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Japan plans new coal powerplants

20 points by briandear 6y ago

newyankee 6y ago
This is so unfortunate. I really hope political opinion slowly changes and people get a clearer idea about the risks vs benefits of latest nuclear tech. Or will other countries wait till China shows them the way ? I have heard that German end users already pay one of the highest electricity rates in EU. My understanding is that we need 1 good baseload alternative to wind & solar (even with storage) for events where extended blackouts due to weather events are expected.
muro 6y ago
Good news for Australia. I once flew from Sydney to Tokyo and the person sitting next to me turned out to be the negotiator for coal prices and volumes from Australia to Japan. He was a government employee and it made for a very interesting flight. If they build these new powerplants in the right location, they can externalize polution. Would be nice if costs of such polution had to be paid by the same country/region, to disincentivize new coal use.
sunkenvicar 6y ago
Too often overreaction is the real killer.
LatteLazy 6y ago
Im surprised they didn't go for a renewables + storage approach. Partly as they'll have to import coal (avoiding imports was why they went nuclear to start with I think) and partly because they have pretty abundant opportunities for offshore wind and wave/tidal power...
- Proven 6y ago
  I have "abundant opportunities" (walking distance from home) to buy designer bags and luxury cars. Unfortunately neither would get me very far. After Fukushima people aren't too enthusiastic about nuclear, which is sad but who can blame them when the government does a piss poor job managing the sector.
detritus 6y ago
> Japan is second to China in financing coal plants in developing nations. It's hard enough for me to consider China a developing nation these days, but Japan?
- anemoiac 6y ago
  I assume that means providing financing to developing nations for the construction of coal plants.
  - detritus 6y ago
    Yes. You're completely right - I'm unsure how I missed that wholly-obvious interpretation.
- wow_no 6y ago
  If Japan isn’t developed, no where is.
IXxXI 6y ago
The united states shut down 50 coal power plants since Trump took office. https://phys.org/news/2019-05-coal-power-trump.html https://phys.org/news/2019-05-coal-power-trump.html What isn't the rest of the world doing its part to address climate change?

20 points by briandear 6y ago

This is so unfortunate. I really hope political opinion slowly changes and people get a clearer idea about the risks vs benefits of latest nuclear tech. Or will other countries wait till China shows them the way ? I have heard that German end users already pay one of the highest electricity rates in EU. My understanding is that we need 1 good baseload alternative to wind & solar (even with storage) for events where extended blackouts due to weather events are expected.

muro 6y ago

Good news for Australia. I once flew from Sydney to Tokyo and the person sitting next to me turned out to be the negotiator for coal prices and volumes from Australia to Japan. He was a government employee and it made for a very interesting flight. If they build these new powerplants in the right location, they can externalize polution. Would be nice if costs of such polution had to be paid by the same country/region, to disincentivize new coal use.

sunkenvicar 6y ago

Too often overreaction is the real killer.

LatteLazy 6y ago

Im surprised they didn't go for a renewables + storage approach. Partly as they'll have to import coal (avoiding imports was why they went nuclear to start with I think) and partly because they have pretty abundant opportunities for offshore wind and wave/tidal power...

Proven 6y ago
I have "abundant opportunities" (walking distance from home) to buy designer bags and luxury cars. Unfortunately neither would get me very far. After Fukushima people aren't too enthusiastic about nuclear, which is sad but who can blame them when the government does a piss poor job managing the sector.

detritus 6y ago

> Japan is second to China in financing coal plants in developing nations. It's hard enough for me to consider China a developing nation these days, but Japan?

anemoiac 6y ago
I assume that means providing financing to developing nations for the construction of coal plants.
- detritus 6y ago
  Yes. You're completely right - I'm unsure how I missed that wholly-obvious interpretation.
wow_no 6y ago
If Japan isn’t developed, no where is.

IXxXI 6y ago

The united states shut down 50 coal power plants since Trump took office. https://phys.org/news/2019-05-coal-power-trump.html https://phys.org/news/2019-05-coal-power-trump.html What isn't the rest of the world doing its part to address climate change?