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When a year has passed since the accident at the Japanese nuclear power plant, the international nuclear calendars have taken different paths. Countries like Germany, Belgium and Italy have chosen to abandon this type of energy. But others, like China, India, Russia and the U.S. are committed to the nuclear and have already announced the construction of new power
(Construction of the Olkiluoto nuclear power plant in Finland. Picture: BBC World Service.)
“Until Fukushima talked openly of a nuclear renaissance, but the accident had a very strong impact on public opinion and created a collective psychosis with profound consequences,” said Alejo Vidal-Quadras, vice president of the European Parliament, during a conference organized this month by the Spanish Nuclear Society (SNE).
The accident that occurred on March 11, 2011 in central Fukushima-Daiichi Japanese not only shocked the world public opinion, also disrupted the plans of the global nuclear industry.In Europe, for example, the government of Chancellor Angela Merkel canceled the plan to extend the life of German nuclear power plants and established in 2022 as the year of closure of all facilities currently in operation.
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The company Avila Onyx Solar has led the development of constructive solutions for photovoltaic integration in buildings. The idea is that the construction drawing generates energy radiation from the Sun’s solutions replace conventional materials such as glass or ceramics for other properties photovoltaic facades, walls or floors passable. Now, with the help of staff of the Department of Condensed Matter Physics, University of Valladolid, the company has started an R & D that aims to complement these solutions.
Between the walls and ceilings of the building and energy use area is a buffer zone that are used in insulation. The innovative initiative aims to use organic materials for this function.
Daniel Valencia, a researcher of the R & D company explains that “until now used as insulation wool, but consider using organic materials with lower carbon Juella.” The company explained that currently 70% of emissions of greenhouse gases are generated in cities whose buildings are responsible for almost 40% of the total energy consumption. Acting on these buildings could reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
In this case, the researchers propose replacing conventional thermal insulation of wood fibers, cellulose, wool or cork.
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Researchers at the University of Cordoba will stop the production of glycerin in the biodiesel manufacturing process by replacing soda and tested lipases can be produced in large quantities.
(Culture dedicated to the production of biofuels. Image: UCO)
Sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), methanol (a type of alcohol) and vegetable oils. So far this has been half the world’s most common formula for biofuels made through a chemical reaction known as transesterification. Reaction is the transformation of triglycerides (made up of glycerol and fatty acids) in biodiesel by contact with alcohol. An industry-wide process that is accelerated by adding sodium hydroxide, the same way our grandmothers adding soda to the mixture of oil, alcohol and water used to make homemade soap.
Biofuel production has thus reduced the dependence on fossil fuels on the planet, but has not been free of “environmental sins”. And the chemical reaction between methanol and vegetable fats break down the molecules used in triglycerides produced by each of them: 3 and 1 glycerin biodiesel, lethal component for the engines.
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The Universitat Jaume I and Universitat de Valencia participate in a European consortium that is developing new nanomaterials applied to the field of energy.
(Garcia Germa researcher in the laboratory of the University)
Seventeen partners from eight European countries working in Orion ( Ordered inorganic-organic hybrids using ionic liquids for Emerging Applications ), funded by the Seventh Framework Programme of the EU. Coordinated by CIDETEC (Centre for Electrochemical Technologies) in the Basque Country, the project aims to explore possible combinations of organic and inorganic materials designed to provide best photovoltaic solar panels and batteries to store energy more efficiently.
According to lead researcher of the team UJI, Professor of Applied Physics Germà Garcia Belmonte, organic and inorganic materials separately important limitations. “For example, inorganic materials such as oxides are very robust but the process is complicated. Instead, organic and plastics are more malleable and thus working with them is easier, but raise the question of its high reactivity in the environment that is, degrade easily, “explains the researcher.
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Acetals may play a role in the development of biofuels. Indeed, it seems that can function as biodiesel additives to improve cetane number and so they become inflamed more easily. Also improve its stability to oxidation and reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides. Agirre Ion engineer has focused on the so-called 1.1 diethoxy acetal butane.
(Ion Arisketa Agirre, author of the thesis. )
Examined the reaction system is commonly used to achieve this and has proposed alternative measures to make the process more efficient. He defended his thesis at the UPV / EHU, under the title Innovative systems for acetal reaction (1.1 diethoxy butane) production from Renewable Sources (Reaction innovative systems for the production of acetal (1.1 diethoxy butane) from renewable resources). In turn, he has published several articles, for example, in the journal Journal of Membrane Science.
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According to experts, bioethanol is and will be one of the main biofuel in Europe. Currently, production is based on the fermentation of sugar and starch crops as raw materials using corn, wheat, barley, beet, which is called first-generation bioethanol.
(Sorghum.)
In order to diversify the current market for this biofuel in the European Union, researchers from three countries Sweethanol working on the project, which aims to use the sugary sweet sorghum as a crop for sustainable production innovation, promoting the creation of small decentralized plants and medium scale.
The project, located in Ecuador of its development, has a budget of 1.2 million euros from the IEE-II program 2009 (Intelligent Energy Europe) of the European Commission. It involves two Spanish banks, the Association for the Diffusion of Utilization of Biomass in Spain (ADAB) and the Foundation of Valladolid Cartif and research institutions and two other Southern European countries where sorghum can be grown Sweet, Italy and Greece.
Specifically, as explained in comments reported by the investigator Cartif DiCYT Oscar Leon, is the Regional Energy Agency of Central Macedonia-Anatoliki (REACM) and the Agricultural Cooperative of Halastra of Greece and INIPA-Coldiretti and Center for Theoretical and Applied Ecology (CETA) of Italy, who coordinates the project.
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The Nuclear Safety Council (CSN) has classified at level 1, the International Nuclear Event Scale and Radiological (INES), the discharge of about 25 m3 of radioactive water that occurred on April 28 in Unit 1 nuclear plant Asco (Tarragona) by human errors in operation. The incident caused 19 workers to get wet feet in the water, although radiological controls have revealed they are not contaminated
On 28 April, the owner of the Asco nuclear power plant 1 (Endesa) notified the CSN, following the regulatory process, with the central stop for refueling, “during the calibration of one of the four channels from semi-automatic recirculation sinks of the containment building, there was the unwanted opening of an isolation valve power sinks. “ Because of this, about 25 m3 were dumped from the primary coolant system to the sump.
As a result of the discharge of water, wet the shoes of 14 workers who were in the area, and proceeded to evacuate all staff who were performing work in the affected area, replaced the wet shoes and workers were made appropriate radiological measurements without internal contamination has been recognized on the staff.
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These days in Madrid have met the most outstanding representatives of the merger at an international conference to discuss the latest technological developments. At the symposium we have analyzed the energy problems of today’s consumer society and the development of fusion technology as a possible solution to the problem of energy dependence and its compatibility with the environmental balance.
The international forum that brought together the most relevant fusion plasma scientists in the world at the Madrid headquarters of the Fundacion Ramon Areces has been coordinated by CIEMAT and counted with the greatest representatives of the ITER project.
The symposium has addressed four areas: the problem of energy, nuclear fusion reactors, plasma and basic science, and plasmas and technology.
The symposium coordinator and researcher CIEMAT, Carlos Hidalgo, placed particular emphasis on showing the differences between the technology of fusion and fission, the latter entirely valid for the accident at the plant in Fukushima. Hidalgo also highlighted the characteristics of fusion energy as an energy source, since by definition is boundless and has no impact on the stock of greenhouse gases.
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Three professors from the School of Agricultural Engineering, University of Seville have developed and patented a new packaging system for bioclimatic buildings through green roofs and vertical gardens. The system aims to reduce energy consumption caused by air conditioning and ventilation of buildings, and also retains foreign particles that can cause allergies and gaseous pollutants harmful to health.
This patent, bioclimatic conditioning system with vertical garden structures, inspired by the first vertical garden in Spain at Madrid Caixa Forum building and work of Frenchman Patrick Blanc. Results of their research, and as a means of transferring knowledge from the University, have created technology-based company Urban Therapy.
Urban Therapy, composed of professors Antonio Franco, Rafael Fernandez and Luis Perez de la Universidad de Sevilla and architects, Ivan and Fernando Hidalgo Gavino is framed within the environmental sector and the energy and commitment to “naturation” urban and instrument of sustainable architecture. This concept seeks to integrate nature into the city through the implementation of plant spaces on roofs or facades.
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The Association of Nuclear Regulatory Authorities of Europe (WENRA) has defined this week endurance date for central Europe after the accident at the nuclear power Fukushima (Japan). The Nuclear Safety Council (CSN) has forwarded a list of those responsible for the Spanish plants.
Following the accident at the plant in Fukushima, WENRA representatives have met between 22 and 23 in Helsinki (Finland) to develop a proposal for how to perform safety checks and risk analysis (called stress tests Or endurance) in the European nuclear power plants.
To develop these tests, we have identified a series of initiating events and situations that may occur in the development of an emergency beyond-design basis earthquake not initially considered, for example, to take action for their prevention, better manage their potential impact and improve safety.
The periods referred to in the proposed WENRA (after final approval) are for six months for complete nuclear revisions and three months for evaluation by regulators. This partnership has created a working group to lay down in a document the scope and content of the stress tests. The document will be developed over the next few weeks.
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Between the walls and ceilings of the building and energy use area is a buffer zone that are used in insulation. The innovative initiative aims to use organic materials for this function.