The Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami will reverberate through the plans of all countries planning carbon free energies. Inspections and re- evaluation of existing nuclear plant would seem obligatory and planned new installations reviewed in the light of the what is happening in Japan. It is apparent that some of the problems there could have been mitigated if fundamental mores of inspection, upkeep and review had occurred and cavalier documentation had been noted. It is patent that possible outcomes from human error and weakness should be locked in to future designs and that feedback check mechanisms should be built in.
The curious will wonder what the non- nuclear ‘fall out’ will be on wind turbine and other renewable energy scenario. Probably positive – almost certainly these will have considered the Japanese disaster a fillip to their cause.
However those for some of those favouring the renewable energies the effect of the disaster is a two edged sword; the one above and the other being that if nuclear is jettisoned the remaining power sources to cope with ‘off peak’ or no wind situations will coal, gas or oil fired stations - not really solving the problem of producing low carbon energy.
This may indeed be the time to think seriously about storing renewable energies in the manner I have proposed.
