Issues associated with new build nuclear plants
With everything going on due to this major natural disaster in Japan, it is absolutely incredible to watch how much of the reporting is about the Fukushima plant that goes well beyond the current status of the plant and efforts to get the situation under control. There is a lot Read more…
The UK is unique in its approach to the nuclear renaissance. Once the cradle of the nuclear industry, with some of the world’s oldest plants and research centres, the UK has mostly dismantled its nuclear industry in recent years. From privatizing British Energy to selling off Westinghouse and dismantling BNFL, Read more…
Looking back at my blog from last January, I can probably start the same way – “Where did the time go?” 2010 has been a very busy year with a huge amount of activity in the nuclear sector around the world. I am certain that we can expect an even Read more…
For some time we have seen the nuclear industry moving from west to east. The nuclear renaissance is somewhat stalled in the west, while new build nuclear in the east, led by China, continues to accelerate to extraordinary levels. There are numerous reasons for this shift from west to east. Read more…
As stated in my previous post, I was in Hong Kong recently. This gave me an opportunity to visit the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant. This is not my first time visiting a nuclear power plant in China. I have visited Qinshan many times, and in fact have been involved Read more…
As I write this I am on my way home from speaking at an event in Hong Kong put on by a think tank called Civic Exchange. I want to thank Civic Exchange for asking me to participate and congratulate them on their format. The topic for this, their 14th Read more…
Inspiring! That is the best word I can think of to describe Stewart Brand’s book “Whole Earth Discipline.” My faith in people has been restored. To be frank I have heard Stewart Brand speak twice when I went out and bought his most recent book. His conversion to an ardent Read more…
Recently read “The Black Swan” by Professor Nassim Nicholas Taleb. Anyone at all interested in the use of probabilities to assess and manage risk must put this on their reading list. Taking aim at the normal curve high priests, Taleb attacks by showing that most of what shapes our lives Read more…
Of course the answer is YES! “Rework” is an easy to read book from the people at 37signals, a small business (ok not so small anymore) that creates project management software. Their products are designed to enable us to more easily work together. So when they write a book to Read more…
Late in November I blogged about a recent phenomenon being experienced in some systems – Surplus Baseload Generation (SBG). This is being experienced in Ontario, Canada due to falling electricity demand and the increased use of variable renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. At that time, I started Read more…