushima. And 'is that nuclear powee plant plant still shut down?'

As if it might all be over. Where do you start answering that?!

Yeah there's a real lack of "updates" on this now in the UK at least. Libya, Norway, Amy Winehouse... "something always steals the headlines" as they say.

[BagOfCrisps 24]

Question - is there a growing sense of real anger?

[Chriselle 158]

Originally Posted By: BagOfCrisps

Question - is there a growing sense of real anger?

Real anger?? Hey, you saw it. Some little guy holding a beaker of urine pleading..."Please. Please take this urine" while blocking the elevator button.
Rambunctious jiji.