Nuclear accident follows Japanese earthqauke

[Ippoippo]

Something a little more 'amusing'

http://www.japantoday.com/category/poli ... mn-reading

I don't know what to make of Kan. Part of me thinks is basically part of a small, more enlightened and somewhat maverick movement of politicians. They are just being drowned/pushed out by the large number of corrupt/inept/group-think/ones-with-links-to-industry politicians.

They all don't like him, both the opposition and members of his own party want him out because he's going to stop a large chunk of the gravy train.

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or is he just as inept as the rest of them, just another 'rabbit in the headlights' Japanese PM as soon as anything out of the ordinary happens.

[raspberry-blower]

The oft quoted mantra that the tidal wave knocked out the cooling system at Fukushima is challenged in the Indy:

Throughout the months of lies and misinformation, one story has stuck: it was the earthquake that knocked out the plant's electric power, halting cooling to its six reactors. The tsunami then washed out the plant's back-up generators 40 minutes later, shutting down all cooling and starting the chain of events that would cause the world's first triple meltdown.

But what if recirculation pipes and cooling pipes burst after the earthquake – before the tidal wave reached the facilities; before the electricity went out? This would surprise few people familiar with the 40-year-old reactor one, the grandfather of the nuclear reactors still operating in Japan.

Article continues

[biffvernon]

Good to see this emerging into the msm. The idea that the power station was doomed before the tsunami hit has been pretty widespread in discussions about the affair.

Take a glance at this discussion, now eleven thousand posts long: http://www.physicsforums.com/showthread ... 0&page=688

(We must have a shorter attention span on PS )

[biffvernon]

It seems that the Japanese government is about to declare an area which will be evacuated indefinitely, media reports saying 'for decades'. Given that Neptunium 239, which has a half life of a couple of days before decaying to Plutonium 239, half life 24000years, has been found, the land will probably been abandoned forever.

It looks increasingly likely that the accident was at the worse end of the spectrum of opinions expressed at the time. The earthquake destroyed the power plant, the tsunami just muddying the waters. There was a rapid melt down. There was re-criticality. Heavy isotopes were ejected afar. The government and TEPCO underplayed the seriousness throughout. The clean-up is going to be long and messy and some land will never be used again.

[RGR]

It looks increasingly likely that the accident was at the worse end of the spectrum of opinions expressed at the time. The earthquake destroyed the power plant, the tsunami just muddying the waters. There was a rapid melt down. There was re-criticality. Heavy isotopes were ejected afar. The government and TEPCO underplayed the seriousness throughout. The clean-up is going to be long and messy and some land will never be used again.

Better luck next time I suppose.

[An Inspector Calls]

Well that's your reading of the thread - not the same as mine.

As for plutonium contamination; well, not good, but the people of Palomares seem to have managed since 1966
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1966_Palomares_B-52_crash

[biffvernon]

One man remains out of a town of 16000

http://news.yahoo.com/ap-exclusive-japa ... 59874.html

[Ippoippo]

Kan feared Tokyo would become uninhabitable due to nuclear crisis

Kan seems to have had stronger environmentalist orientated opinions in the past, but alas it seems he very much was the 'nail that sticks out'.

As soon as he suggested reducing reliance on Nuclear and focusing on Alternatives, the old guard in both the opposition and ruling DJP were bound to sharpen the knives.

[Ippoippo]

Testing Food For Radiation in Japan (Daily Test Result Data Available Online)

James (the author/owner) at JapanProbe has tended to take a more optimistic/naive view of the situation since March.

However, interesting to see how the Japanese are reporting the food testing system.
Me, I'm not entirely convinced. I appreciate the problem of a lack of equipment. What I don't like/trust is that testing is devolved to the local prefectural governments, and national government merely seems to publish trustingly what the local gov provides.

[biffvernon]

Greenpeace report:
http://www.greenpeace.org/international ... e-by-2012/

Tokyo, 12 September, 2011 – Japan can switch off all nuclear plants permanently by 2012 and still achieve both economic recovery and its CO2 reduction goals, according to a new Greenpeace report. Released today, the Advanced Energy [R]evolution report for Japan (1), shows how energy efficiency and rapid deployment of renewable technology can provide all the power Japan needs.
The report - with calculations by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies (ISEP) - shows that Japan's wind and solar generation capacity can be ramped up from the existing 3,500 MW to 47,200 MW by 2015 (2). This represents around 1000 new wind turbines deployed per year, and an increase in the current annual solar PV market by a factor of five, supplying electricity for around 20 million households. At the same time, load reduction strategies would cut Japan's energy demand by 11,000 MW, equal to the capacity of 10 to 12 nuclear reactors.

"The tremendous potential of Japan's renewable energy industry not only allows it to retire its existing nuclear plants, but provides a huge opportunity to boost the economy by creating thousands of green jobs", said Sven Teske, Greenpeace International Renewable Energy Campaign Director.

New Prime Minister Yoshihoko Noda claims that nuclear power is needed to save the economy (3), however, under the Advanced Energy [R]evolution scenario energy sector jobs would triple by 2015, reaching 326,000 compared to projections of 81,500 for a business-as-usual approach.

"With only 11 out of 54 reactors online at the height of summer and little impact to daily life, Japan has already proven that by conserving energy it does not need nuclear power", said Hisayo Takada, Greenpeace Japan Climate and Energy Campaigner. "The Greenpeace plan is ambitious, but this is exactly what Japan needs: ambitious solutions that provide jobs, energy independence, and ensure a safe, clean and sustainable future for its people".

Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organisation that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace.

[biffvernon]

Another major study on radioactive release:

The disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in March released far more radiation than the Japanese government has claimed.

http://www.nature.com/news/2011/111025/ ... 8435a.html

[Ippoippo]

Greenpeace report:
http://www.greenpeace.org/international ... e-by-2012/

Tokyo, 12 September, 2011 – Japan can switch off all nuclear plants permanently by 2012 and still achieve both economic recovery and its CO2 reduction goals, according to a new Greenpeace report. Released today, the Advanced Energy [R]evolution report for Japan (1), shows how energy efficiency and rapid deployment of renewable technology can provide all the power Japan needs.
The report - with calculations by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies (ISEP) - shows that Japan's wind and solar generation capacity can be ramped up from the existing 3,500 MW to 47,200 MW by 2015 (2). This represents around 1000 new wind turbines deployed per year, and an increase in the current annual solar PV market by a factor of five, supplying electricity for around 20 million households. At the same time, load reduction strategies would cut Japan's energy demand by 11,000 MW, equal to the capacity of 10 to 12 nuclear reactors.

"The tremendous potential of Japan's renewable energy industry not only allows it to retire its existing nuclear plants, but provides a huge opportunity to boost the economy by creating thousands of green jobs", said Sven Teske, Greenpeace International Renewable Energy Campaign Director.

New Prime Minister Yoshihoko Noda claims that nuclear power is needed to save the economy (3), however, under the Advanced Energy [R]evolution scenario energy sector jobs would triple by 2015, reaching 326,000 compared to projections of 81,500 for a business-as-usual approach.

"With only 11 out of 54 reactors online at the height of summer and little impact to daily life, Japan has already proven that by conserving energy it does not need nuclear power", said Hisayo Takada, Greenpeace Japan Climate and Energy Campaigner. "The Greenpeace plan is ambitious, but this is exactly what Japan needs: ambitious solutions that provide jobs, energy independence, and ensure a safe, clean and sustainable future for its people".

Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organisation that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace.

I think a complete shutdown by 2012 could be optimistic, but....

The thing you have to remember is that wind power was undamaged by the tsunami

It has not been much noted, but somehow, Japan's wind turbines managed to survive the massive earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011. As shaken as our confidence is in nuclear energy, it is perhaps telling that main streem media has not told the story of how the turbines in Kamisu, southern Ibaraki prefecture, perfectly managed to survive the forces of nature.

The seven turbins were unhurt and continued to produce electricity. In fact, none of Japan's wind turbines, representing over 2300 MW of capacity, failed as a result of the disaster, according to the Japan Wind Power Association.

http://martinjapan.blogspot.com/2011/10 ... tepco.html

[emordnilap]

The thing you have to remember is that wind power was undamaged by the tsunami

It has not been much noted, but somehow, Japan's wind turbines managed to survive the massive earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011. As shaken as our confidence is in nuclear energy, it is perhaps telling that main streem media has not told the story of how the turbines in Kamisu, southern Ibaraki prefecture, perfectly managed to survive the forces of nature.

The seven turbins were unhurt and continued to produce electricity. In fact, none of Japan's wind turbines, representing over 2300 MW of capacity, failed as a result of the disaster, according to the Japan Wind Power Association.

http://martinjapan.blogspot.com/2011/10 ... tepco.html

That's all well and good - and excellent news, Ippoippo, thanks for that - but no doubt it won't be long before our resident climate change supporter comes along, trolling something absurdly and begrudingly banal along the lines of 'so what?'

[An Inspector Calls]

Instead of trolling about windmills, shouldn't you be out voting in your Presidential election? I assume you're a candidate - a man of your intellect would cut quite a path amongst the candidates. It's such a strong field, what with McGuinness and a winner of the Eurovision Song Contest - elect her and at least you'd have a president who could sing and dance.

[biffvernon]

More signs that the Japanese government still don't get it.

http://enenews.com/gamma-rays-alone-alm ... kyo-videos

Radiation from gamma rays alone at almost 4 µSv/h in front of elementary school in Kashiwa, near Tokyo