About Generators

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2010-11-13T12:55:00.000-08:00

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Punching hole in reactor dome a fluid situation - San Diego Union Tribune

2010-11-12T14:02:00.000-08:00

By Onell R. Soto pv["p.a_3"] = ""; Thursday, October 7, 2010 at noon

John Gastaldo pv["p.a_4"] = "John Gastaldo"; / U-T pv["p.a_4"] = "U-T";

This is the site where a hole will be made to be able to install a new steam generator.

What's the biggest task the interim chief nuclear officer at San Onofre faces? CLICK HERE to read the U-T's interview with Joe Sheppard.

What’s next?

--San Onofre has a federal license to operate until 2022.

--Early next year, Southern California Edison plans to ask the California Public Utilities Commission for permission to spend money it collects from electricity users on a multimillion-dollar relicensing effort.

--If the PUC decides that it makes sense to go forward, Edison would ask the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a license that would allow the plant to operate until 2042.

--A key issue will be how to deal with the plant’s design, which kills millions of fish larvae and other sea creatures as it brings in ocean water for cooling.

The concrete on the containment dome housing reactors at the San Onofre nuclear plant is strong.

Stronger, in fact, than plant leaders thought when a year ago they used giant hammers to crush it to punch a 28-by-28-foot hole in the side of the northern dome, Unit 2, for a plant upgrade.

Coming in from the outside, workers started with large devices, like big jackhammers, to turn the concrete into rubble.

They used smaller mechanical hammers when they got close to the inside of the dome.

The hammers banged and punched. And got nowhere. So workers had to use the big hammers, and that damaged a quarter-inch-thick lining on the inside of the dome, requiring repairs.

So now, when punching a hole in the second dome, which houses Unit 3, workers will use a different, more expensive technology: Water.

Coming out of nozzles at 25,000 pounds per square inch, jets will pulverize the concrete without damaging the lining.

The holes in the domes are needed for a $671 million maintenance project — the replacement of four massive units that boil water to drive the steam turbines that make 20 percent of the electricity used in the region.

"We haven't built nuclear units since the '70s," said project manager Michael Wharton. "This is as close as we've come."

The project is paid for through electricity rates, including those in San Diego.

It’s a bargain, Southern California Edison officials said, because to buy fossil-fueled power to replace San Onofre’s output would cost $1 billion.

The devices, called steam generators, are essentially large heat exchangers. Water heated to 600 degrees by nuclear reactions flows through thousands of tubes at high pressure. Fresh water is poured over the tubes to create the steam. Each reactor feeds two steam generators.

Some of the tubes have become plugged in the roughly 28 years since the two operating reactors came online. (Unit 1 has been decommissioned.)

So, to increase efficiency, and to make sure that the plant can operate safely at least until 2022, when its license expires, the units have to be replaced.

The final act in that 10-year process begins this month, when Unit 3 will power down, its uranium fuel removed, and workers begin shooting water at its containment dome.

Once the hole is open, the two steam generators inside — coated with a fixative to prevent any radioactive material from falling off — will be carefully removed.

Then the new units, built in Kobe, Japan, by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, will take their place.

The units are now laying sideways in giant tents where Unit 1 used to sit. They will be trucked into place next to Unit 3, lifted to platforms outside the dome, then raised upright as they slide through the hole.

Parts of the steel generators will come within an inch of the concrete opening.

“It’s a very careful ballet,” said Joe Sheppard, San Onofre’s chief nuclear officer.

After they’re in place, workers will replace the steel lining, repair steel tendons that give the dome its strength, and pour about 100 yards of concrete to rebuild what the jets of water pulverized.

At that point, Sheppard said, “it’s as strong or stronger than it was to begin with.”

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2010-11-11T08:02:00.000-08:00

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Are We Serious About Fuel Alternatives?

2010-11-10T21:42:00.000-08:00

As you can see from some of our previous articles, government agencies predict about 40 years of petroleum still remains. As usage climbs, the amount of time remaining may shrink even more. New reserves will be found, but developing countries, such as we're seeing in China with their industrial revolution taking place, will demand greater volumes of petroleum to supply energy needs.

People under 50 years of age should be considering this phenomenon as a potentially life-changing circumstance. For most of us, there is little we can do except watch events play out, and perhaps vote when the opportunity arises. Our industries must step up to the plate to meet the task at hand.

Since the first petroleum shortages of the 70's, some groups have come to the forefront to inform others about the dangers and difficulties we will face. Few took them seriously. Radical groups made drastic lifestyle changes to reduce their own fuel consumption, and hoped that others would follow suit.

Not likely.

However, these groups are and have been dedicated to spreading the word to the public that we are running out of fuel as we know it. It won't be today, nor next week, nor even 10 years from now. Maybe it's 80 years from now, but all signs and reports indicate we are running out. Social Security also has 40 years of successful operation, but the Bush Administration has clearly taken on the task of "fixing social security", because in about 40 years it's going to crash too, according to administrative estimates.

We suggest that fuel alternatives are even more important than social security.

Without fuel----and MASSIVE quantities of it--- this nation will dry up like a sand dune. Operations of most business will cease, and we'll be returned to the pre-industrial age. Keep vaccinating the horse population for West Nile Virus.....we may need them for transportation.

It is our belief, although we have no solid evidence, that fuel companies are squarely behind the petroleum pumps, and the scare is played very low-key. Huge profits exist where a product can simply be drawn from the ground, and with one refining process, produce gasoline, diesel fuel, propane, methane, etc. from the run. It is by far, the cheapest present alternative for large companies. All corporate companies are dollar driven, and so it makes perfect sense for them to continue using petroleum. Our government has committed more resources than we can ever afford, to secure and protect our overseas interests where petroleum is abundant.

If new massive volumes of petroleum are located, it will alleviate some of the crisis for the time being. But this looming crisis will never go away. It is imperative that government begin providing the means for business of all sizes to develop alternative fuel strategies. Government does at present provide some incentives, in tax breaks, informational support, and even grants, but more can be done. Investing large quantities of time and money into the research and development of alternatives is crucial.

As supplies dwindle, this ever-growing concern will do just that. It will grow. Oil companies will continue to lobby Congress, and place propaganda in the public eye to insure them that everything is OK......just buy oil. But at the same time, the concern about dwindling supplies, and the subsequent raise in prices for petroleum fuels will begin to catch the attention of the general public.

At present, the best bet for alternative, renewable fuels appears to exist with ethanol, biodiesel, and the newest addition to the list, hydrogen fuel cells. But full compatibility with regard to motors and machinery will require some changes in manufacturing. Since most new vehicles are now monitored by computerized equipment, governments need to encourage engine manufacturers to engineer and develop computerized motors that can determine a fuel mix, ethanol, gasoline, biodiesel, etc. and make adjustments to the fuel burning mix at the injection point. Few changes would be needed on the pistons or block. Piston technology is, in its primitive sense, the same design for the last 100 years when steam coursed through the cylinders instead of fuel explosion force. Air-fuel ratios are the biggest hurdle in engine conversions, and computerized sensors would allow a slow changeover without interruptions. By being able to sense what fuel is being used, engines could run on ethanol/gasoline for gas engines, or diesel/biodiesel for diesel engines, with any proportions, and switch back and forth.

While some may envision a whiskey still in everyone's backyard, that is far from realistic. Americans enjoy their plush way of life, and expect to pull up to a fuel pump anywhere in their travels and fill up their tank. Only the fuel mega-companies are up to the task of maintaining such presence. So with all likelihood, the future of alternative fuel manufacturing still lies with major petro-producers.

Some experts have said that alternative fuels are "unfeasible". Perhaps a true statement when looking at the bottom line profit, but as petroleum prices rise, this gap closes, and may reach a point where feasibility is achieved. Corporations will make the jump when this gap is closed.....it's a simple buck to them. It will be important that the American community at large supports such conversions with their capital stock investments, and with their patronage. In other words, be willing to burn an alternative fuel.

Along the lines of feasibility, how about making it feasible for farmers to produce high-oil crops, or crops for fuel? Millions of acres in the Midwest lay idle, because the government programs that pay farmers NOT to grow crops are more lucrative than the potential profit of growing them. For the farmer, it is also a simple buck. So if the government is going to invest tax dollars in these operations, how about paying a farmer TO GROW a crop used for fuel? At least this would allow such acreage payments to be a benefit to the country......perhaps the world, by moving slowly toward independence with regard to fuel production.

Electrical power generation is another large consumer of energy. Nuclear, coal, and hydroelectric make up the bulk of this grid, but wind power is beginning to make significant additions as well. In the last website we reviewed, electricity from wind power is at about 6%.

There is tremendous opportunity to increase the contributions of electrical power via wind and hydro. Because the amounts of power needed are so great, wind farms and hydroelectric dams are huge development projects, which can have a great impact on the landscape and surrounding environment. Environmentalists that reject such proposals need to give themselves a reality check, and come to grips with the size of the problems America faces.

Yes, hydro and wind will impact the environment. Yes, we'll kill some birds. And yes, some fish (lots of fish) will be re-navigated because of hydroelectric dams. But no American......not even an environmentalist.....is willing to give up their computer, their hair dryer, their car, their massive amounts of printer paper, their telephones, their cell phones, their lovely homes.....well, you get the idea. So the impact to the planet if we do NOT develop these technologies is significantly worse. No one will willingly return to the stone age, so any and every fossil fuel will be seized, stolen, or warred after to make the power.....at far greater environmental harm. It is more likely that America would bomb itself back into the stone age over the last drop of oil rather than "conserve" or adapt the livestyle of Laura Ingalls Wilder.

We believe that true energy freedom will not be acquired until our energy is produced from renewables within our borders.

Mega-consolidators will still hold the reins to alternative energies. They'll still have their lobbyists, and a lot of money in their coffers. However, the American Dream will still live on. Our way of life depends upon the procurement and distribution of affordable energy. Only with public support and the encouragement of Congress can businesses develop the systems needed to make it happen.

---Tom Clouser, Madisonburg, PA

Petrol - Clear Vinyl

2010-11-10T01:57:00.000-08:00

A convenient source of portable power with low noise and fuel consumption. Has a built-in handle for easy carrying. This is an excellent unit for construction sites, camping, or home use. Custom manufactured for XG Power Wholesale Warehouse by Linhai Yamaha so you can rest assured that there will be power when you need it. Includes a 12-volt DC output jack and cables can be used to run equipment or recharge batteries. Six-month Limited Warranty on parts.
Generator Specifications:
Type: Brushless AVR - Single Phase,
AC Frequency: 60 HZ,
Maximum AC Output: 950 Watts,
Rated AC Output: 800 Watts,
Rated / Maximum AC Current: 7.3amps @110 volts,
Driving Method: Direct,
One 110 volt AC outlet and one 12 volt DC outlet,
Dry Weight: 49lbs (22.5kgs),
Package size: 16 x 13.5 x 13 inches (41 x 34 x 33 cm),
Noise Level: 65 dBa,
Engine specifications:
Type: 2-Stroke, Air Cooled,
Fuel / oil mix: 50:50,
Displacement: 63cc,
Starting Method: Recoil,
Fuel Tank Capacity: 1.1 gal (4 Litres),
Recommended Fuel: Unleaded Regular

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Plumber: Standby generators a viable alternative - Evansville Courier & Press

2010-11-09T12:35:00.000-08:00

Q: I'm an older gentleman living in Florida, and recently I read one of your columns on permanently installed automatic generators now available for home use. I have special-need medical equipment that I operate most of the day, and friends and family have suggested I get a generator. But, I'm in no condition to move around and keep a portable generator going. How do these automatic generators operate? Can you give me a quick lesson on the generator system itself? -- Fred

A: Aside from buying a standard portable generator that runs on gasoline, there are permanently installed standby generators that run on natural or propane gas and are now available for residential use. When I mentioned this a few weeks back in one of my articles, I received many letters like yours asking how a standby-generator system actually works.

First off, a standby-generator system is just like the name states: it's a generator that's in constant standby mode until called upon to provide backup electrical power when the lights go out. Secondly, it's not actually a new idea -- places like hospitals and hotels have been using these systems for decades. What is new is that technology and pricing have made residential standby generators affordable to many homeowners in need of backup electrical power.

How can these generator systems work automatically? Well, for one thing, natural and propane gases are self-feeding fuels, so there is no need to keep filling generators up with liquids. Also, as long as you have a steady supply of natural or propane gas, the generator can run automatically for days at a time.

But the real brains behind the system lie in something called the automatic transfer switch, or intelligent transfer switch. The transfer switch is installed by a licensed professional electrician to a home's electrical panel. The switch constantly monitors utility power coming into the house, and within seconds of any power outage, it automatically starts the generator and transfers power from the utility to the generator. When utility power is restored, the transfer switch shuts down the standby generator system and returns the power demand back to the utility grid. Now that's a pretty smart switch!

Many contractors are now building new homes that are called generator-ready, meaning that the electrical panel is already set up to accept a transfer switch in the event a homeowner wants to add a standby-generator system down the road. This can save a good amount of money when the generator is installed later.

Remember: This is by no means a technical explanation -- I'm just giving you a basic outline on how a standard standby generator operates. It's not a do-it-yourself job, either. Licensed contractors, pipe fitters and electricians need to be called in to do this job, and permits need to be pulled.

Finally, even though costs have come down significantly, a standby generator can still be considered a high-end job, but an affordable one for many applications. Just keep in mind that the final "charge" of the job can be well worth every penny, when a long power outage occurs.

(Master Contractor/Plumber Ed Del Grande is known internationally as the author of the book "Ed Del Grande's House Call" and for hosting TV shows on Scripps Networks and HGTVPro.com. For more information, visit eddelgrande.com or write eddelgrande(at)hgtvpro.com. Always consult local contractors and codes.)

(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)

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2010-11-08T07:01:00.000-08:00

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2010-11-07T07:43:00.000-08:00

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2010-11-06T19:44:00.000-07:00

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2010-11-05T15:41:00.000-07:00

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2010-11-04T09:59:00.000-07:00

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2010-11-03T13:01:00.000-07:00

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Bio Diesel Versus Diesel

2010-11-02T10:52:00.000-07:00

Bio diesel is a non-petroleum based diesel fuel that consists of propyl, esters, methyl and ethyl. It is made from the transesterification of fat from vegetables or animals oils, which are either blended or used independently. When blended they are mixed with petro- diesel in original cars. This fuel is usually regulated and as an ester but excludes other types of diesel. It is usually distributed to be sold in retail markets. Diesel is a fuel used in most fuel engines, has 7.09 density which translates to 18% more than petrol which has a density of 6.01. Diesel emits 38.6 MJ/I combustion when burnt.

When it comes to bio diesel, it requires earlier phase of ignition to guarantee maximum efficiency. The use of it helps in the preservation of the environment and there is no legal penalty for switching. The production of this is scalable as compared to the production of diesel, local co-operatives, small scale, business have produced this by the use of local means. This has contributed to home economics of most nations.

Bio- diesel can save the environment in many ways. Unlike diesel it uses waste products obtained from the environment such as farming products, they are viewed as by products of a very important pat of vegetation. It helps in the increase of efficiency since fewer natural resources are used to grow these materials. Bio-diesel uses the latest technology for its production and in particular traps and filters thus helping reduce the effects on climate that are come from emissions. Marginal parcels of land are used in the production of bio diesel in third world countries. Nuts that produce oil are usually grown along roads and rail lines. In tropical regions such as Malaysia, palm oil is grown rapidly to meet demand in first world countries. Putting in mind that the source of bio diesel is the sun, the over reliance of diesel is becoming less and less. This is through the process of photosynthesis.

The reduction of greenhouse emissions is reduced by bio diesel same to pollution and biodegradation. The demand of first generation bio fuels is reduced by bio diesel too. The reliance of first generation fuels such a diesel brings about emissions that harm the atmosphere and environment. Diesel comes from one source while bio diesel can come from several sources such as algae. From algae, it is produced through the transesterification of triglyceride oil with monohydric alcohols. It can be used in any engine without any modification but this is not the case with diesel.

Confirmation from scientist states that the emissions from bio diesel are less harmful than diesel fumes. This fuel is stored in a dark, dry and clean environment. Acceptable storage materials include, steel, aluminum, fluorinated polyethylene, fluorinated polypropylene and teflon, brass, copper, lead, zinc and tin. Bio diesel can be used pure or can be mixed with petrol at any ratio. It is safe to use and is highly recommended as compared to diesel that most people are doing away with.

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2010-11-01T08:36:00.000-07:00

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2010-10-31T18:27:00.000-07:00

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2010-10-31T04:39:00.000-07:00

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2010-10-30T06:24:00.000-07:00

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2010-10-29T08:42:00.000-07:00

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Work begins at San Onofre nuclear plant

2010-10-28T18:09:00.000-07:00

Workers will begin cutting into the unit 3 reactor dome at the San Onofre nuclear plant this month to replace a pair of 640-ton steam generators, the final act in a gargantuan drama spanning a decade.

The $671 million project, including replacement of a second pair of giant generators in the plant’s unit 2 reactor last year, requires ships, cranes, tents, transport vehicles and scaffolds on a scale that makes people look like busy insects.

The replacements will allow San Onofre to continue operating at least until the end of its license, in 2022, and perhaps beyond if the license is one day extended.

While the cost, paid for by Southern California Edison ratepayers, sounds as enormous as the project itself, failing to replace the generators would cost even more, said Joe Sheppard, the nuclear plant’s new chief nuclear officer.

Replacing San Onofre itself, which provides about 20 percent of the Southern California region’s electricity, with new power sources would cost some $1 billion over 12 years, he said.

“You spend $670 million, and you get a billion back,” Sheppard said as he showed the giant steam generators to visitors during a tour on Wednesday.

Until they are ready to be moved, slowly and laboriously, to their new home, the 65-foot-long generators, bearing a slight resemblance to old-time science-fiction rocket ships, are being housed in a tent big enough for a circus on the grounds of the nuclear plant.

The replacement phase begins with the shutdown of unit 3 within the next week. Edison is also using the reactor’s downtime for routine maintenance, such as replacing spent fuel rods.

Once the reactor is safely powered down, the workers – among some 1,000 temporary employees, Sheppard said, in a project that will infuse $300 million into the local economy – begin cutting a hole 28 feet across into the side of the reactor’s containment dome.

Instead of using jackhammer-type tools to cut into the concrete shell, as they did with unit 2, they will use extremely high-pressure water. The pressure is so high, 25,000 pounds per square inch, that it is almost literally ear-splitting; workers in the area will need double ear protection while the pressure pumps are operating.

Once the concrete is washed away, workers will use cutting torches to cut through metal support bars and the steel inner lining of the reactor.

Then, in November, the old generators will be removed and the new ones will be moved slowly into the opening and hoisted into place using massive cranes.

The hole should be plugged and the work finished by early next year. Edison planned the changeout for the winter months intentionally, to avoid having one of its reactors shut down during the summer months of peak power demand.

When moving giant pieces of machinery, Sheppard said, slower is better.

“There is nothing more important to me, and nothing more important to this staff, than to do it safely,” he said. “We’re not going to let anything get in the way — not the schedule, not the cost. Safety is going to trump everything.”

The task the generators perform is fairly simple. Water heated by reactors is piped into the bottom half of the generators through thousands of tubes. The heat is transferred to water circulating through tubes in the tops of the generators, which are never exposed to nuclear radiation.

That water turns to steam, used to power the turbines that generate electricity.

The old generators will be dismembered for disposal. The top, non-radioactive portions will simply become scrap metal. The bottom parts, somewhat radioactive, will be taken to a low-level radioactive-waste storage facility in Utah.

“This project, start to finish, is going to take a decade,” said Mike Wharton, head of the steam generator replacement project. “The last piece is taking the waste material offsite. It took six years to get these generators here. The last few months are just ahead of us.”

Both pairs of generators, built by Mitsubishi in Kobe, Japan, were shipped across the ocean to the Port of Los Angeles, loaded onto a barge, unloaded at a boat dock on the Camp Pendleton Marine base, carried across the beach on a tracked vehicle, and carried up a short stretch of Interstate 5 on a 256-wheeled vehicle called a Goldhofer.

San Onofre is one of 58 nuclear plants around the country that use the same type of steam generators; it is one of 52 of those that has had them replaced.

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Navy patrol nabs 7 fishing boats - GhanaWeb

2010-10-27T23:50:00.000-07:00

General News of Thursday, 7 October 2010

Source: Ghanaian Chronicle

THE Western Naval Command of the Ghana Naval has arrested seven fishing boats at Sekondi, for allegedly using generators on the high seas to engage in what they termed as illegal fishing.

The use of generators as fishing gears to fish according to the naval command has been banned.

According to the command, the seven boats were arrested by the patrol team of the navy on the grounds that they were carrying generators on board whilst fishing, which currently is being considered by the laws of the country as an illegal exercise.

Commodore Godson Zowonoo, Flag Officer Fleet in charge of Ghana Navy ships, made this known when he briefed the press on Thursday.

He elaborated further that on September 17, this year, some of the navy patrolboats were sent out on their usual night patrols, and succeeded in arresting the seven fishing boats, which were engaged in fishing with illegal gears.

He said the generators were immediately seized by the patrol team and brought ashore, and were currently at the Sekondi Naval Base pending appropriate action.

The boats are, Nyameboa, Nkansah, 205 Aboasie, 15 Mensah, Accra Boys, Thank you Jesus, and King Jesus.

He cautioned against the use of illegal fishing methods, because when caught, he said, they would not spared.

'Now that we have new fisheries regulations, we urge all fishermen to abide by these regulations, so that the fishing industry can be preserved for future generations,' he advised.

Nuclear plant wants to ship waste on river - Port Huron Times Herald

2010-10-27T02:48:00.000-07:00

Debate has brewed for months along the St. Clair River about a Canadian power company's desire to ship 16 radioactive steam generators to Sweden for recycling.

Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission members held a two-day hearing last week to consider if they would let Bruce Power Ltd. implement its plan. The commission has 30 days to make a decision.

The generators, the size of school buses, are embedded with low-level radioactive waste. They would be shipped from the plant, about 155 miles northwest of Toronto on Lake Huron, down the St. Clair River to Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence Seaway and across the ocean to Sweden.

Members of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative are concerned. The group represents 70 municipalities on waterways along the U.S.-Canada border.

"What is a concern is the volume -- 1,600 tons of steel being shipped -- and the amount of radioactivity contained in them," said Nicola Crawhall, deputy director of the Canada chapter.

She said the amount of radioactivity in the generators exceeds the international atomic-energy limit by eight to 50 times.

John Peevers, a Bruce Power spokesman, said the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission estimated the shipment exceeds the limit by six times, but that doesn't mean it is unsafe.

Peevers said the shipment contains only a small amount of actual radioactive material and if it weren't for the generators' size, the material could be shipped in a small box.

Peevers couldn't say when the shipment would be transported if Bruce Power gets permission. He didn't know how long the shipment would take to get to Sweden, but said its time on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway would be three days.

Because such a shipment never has been tried, a major concern focuses on whether granting Bruce Power permission might set a precedent for other companies who might want to ship more hazardous materials.

Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley opposes the shipment.

"The Great Lakes are precious to us and that's where we get our water supply," he said.

(2 of 2)

He said he didn't understand why Bruce Power wasn't sticking to the application it filed five years ago to recycle the generators on site rather than in Sweden.

A statement on Bruce Power's website says:

"By recycling these 100- ton steam generators, which basically act as large kettles to make steam as part of the electricity generating process, we can reduce the amount of material going into long-term storage by approximately 90%. Much metal can be decontaminated, melted down and sold back into the scrap metal market. The rest will be returned to the Bruce site for long-term storage."

The generators, which are constructed to withstand large amounts of pressure, are made of two-inch-thick steel and are welded shut, Peevers said.

He said there should be no concern about an accident because the radiation is embedded inside the generators' pipes. He said it would be difficult to release the radiation even if the ship were to sink.

"The only way the radiation would get released is if it were to stay down there for decades and rust," Peevers said.

Jeff Friedland, emergency management director for St. Clair County, said he heard of the plan when it was proposed in April, but assumed it was a dead issue. He said he hadn't received specific details from the government about the safety of such transportation.

"It's more stuff coming through our area," he said. "This is one of the purest waterways, and we have so many environmentally sensitive areas ... anything is a potential issue."

While he said radioactive items come across the Blue Water Bridge periodically, he didn't believe using the waterways was a good idea and questioned why Bruce Power didn't transport it by train.

"All this continues to go by and through (our area), and we're the ones footing the bill to prepare in case something happens," Friedland said.

Peevers said shipping by train "wasn't as practical for us based on a safety standpoint."

State Rep. Phil Pavlov, R-St. Clair Township, said he had heard of the issue. He said he's been staying up to date through contact with Bob Bailey, a member of the legislative assembly of Ontario.

"It's amazing the exposure and the risk we have in our Great Lakes," he said. "Everything from Asian carp to oil lines -- and, once it's contaminated, it's contaminated."

Pavlov also thought shipping by train would be better because, if there is a accident, the radiation would be contained.

U.S. Rep. Candice Miller, R-Harrison Township, said she hopes Canadian officials are "100% confident" the transportation is safe should they give their approval. She suggested a U.S. Coast Guard escort to ensure safety.

Port Huron City Manager Bruce Brown said he was unaware of the situation, as was state Sen. Jud Gilbert, R-Algonac.

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2010-10-26T17:38:00.000-07:00

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Biodiesel v Ethanol Making the Right Choice

2010-10-25T16:45:00.000-07:00

I'm sure that you have noticed that there has been a surge in interest in Ethanol as an alternative to regular fuel, especially in the USA. Bill Gates invested the better part of $40m in ethanol production and distribution; even in SHELBY the town Planning Board granted site plan approval and issued a special use permit to Western New York Energy LLC on Monday, paving the way for construction of an ethanol plant.

There seem to be ethanol plants going up all over the place. I can't help but feel a little nostalgic - after all, when Henry Ford started out his cars were designed to run on ethanol (oil hadn't really made it onto the scene by then) and in fact he invested considerable sums in ethanol production and distribution. It was only the bully boy tactics of the new oil barons that made petrol and petro diesel the no. 1 fuels in the market.

Nostalgic though I am, I have to also admit to being a skeptic. I mean why ethanol and not biodiesel? After all biodiesel recycles used oil that would otherwise end up in landfill into useable clean fuel. A recent study, done by researchers at the University of Minnesota and at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., points to the environmental benefits of the biodiesel over ethanol (in this case made from corn), stating that ethanol provides 25 percent more energy a gallon than is required for its production, while soybean based biodiesel generates 93 percent more energy.

The study also identified that ethanol, in its production and consumption, reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 12 percent, compared with fossil fuels; however biodiesel, they found, reduces such emissions by 41 percent, compared with fossil fuels.

Moreover the study acknowledged that in order to produce a sufficient quantity of ethanol from crops like corn, food production would inevitably be compromised. On the other hand oil rich crops like jatropha will happily grow in marginal soil not suitable for other forms of agriculture.

So it begs the question again - why ethanol? Could it possibly be that in most parts of the civilized world you need a government license to run a still to produce any kind of alcohol?

It's possible to make good useable fuel in your kitchen with little more than a soda bottle, and some basic chemicals - but to make ethanol you need a still and thus a license, you're traceable and if unlicensed you are committing a criminal offence. Could it be that governments prefer a fuel that they can more tightly control, and tax?

As we work towards a greener, more sustainable future it's equally important that we chosse the right kinds of fuels and for the right reasons.

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