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420 million yen stolen from ATMs near Fukushima nuclear plant
Some 420 million yen was stolen from ATMs near the crisis-hit Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant between the onset of the nuclear disaster and the end of June, National Police Agency (NPA) figures have shown.

Figures released by the NPA on July 14 showed thieves broke into convenience stores within the 20-kilometer evacuation zone around the plant 25 times during the period, stealing roughly 420 million yen from ATMs in the stores. There were also 106 cases of vacant houses being burglarized.
More: mdn.mainichi.jp

@Edano I find some thing on Angra 3 on wikleaks but I'm afraid to post here......

Radiation Leaked From Three-Quarters Of U.S. Nuclear Power Stations
Dangerous radiation has leaked from 3-quarters of all U.S. nuclear power stations raising fears the country`s water supplies could one day be contaminated.

Water tested around 37 of the facilities contained radioactive concentrations exceeding the U.S. drinking water standard and in some cases, hundreds of times over the limit.

Tritium, which is a radioactive form of hydrogen, has leaked from at least 48 of 65 sites, according to the U.S. nuclear regulatory commission.

Each of the known releases have been less radioactive than a single x-ray and scientists say tritium is not dangerous in small doses, but prolonged exposure to high levels is believed to increase the chances of cancer, leukemia, and mutations in humans.
More: www.39online.com

@joniver Interesting. 37 leaking reactors. 35 old BWR reactors. One to one? Wonder which PWRs were leaking if so.

www.EMSL.com

dang.

www.EMSL.com

@Pedro Jesus I hope you a right . I heard they were buying every patent on new ways of energy to protect theyer business and stay in Business after the fade of petroleum I heard this on marinas bars....

@Majj You could be right, they do have the money... but I doubt American, Japanese, European and Chinese energy companies would sell their patents... they would be out of the business.

Genuine Artificial Solar Leaf
Yet another new breakthrough in low cost solar energy just made its debut, and this one is a doozy: a solar cell the size of a typical leaf, that actually creates energy the same way a leaf does: with photosynthesis. No, for real. You just park it in a bucket of water and it generates enough electricity to power household devices… eventually (more on that below). The announcement was made by the lead researcher on the MIT-based project, Dr. Daniel Nocera, who said, “A practical artificial leaf has been one of the Holy Grails of science for decades.”
The new solar cell is about about the size of a poker card. It doesn’t produce usable electricity directly, like a photovoltaic cell does. Instead, it is used to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen gasses. These are stored in a fuel cell, which then produces the electricity for household use. The idea is to have the combination of solar “leaf” and fuel cell as an affordable onsite renewable energy appliance that practically anyone could afford, just like a furnace, hot water heater or emergency generator. One sticking point in the research was to find a low-cost catalyst to set off the reaction, and Nocera’s team came up with several alternatives made of nickel and cobalt.
More: cleantechnica.com

But solar won't work, the sun is going out. :-) There is a huge decrease in activity though. earthobservatory.nasa.gov

The next best thing to oil "A renewable carbon economy? Surely that's a pipe dream? Perhaps not, now that solar power facilities are cropping up in deserts across California, Spain and North Africa. The idea is to use the sun to power chemical plants able to split carbon dioxide. Combine the resulting carbon monoxide with hydrogen and you have the beginnings of a solar fuel that could one day replace oil." www.newscientist.com

The energy density of solar will not meet the needs of most consumers even if all of their property was covered with solar panels.

@Ralph Unger it doesnt need to though ..by the same token nuclear wouldnt cover but I know which I would rather have as a partial supply

U.S. military expected to lift ban on Japanese foods soon
The U.S. military is preparing to lift a ban on some Japanese foods, imposed after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami triggered a nuclear scare.

Food deliveries from those factories were suspended due to a range of health concerns, including the proximity of some of them to the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power station, which was severely damaged by the quake and tsunami, said Lt. Col. Margery Hanfelt, commander of the veterinary command.
The suspended plants — among 60 that deliver to U.S. bases — produce a variety of foods ranging from baked goods and eggs to fresh fruit, vegetables and processed items.
Some of the facilities, which Hanfelt declined to identify, were damaged by the earthquake while others had supplies of basic ingredients cut.
More: www.stripes.com

@Elaine Kirk @lillymunster Like I said, if the various renewable energy sources are harnessed and combined, and if an efficient energy network is in place (which is the case in most modern scenarios), it will be possible to have green cities in the near future. The Portuguese electric grid already contemplates that possibility and it is already possible to negotiate energy with the national grid. I know of some houses here in the south that actually sell more energy to the grid than they buy, which means they are not only self sufficient but they are also providing clean energy to the national grid. Combined effort is the key and our Governments (if they have done anything right lately) have been doing a good job at providing the infra-structure and the legal conditions for that to become a reality in the near future. I'm a believer.

There are many aspects of the smart grid, the one consumers will notice the most will be a premium charged for peak time usage.

@lillymunster There has to be some deep anger brewing in the people of Japan as this murderous fiasco cascades. I'm having trouble understanding what TEPCO and GoJ have in mind as an endgame that doesn't involve pitchforks.

If I buy a dozen apples, I get a discount. If I use a bit more electricity or water then a minimum they set, I pay a lot more per unit. That is the definition of a monopoly working well.