The Guardian, a newspaper in the U.K. is reporting on a potentially new way to deliver nuclear power to homes and businesses.  If the reports are true and at least one company is saying they are ready to deliver in a year or less, we could have some resolution for the generation of nuclear power for our neighborhoods.

This new approach offers a nuclear system for up to 20,000 families at a startup cost of approximately $1,250 per family and a per kwH rate of about $.10.  In our region this would not make sense but across the country in high density populations the cost would be quite in line with current power prices.  The great thing about this technique is that the generator is buried underground and takes up about as much room as a small garden shed.  The reactor needs to be refueled every 7 to 10 years and the relative danger is argued to be 0% for the users of the system.

As a potential alternative this deserves a look.  In no way shape or form will we be able to maintain our current standard of living without a clear mix of alternatives in the future.  What this potentially offers is a means for communities to affordably power up and help to wean ourselves away from the more CO2 laden fuels.  If we are headed toward electric vehicles for commuting and shorter trips we will need an inexhaustible supply of electric power generation.  As the only short-term or near-term resource abundant enough we will most likely be required to make a relatively large commitment to nuclear.

For wealthy individuals who wish to have their own system, the price will be accordingly less and have a relative life before refueling is required of about 40 years.  Many Eastern European countries and the countries of the Caribbean are said to be quite interested in this new technology for obvious reasons.  I am going to rely on my memory but as I recall, about 40 of these smaller community units would equal the power generating capacity of I large new nuclear plant.  I gathered from the article that within two years the available information will have increased dramatically and a number of competitors will be ready to roll this technology out on a grand scale.

This is just one more indication that things are advancing in the field of energy production and we should have some reasonable choices to help bridge the gap from today’s fuels to tomorrow’s answers.  May I suggest a few magazines that keep me apprised of the latest in technology; Popular Science and Popular Mechanics.  I go online to subscribe and/or renew.  I find that the best rates, sometimes 40% lower than normal subscription rates are available with a simple google search.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/nov/09/miniature-nuclear-reactors-los-alamos/print

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A certain electricity thrummed inside the Applewood Grill last night at 8 p.m., one that I’m not sure our live video stream captured. The energy of 300 hearts beating faster. The buzz from the floorboards as the crowd chanted, “O-bam-a, O-bam-a!” Tears falling. Arms raised in victory or wrapped around each other. Something happened last night, a massive coming-together, that I haven’t seen since 9/11.

I was so proud to bear witness. When my grandchildren ask me where I was, I can say that my job was to record it all. I was perched in a small, dark corner on the upper floor of the Applewood where I aimed a small camera down to the crowd below, and streamed live video online at wenatcheeworld.com. It was an experiment; we’ve never streamed live.

We discovered a few truths about using live streaming video. Large crowds work best. I spent an equal amount of time at the Republican headquarters earlier that night. The Republicans gathering was small, just 20 people, split between two rooms. I set my camera in the back room, where maybe 10 people were watching Fox News. They threw up their hands with a disgusted “Ugh!” Some argued with the network calls, which were based on a small percent of counted votes. We picked up some candid conversation (folks forgot about my camera), which accurately, bluntly showed their disappointment. But there was something too close, too private about live video of a small crowd, like spying. I think pen-and-paper would have fit the setting better.

I walked down the street to the Applewood at about 7:45 p.m., and pushed a path through the crowd to the top floor. The height of the evening was 8 p.m., when Obama’s presidency was announced. Here’s a tid-bit from a text conversation I had with our tech guru at that moment:
8:00 PM
Reconnecting to Nathan Florea

Rachel: people are going nuts
check it out, it’s on live
Nate: OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG!
Rachel: tell me we caught that, we caught that right?!
Nate: Yup, we got it!
Rachel: wow, that was huge. there’s not a free seat in the place
more clapping, more going nuts
Nate: Seriously, I can’t believe it.
Nate: This is so amazing.
Rachel: you were here
I was here
remember this, tell the story

My favorite moment was the capture. I hooked up the live stream just as the crowd reacted to the presidency announcement, like the end scene of “Twister” when the billions of little monitors fly successfully into the hurricane.

I wish my little camera could have picked up the feeling and the faces, not just the crowd shot. No matter what new media we try, I think we still need our traditional crafts writing and photography to pick up that emotion, or whatever holes are uncovered by new-media storytelling. Overall I think our experiment was a good exercise.

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The first day of school story was written in the trunk of my car. It was a fitting start to this new adventure I’m going on as an education reporter - video-making, blog-writing, online and wired.
Good times really, I tapped at my laptop and laughed at my notes in the parking lot.

I’d just spent the whole morning surrounded by cute kids at Vale Elementary. I’m a sap for the little ones. Vale’s first day was unlike any I’d been too. The families and children simply flowed through the school. No backups. No lost kids. Some tears, but not many. It all ran really smoothly like clockwork.

The principal credited volunteer parents, especially Sharon Hoffman, a one-woman “office” and welcoming committee for families on the first day.

Whatever makes kids buzz about, I think this lady has a secret tap. I tried to capture some of that energy with dialogue. This was an outtake:

“New Sketchers!” She jumped next to a little boy and pointed at his shoes. “I have new Sketchers too!”

First bell rang at 8:20 a.m. Editors set a 9:30 a.m. deadline so we can make the press by 10:30 a.m.

I wasn’t about to waste 15 precious minutes driving so I climbed into the cozy trunk of my Prius and plugged in the wireless interceptor into the Mactop. The story was sent with five minutes to spare.

All and all, first day was a great one: Cute kids, crisp fall morning, I’m on my laptop trying something new.

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