Says Dr. Rachel Shaul from the Department of East Asian Studies in the Faculty of Humanities at Tel Aviv University. According to her, the plan to increase the use of nuclear energy could be shelved and thus return Japan, at least in the short term, to an increasing reliance on oil and gas originating, among other things, from problematic Middle Eastern countries
The operators of the Fukushima nuclear reactors managed to bring the radiation levels back down. This is what the Japanese government said this evening. Radiation levels reached a dangerous level during the last two days after a fire and two more explosions occurred at the site.
Meteorological reports showed that the Japanese have at least one luck and that is that the winds carry the radiation emitted from the reactors towards the depths of the Pacific Ocean.
Friday's earthquake, which is now defined as having a magnitude of 9, and the tsunami that hit the northeast coast of Japan as a result have so far caused 3,000 deaths and about 7,000 missing. About half a million people became homeless.
The authorities evacuated the residents within a radius of 30 kilometers from the reactor, and those who remained - at a distance of 20 kilometers or more, they asked to stay in their homes and not go out into the open air. Japan has also declared an area within a radius of 30 kilometers as a no-fly zone.
The affected area continues to be visited by noises from one of them, today it had a magnitude of 6.2 and shook buildings in the city of Tokyo.
The events of the last few days in Japan, primarily the attempts to prevent a nuclear leak from the nuclear reactors in Fukushima, or at least to minimize its extent, have raised the issue of Japan's energy balance and its effect on the country's economy to the top of the agenda.
"The worst earthquake disaster in the history of Japan and the tsunami that followed, which caused, among other things, ten thousand deaths and damage to the nuclear power plants will have a long-term impact," explains Dr. Rachel Shaul, from the Department of East Asian Studies at the Faculty of Humanities at Tel Aviv University in a conversation with the Hidaan site .
"It is a combination of two issues, each of which is problematic. On the one hand, the damage to nuclear energy sources, which currently constitutes about a third of the electricity supply in Japan, where there are 55 nuclear power plants. And the second thing - the Japanese economy has been faltering for over two decades. The above-mentioned two issues will have far-reaching consequences in the medium and long term."
In 2006, the Japanese government announced a new energy plan, according to which Japan's primary energy consumption based on nuclear energy aims to reach 40% by 2030. Based on recent events, there is a reasonable chance that this program will be re-examined and possibly even shelved.
"Questions of public opinion, in particular questions regarding the willingness of the population to live near nuclear reactors, will have an impact on the nuclear policy that will be built after the completion of the country's reconstruction from the heavy disaster. In such a case, the Japanese government will have to consider what are the energy sources that will supplement the energy consumption. An increasing reliance on oil and natural gas sources is expected, most of which currently come from the Persian Gulf. Close to 90% of the oil imported to Japan comes from the Persian Gulf as a result of Japan's energy policy for many years."
"Japan will have to consider the expansion of oil and natural gas imports. The Persian Gulf, as we have witnessed the events of the last few months, is an unstable region with quite a few unruly countries such as Iran. This is quite a challenge."
"The Japanese economy has been dealing with far-reaching economic problems since the beginning of the nineties. Although Prime Minister Koizumi announced Japan's exit from recession in 2002, Japan's economy has not really recovered significantly until today. Many problems such as deflation and non-growth of the economy are painful and burdensome for Japan. Together, with the economic difficulties, the dependence on energy sources, create a significant, complex and problematic challenge. High energy prices, along with suppliers subject to precarious political conditions, make it difficult to get out of the crisis."
Won't the rehabilitation efforts improve the situation?
"If the reconstruction efforts improve the economy, the improvement will be very spot-on and only in the short term. If the option of nuclear energy is indeed dropped, this will have a problematic economic impact. An increase in dependence on oil, in an era where its price may increase, will burden an economy that is facing financial difficulties. Rehabilitation and rebuilding of infrastructure may have positive economic consequences in the short term, but these will not rescue the Japanese economy from the shaky economic chain that has lasted for over two decades."
Is Japan independent in the field of nuclear energy?
Dr. Shaul: "In order to produce nuclear energy, Japan also needs to import uranium." However, the main uranium suppliers to Japan are more reliable countries such as Australia, Canada and the USA. Although also in this area, Japan strives to reduce dependence through the development of third generation nuclear reactors that operate to create a closed nuclear fuel cycle."
Where was the error, was it in the construction of the reactors in an area sensitive to earthquakes?
"In Japan consideration is given both in standards and in construction to the constraints of the passwords. Earthquakes are commonplace in Japan. What distinguishes the last event is its almost unprecedented intensity and the combination with the tsunami waves. The big danger is the fusion of the reactor. Also in 2007, an earthquake occurred in the same area, in Nagata, and one of the "Kashiwazki Kariva" miners was damaged. Following this, some of the miners were shut down and placed under supervision and re-evaluations for construction standards that are able to deal with earthquakes up to 7.9 on the Richter scale, this following legislation that followed the event. The problem arises when a natural disaster on such a massive scale strikes and leaves the existing technology unanswered."
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Utilization of geothermal energy today is completely negligible, the truth is it does important things but on the margins. We need to develop dedicated drilling technology for the subject, everywhere! On the surface of the planet if drilled there is heat, it's just a question of depth. In addition, the boiling point can be lowered and steam can be obtained even at low temperatures.
Nuclear energy is very dangerous and toxic, and it is interesting that even this [extremely bad and obvious] experience does not make green and learned people understand that this is not the direction.
The high sums of money should be taken and invested in a cleaner, less dirty and completely natural direction. Solar panels are a joke! Tides can also produce very large amounts of energy and are already applied in several places.
Doron.
R.H.:
Indeed, the matter has existed for many years. I didn't respond because the idea is true.
If you go into details on the subject then you should know that almost all the energy used in Iceland is geothermal energy.
In Iceland it is really easy (it sits on a fault between two tectonic plates and this is what also causes the much volcanic activity that the country suffers from) but in other places it is more difficult.
Company Ormat (Israeli) is, if I'm not mistaken, the leader in the world in solutions for utilizing geothermal energy.
Doron,
This idea is already being implemented, see for example the Israeli company Ormat.
oh hunter
I will try again,
collect,
It is a mistake to dismiss solar energy by relying on the output of photovoltaic solar panels, the area they require, the content of heavy metals in them, etc. because their efficiency is low and there are other technologies, such as a solar tower configuration, which is based on mirrors that focus the sun into a tower that generates steam to drive a turbine. This technology is much cheaper and more efficient.
collect,
This is Ta
Too toxic, need to think of something nicer.
The earth is already full of nuclear waste.
It wouldn't hurt to use the huge sums to dig deep enough and reach a "furnace" that always works and is completely natural. Instead of producing toxic furnaces on the surface of the earth, and all this in order to heat some water.
There are places in every country where the hot water comes up by itself, it's not always that deep.
Doron.
Doron.
Agree with Assaf.
With environmental sensitivity and determination to act in a safe and strict manner, we must switch to increased use of nuclear energy. Also, start equipping buildings within the city with solar panels that will provide electricity locally. Inside the city it doesn't bother anyone because there is no nature inside the city anyway. In addition, start working on technologies that know how to utilize the large amount of energy that is in our waste. The situation today is that very large amounts of organic matter, which is considered waste, are poured back into nature, instead of utilizing it - and it's a shame.
Greetings friends,
Ami Bachar
Asaf,
On the other hand, in a small country like ours, an accident at a reactor, even in a relatively remote place like Dimona, will lead to pollution and the closure of a significant percentage of it. Can we take the risk of staying one day without the Negev?
By the way, do you really believe that it is possible for something to be protected against "any fault" as you write? Including natural damage and acts of terrorism? After all, Israel is a destination for both.
Further to 4, I recommend watching the following TED talk, translated by me into Hebrew:
Confrontation: Does the world need nuclear energy?
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/heb/debate_does_the_world_need_nuclear_energy.html
Since the biggest opponents against the nuclear reactors are the greens,
May I express an opinion...
The common saying is "clean energy sources", when the clean sources that exist today
They are mainly wind and sun,
When checking the possibilities in our country it turns out that in order to establish electricity supply facilities
There is a need for huge areas... we don't have such areas, unless the intention is
Cover every good plot: wadis, streams, reserves, etc. with sun collectors!
The situation is similar when referring to "wind stations" for electricity production,
Anyone who has passed by the stations knows that the noise makes it impossible to live in their vicinity,
The towers and propellers damage the landscape and birds... that is, damage to the environment and nature,
The alternative option is to establish the "farms" at sea or in isolated places,
Once again the damage to the landscape, the environment and nature... is severe. !
After perfecting the power generation capacity of solar panels and "wind stations" (today)
In the face of our country's data, it turns out that it is possible and correct to cover roofs (of industrial, public buildings, houses, etc.)
in solar collectors and small "wind stations" that will supply electricity to their surroundings,
But these will constitute only a small percentage of our energy needs.
Therefore, the correct approach (in my opinion) is to build nuclear reactors to supply electricity!
The miners must be protected and protected against any malfunction,
The technological options for protection exist (expensive) and are used in many places!
The fear of a "nuclear disaster" is justified and everything must be done to prevent it,
But, a natural disaster is inherently unpredictable...
When comparing the number of casualties from natural disasters to the casualties from radiation
It seems that …. Do not compare.
Even the wisest do not have the proper skills to predict disasters,
Therefore, the nuclear reactors must be built with the utmost care and protection,
Neighbors must be built until there is a technological possibility to produce clean energy
With a power that will satisfy the demand...
Nuclear reactors are the cleaner alternative!
To my father, please update the 26th team landed in Kazakhstan
Oh really... spelling mistakes in the title too??? There is a limit... some responsibility...
Right now they are playing shutdown, as soon as one of the reactors starts emitting copious amounts of radiation
They will bury them all.
And it is not certain that it will end there, it is possible since there were leaks into the water and the ground,
Then he went to Japan.