france posts, articles, and infographics

International nuclear markets gain momentum

February 6, 2012 by Dan Yurman
with 240 views

China restarts approvals, moves to 3G designs The China Daily reports in its English language editions Feb 1 approvals of new nuclear reactor projects in China will take place at a pace of three-to-four projects per year. According to Xiao Xinjian, a nuclear energy industry expert, six projects that had already received approval prior... [read more]

Explosion at French LLW Plant Leaves 1 dead, 4 injured

September 14, 2011 by Dan Yurman
with 267 views

The French nuclear safety authority Autorité de Sûreté Nucléaire (ASN) said in a statement that one person has died and four workers have been injured, one seriously, after an explosion about noon local time on September 12 at the Marcoule nuclear site in southern France. One of the four injured workers is reported to have severe burns. [read more]

French Fracking Fracus

June 20, 2011 by Michael Giberson
with 277 views

There is oil in shale formations in France, possibly even shale oil under the Eiffel Tower, and at least for now it looks like that is where the oil will remain. According to a report by Bloomberg News, a parliamentary committee agreed on a proposal to ban hydraulic fracturing in the country, the full parliament is slated to vote on... [read more]

U.K. Depends on France for the Nuclear Renaissance

February 3, 2011 by Joseph Koblich
with 2,085 views

But first EdF and Areva have to get organized at home. (By Dan Yurman) The United Kingdom currently has 19 nuclear reactors producing just under 20 percent of the nation’s electricity. All but one of the reactors has to be replaced by 2023. Development of new coal-fired power stations isn’t an option, given the challenges of global... [read more]

Nuclear vs. Renewables: Two Countries, Two Paths, One Crucial Lesson Learned

January 27, 2011 by Barry Brook
with 872 views

In the 1970s, two countries took two different paths in energy policy. Denmark pursued wind power, but failed to replace its fossil fuel power plants. It has among the highest carbon emissions per capita in Europe. France pursued nuclear power, and now has the lowest carbon emissions of any OECD country. Lesson learned. Nuclear power... [read more]

Nuclear Power in India: The Russians are coming and so are the French

January 6, 2011 by Dan Yurman
with 2,097 views

The U.S. is being left behind in the race for market share To see where India’s drive is headed to build 20 GWe of new nuclear powered electric generation capacity in the next 10 years, look at its aluminum and steel industries. As India relaxes its government rules that limit private sector participation in new reactors, two huge heavy... [read more]

Does Nuclear Energy Really Equate to Nuclear War?

January 5, 2011 by Charles Barton
with 1,230 views

In a previous post I looked at Mark Z. Jacobson's decision to exclude nuclear power as an future energy source in a recent paper. In that post I reviewed Jacobson's assertions that the global spread of nuclear generated electrical power would cause nuclear proliferation and nuclear war. In the course of my investigating of actual... [read more]

Art Wharton - What about external costs of energy technologies? Part 1

December 28, 2010 by Joseph Koblich
with 1,847 views

The often-ignored difference maker There are numerous articles and analyses on the construction, operation, maintenance, and fuel costs of the various forms of energy that demonstrate that nuclear power is competitive with coal power generation. The articles and analyses reveal that nuclear and coal run neck-and-neck for the total cost... [read more]

Local Actions on climate change: France in Focus

November 22, 2010 by Climatico Analysis
with 825 views

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been lauded in the past years as one of the driving forces behind the EU’s increasing goals to combat climate change. He has also championed talks to try to align former French colonies in Africa in the climate change mitigation and adaptation debate. Yet, the real changes to how “... [read more]

French Strikes and US Gas Prices

October 19, 2010 by Geoffrey Styles
with 893 views

My reaction to the ongoing refinery strikes and fuel depot blockades in France was probably best described as bewilderment, until it occurred to me that they could have a significant effect on what consumers elsewhere pay for gasoline and diesel, including here in the US. That's clearly a much smaller inconvenience than French consumers... [read more]

France Invests in Low-Carbon Technology Development

September 28, 2010 by Climatico Analysis
with 816 views

In August, the French government launched a major renewable energy investment programme. The new programme is dubbed <<démonstrateurs énergies renouvelables et chimie verte,>> which translates directly to “renewable energy and green chemistry demonstration.” The renewable energy investment programme will... [read more]

Positive Lessons Extracted From Cooper's Paper On French Nuclear Experience

September 12, 2010 by Rod Adams
with 1,102 views

I wrote yesterday about the press conference announcing the release of Dr. Mark Cooper's paper titled Policy Challenges of Nuclear Reactor Construction: Cost Escalation and Crowding Out Alternatives. Though I strongly disagree with the conclusions, I believe that the paper is worth reading because it can provide both cautionary... [read more]

If French Nuclear Success Is Socialism - Call Me a Socialist

September 11, 2010 by Rod Adams
with 2,034 views

On Thursday, September 9, 2010, the Institute for Energy and the Environment at the Vermont Law School, which is not affiliated with the University of Vermont, hosted a phone press conference to announce the release of a paper titled Policy Challenges of Nuclear Reactor Construction: Cost Escalation and Crowding Out Alternatives by Dr.... [read more]

Dear Areva: Thank you for an eye-opening and educational experience

June 13, 2010 by Rod Adams
with 274 views

I have just returned from a unique ecotourism experience. Instead of visiting a wild place with a protected and isolated habitat, I spent a week in France touring industrial facilities that are actively producing emission-free fuels and power for a large, prosperous, and well-developed country. My trip was hosted by Areva, the... [read more]

Green VS. Green, Part 1

May 27, 2010 by Breakthrough Institute
with 437 views

By Breakthrough Senior Fellow Siddartha Shome Denmark Dispute Greens tout Denmark as a renewable mecca, but Sweden -- powered largely by hydro and nuclear -- has a far less carbon intense energy mix. Here's a pop quiz. A, B, C, and D are four rich industrialized countries in Western Europe with similar living standards. Country A's... [read more]