Posted on behalf of Alison Abbott
A post-Chernobyl referendum in 1987 voted to close down nuclear power stations in Italy – but last year the Italian government decided to re-introduce nuclear energy. Now, post-Fukushima, a referendum on 12 and 13 June has voted overwhelmingly to keep Italy nuclear-free.
Without home-grown nuclear, Italy is noted for its high dependence on imported electricity, which amounted to 14% of electricity demand in 2009, according to Italian utility company Terna. The country has a poor track record on research into renewable energy sources, and no plans have yet been announced to increase research investment.
Recent comments on this blog
Experiments reveal that crabs and lobsters feel pain
US research ethics agency upholds decision on informed consent
Chemistry credit disputes under the spotlight
Chemistry credit disputes under the spotlight
Contamination created controversial ‘acid-induced’ stem cells