Japan offers to help Saudi Arabia

[Audio]

They should start building thorium-based nuclear reactors, they're the next big thing.

"A power producing ADS using thorium may become a reality, but it is not reasonable to expect this to happen in the next 30 years. Much research and development remains to be done, especially in the fields of accelerator technology and material properties."

http://www.regjeringen.no/upload/OED/Rapporter/ThoriumReport2008.pdf

Norwegian study from 2008.

Germany shut down it's experimental reactor in 89' due to rising cost which almost bankrupted the company.

THTR-300 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Only countries that don't give a damn about profitability would be making these. ie China-which is pushing ahead on thorium, despite all the studies saying it does not compute.
Similarly, like they did with the MAGLEV train, on which studies were also done and it did not prove to be profitable...


Anyhow, by the timeframe above, 30 years from now, the fusion reactor will be thoroughly researched. It will put out of business everything, fission, geothermal, solar, wind.....unless ofcourse environmental constraints will make it unacceptable for some.

 

[al-Hasani]

I have been saying this all the time. The future looks bright since we have been blessed with natural resources in abundance, a beautiful, diverse and huge country with fabulous coastlines and in a very strategic location. At one point in the country we are only a few km from Egypt/Palestine/Jordan and the Mediterranean coast and thousand of km down south we are close to Africa and the Arabian Sea/Indian Ocean. Likewise the whole Gulf and markets there. We just have to fix some of the problems that exist in every society and constantly progress without losing integrity and ourselves in the process. Also education is the key and our new generation - especially the women are a shining example. There are so many clever young Saudi women who are so thankful for the opportunity to study in the US/UK/Europe etc. and they are performing really well. I am proud of them. Some of us men need a kick in the back though and calm down a little. We are spoilt in some matters. Not going to mention more haha.

I heard that so many billionaires have huge investments in KSA due to the safety and stability of that country and long-term investments. Well Saudi investments outside of the country are well-known so it goes both ways which is a healthy combination.

 

[Mosamania]

I have been saying this all the time. The future looks bright since we have been blessed with natural resources in abundance, a beautiful, diverse and huge country with fabulous coastlines and in a very strategic location. At one point in the country we are only a few km from Egypt/Palestine/Jordan and the Mediterranean coast and thousand of km down south we are close to Africa and the Arabian Sea/Indian Ocean. Likewise the whole Gulf and markets there. We just have to fix some of the problems that exist in every society and constantly progress without losing integrity and ourselves in the process. Also education is the key and our new generation - especially the women are a shining example. There are so many clever young Saudi women who are so thankful for the opportunity to study in the US/UK/Europe etc. and they are performing really well. I am proud of them. Some of us men need a kick in the back though and calm down a little. We are spoilt in some matters. Not going to mention more haha.

I heard that so many billionaires have huge investments in KSA due to the safety and stability of that country and long-term investments. Well Saudi investments outside of the country are well-known so it goes both ways which is a healthy combination.

I second that, Saudi women put us all men to shame :'(

 

[Arabian Legend]

Kingdom completes its biggest solar power plant



RIYADH – The Kingdom has completed its biggest ground-mounted photovoltaic plant as it seeks to generate a third of its electricity with energy from the sun by 2032.

Germany’s Phoenix Solar AG (PS4) developed the 3.5-megawatt plant in Riyadh that uses 12,684 panels from China’s Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. (STP) and inverters from SMA Solar Technology AG (S92), Phoenix Solar was quoted as saying in an e-mailed statement.

“This project represents an important milestone in the development of the solar industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” Ron Shen, Suntech’s vice president of Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, said in a separate statement.

Located on the grounds of the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC) in Riyadh, the plant was constructed over a period of 20 months. Owned by Saudi Aramco, Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd provided the 12,684 crystalline photovoltaic modules and SMA Solar technology AG supplied the central inverters. The generated energy is fed directly into KAPSARC’s medium voltage grid.

The German company developed a special solution to accommodate the high temperatures and sand storms. “The photovoltaic array boxes, which normally stand in the field array, were placed in a well insulated, air-conditioned inverter building. This approach considerably improves the conditions under which the power plant can be maintained as well as prolonging its life cycle,” it said.

Saudi Arabia plans to boost renewable energy use as a way to pare back on oil consumption used for domestic desalinization and power plants, potentially saving 523,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day over the next 20 years. It aims to have 41,000 megawatts of solar capacity within two decades, Maher Al-Odan, a consultant at the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy, said last year. In its “Middle East and North Africa Solar Market Outlook, 2013-2017” report, GTM Research has said that Saudi Arabia looks likely to be the MENA region’s first gigawatt-scale market by 2015, with nearly 70 percent of MENA demand expected to come from Saudi Arabia. – Agencies

Saudi Gazette - Kingdom completes its biggest solar power plant

 

[Audio]

I second that, Saudi women put us all men to shame :'(

You know there's a saying, behind every great man is a great woman.
I wonder how much potential has been lost through the recent era with suppression of rights for women.

 

[Mosamania]

You know there's a saying, behind every great man is a great woman.
I wonder how much potential has been lost through the recent era with suppression of rights for women.

The current framework in unsustainable, if by a miracle it survives this generation it will not do so in the next generation, women in KsA are too educated to be held back now.

 

[al-Hasani]

I second that, Saudi women put us all men to shame :'(

Well, in terms of working hard during studies then yes definitely. Saudi women are by far one of the most educated in the Middle East and I for once know what a high level they have in the US and in the West since I have a few siblings who are excelling in different sciences (natural, technology science etc.) as I do myself. But women tend to outscore men in the Middle East. It's the same in Yemen. Without having seen the numbers in the West then I am also pretty sure that the women are more educated than men - at least the current generation. At my university in the US there are more females than males both when it comes to locals and foreigners.

Personally I very much like the fact that the government is focusing on mostly natural/technology sciences rather than humanities. The former is and will continue to play the by far biggest role in today's world and even more so in the future. So there are no excuses anymore.

 

[Solomon2]

Japan is asking for emergency oil supply in case of emergencies and disruption in oil supply, and in return they are offering Industrial technologies and Nuclear Technology.

This is odd. KSA has good contacts and influence in U.S. nuclear power community; in some areas, they practically own it. I'd think the Japanese would know this, so why was such an offer made? Furthermore, the Sauds know the Japanese safety and operational record isn't nearly as good as the Americans' for the same type of reactor.

 

[al-Hasani]

This is odd. KSA has good contacts and influence in U.S. nuclear power community; in some areas, they practically own it. I'd think the Japanese would know this, so why was such an offer made? Furthermore, the Sauds know the Japanese safety and operational record isn't nearly as good as the Americans' for the same type of reactor.

Solomon2:

There is already cooperation with USA, China, Pakistan and now Japan. It never hurts to have as many options/relations as possible. I am sure that both KSA and Japan can benefit from each other on different fields.

Also both KSA and USA signed a deal back in 2008 (I think it was) to boost Saudi efforts for a civilian nuclear program. But the government has already said that they will produce nuclear weapons if/as soon as Iran gets it. I am sure that there are a lot of things we don't know about in terms of that area. Given KSA's longstanding, strong and special relationship with Pakistan and the one with US I really doubt that they have not taken their precautions given that all 3 countries are close partners.

 

[Arabian Legend]

...............


Saudi Arabia approves nuclear energy pact with France

Saudi Arabia: Wednesday, February 06 - 2013 at 05:41

The Saudi cabinet has approved an agreement signed with France two years ago on the peaceful use of nuclear energy in the kingdom, Arab News has reported. Under the accord, the two countries will cooperate in the fields of production, use and transfer of knowledge of peaceful uses of nuclear energy. "Saudi Arabia will only deploy the most advanced and thoroughly tested technologies, paying maximum attention to safety, security and safeguards of the highest international standards," said the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy's (KA-CARE).
Saudi Arabia approves nuclear energy pact with France | Energy, Oil and Gas | AMEinfo.com

 

[Bubblegum Crisis]

This is odd. KSA has good contacts and influence in U.S. nuclear power community; in some areas, they practically own it. I'd think the Japanese would know this, so why was such an offer made? Furthermore, the Sauds know the Japanese safety and operational record isn't nearly as good as the Americans' for the same type of reactor.

Americans have a delay huge in ‘the purview of civilian nuclear energy’. The best (in the world) undoubtedly in this purview is the France, with Areva.

They hope no doubt have yet ‘few crumbs’ for this agreement (16 nuclear reactors). But they will be potentially very useful for ‘K.A.CARE’ (King Abdullah City of Atomic and Renewable Energy), like South Korea. Agreement to 16 nuclear reactors is almost completely finalized with France and its new ally in this sector (civilian nuclear energy), China.


See here :

http://www.defence.pk/forums/middle...pan-offers-help-saudi-arabia.html#post3907024

 

[Bubblegum Crisis]

http://www.regjeringen.no/upload/OED/Rapporter/ThoriumReport2008.pdf

Norwegian study from 2008.

Germany shut down it's experimental reactor in 89' due to rising cost which almost bankrupted the company.

THTR-300 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Only countries that don't give a damn about profitability would be making these. ie China-which is pushing ahead on thorium, despite all the studies saying it does not compute.

...

Anyhow, by the timeframe above, 30 years from now, the fusion reactor will be thoroughly researched. It will put out of business everything, fission, geothermal, solar, wind...

No importance, we will be always winning, KSA with UAE (GCC). Because, the project ‘ITER’ is funded and run by seven member entities - the France in European Union (as host party, at the Cadarache facility in the south of France), India, Japan, China, Russia, South Korea and the United States.

Because…

See here :

http://www.defence.pk/forums/middle...n-offers-help-saudi-arabia-2.html#post3908327

http://www.defence.pk/forums/middle...pan-offers-help-saudi-arabia.html#post3907024

http://www.defence.pk/forums/world-...ink-nuclear-cooperation-pact.html#post2731727

http://www.defence.pk/forums/middle...pan-offers-help-saudi-arabia.html#post3906908

 

[Aegis DDG]

Interesting Threat. However Japan's nuclear saftey reputation (Although high) has taken an big hit from the Fukushima disaster

 

[Hashshāshīn]

Interesting Threat. However Japan's nuclear saftey reputation (Although high) has taken an big hit from the Fukushima disaster

Not really, the Tsunami wasn't their fault.

 

[Solomon2]

Solomon2:

There is already cooperation with USA, China, Pakistan and now Japan. It never hurts to have as many options/relations as possible...both KSA and USA signed a deal back in 2008 (I think it was) to boost Saudi efforts for a civilian nuclear program. But the government has already said that they will produce nuclear weapons if/as soon as Iran gets it.

So you think the Japanese are offering the Saudis the one thing the Americans won't and the Pakistanis apparently aren't selling: weapons-grade plutonium-processing technology?