Energydesk
The first in our three-part series on 'Shale and Water': Is there a risk from water contamination?
After Dr Jim Marshall, Policy and Business Adviser at Water UK said “If we get it wrong then water has the potential to stop the industry in its tracks,” Energydesk takes a closer look at the risks of water contamination from fracking in an in-depth Q&A.
UK
UN ruling threatens British wind farms
The Independent reports that a United Nations legal tribunal has ruled that the UK Government acted illegally by denying the public decision-making powers over the approval of windfarms. The ruling calls into question the legal validity of any further planning consent for all future wind-farm developments.
EDF power more polluting than previous year
EDF Energy has admitted that its power stations pumped out more carbon dioxide last year than in previous years. Levels of CO2 released during 2012 (251.7 tonnes) are shown to be higher than 2011, most likely in part due to increased coal generation. Incidently, 2011 was a good year, with less CO2 released than 2010.
Dartmoor wind-turbine refused
A 67m wind turbine will not be built on the edge of Dartmoor National Park due to the "significant visual impact" it would have on the area.
Stoke-on-Trent powered by methane
In an effort to provide power to the city from local sources, authorities have unveiled plans to extract methane gas from coal beds to power homes and businesses in Stoke-on-Trent.
Energy tariffs limited
UK energy regulator Ofgem has said that suppliers are to be limited to offering up to four core tariffs per fuel (electricity and gas) by the end of the year. This comes after the Guardian reported in July that five of the "big six" energy companies dropped their policies of offering green tariffs to new customers.
World
Promising Poland shale
After three international energy firms quit the Poland shale scene, it is now reported that Lane Energy is extracting some 8,000 cubic metres of shale gas per day at a test well in northern Poland. While this is an amount unseen in Europe to date, it still does not qualify as commercial production.
New coal plants may kill 16,000 in Guangdong
A
new report by Greenpeace states that emissions from new coal-power
plants in Guangdong, China could cause 16,000 premature deaths in the
southern Chinese province and neighboring Hong Kong over the next four
decades. Coal currently accounts for about 70 percent of China’s energy
mix.
Vermont nuclear plant shuts down
After
a lengthy legal battle, Vermont's only nuclear plant will be shut down.
Concerns surrounding the plant's safety, age and misstatements by plant
management about components at the reactor were raised by lawmakers in
the decision to close the plant. Other factors included the States'
shale gas boom which placed it under significant price competition.
