Category Archives: News

Deborah Deal-Blackwell to present “Getting Started on Your P.R. & Marketing” at Denver Innovators Workshop on June 12

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Deborah Deal-Blackwell

Deborah Deal-Blackwell, APR

     People involved in new business startups, inventors and innovators, even those that have been in business for some time – all can benefit by attending the free Denver Innovators Workshop session “Getting Started on Your P.R. & Marketing” on Wednesday, June 12, at 7:30 p.m. at Cluster Studios. Presented by veteran marketer Deborah Deal-Blackwell, APR, the two-hour event will cover how to start marketing your product or service and what business owners should do first, explore what business owners can do on their own, and when and how to hire a public relations, marketing or advertising firm. In addition, the Workshop will also present the latest available information about business exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities at the upcoming Denver Startup Street Faire in conjunction with Denver Startup Week. To ensure a seat, attendees should RSVP for the event at: http://www.denverinnovators.org.

     Deborah Deal-Blackwell is an Accredited Public Relations practitioner (APR) with 30+ years creating and handling public relations and marketing campaigns for a diverse group of clients from the Caribbean to Moscow, Russia and all across the United States.  Her early career in television was followed by leadership positions at two of Florida’s top advertising and PR firms. She also owned an operated her own successful public relations firm and was the CEO of Angel Flight Southeast, a regional non-profit. From her home base outside Washington, D.C., she has represented clients, including the Hyperion Power Generation small modular reactor company, before the U.S. Congress, Department of Energy, and many other federal agencies. Currently, she is the CEO of the non-profit IX Power Foundation and consults with a handful of clients offering innovative new products. She is a member of the National Press Club and the Public Relations Society of America, both in Washington, D.C., the Friends of the Gum Spring Library, and other organizations.

The Denver Innovators Workshop is a not-for-profit group of innovators and inventors, scientists and geeks, business professionals and students, who came together in 2012 for the purpose of helping each other succeed. In this process, the Workshop participants aspire to actually raise the number of new products, services and companies in the Greater Denver area, while boosting the area’s reputation for innovation.

In addition to its monthly meetings at Cluster Studios, the Denver Innovators Workshop is hosting the Denver Startup Street Faire.  Billed as a “Public Science, Technology, & Manufacturing Faire for Adults & Kids of All Ages,” the Denver Startup Street Faire is being held in conjunction with Denver Startup Week, and with support from the Denver Office of Economic Development and the nonprofit IX Power Foundation. The event will provide inventors, innovators and new businesses the opportunity to showcase their products and services to the public downtown at the Wellington Webb Building on Saturday, September 21, 2013.

 Press Contact: Claire Paulette        Claire at IXPowerFoundation dot org or (505) 661-1000, ext. 902.

Findings on Fukushima Radioactivity: No Risk to Health

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The Fukushima Dai-ichi NPP accident contaminated the soil of densely populated regions in Fukushima Prefecture with radioactive cesium, which poses significant risks of internal and external exposure to the residents. If we apply the knowledge of post-Chernobyl accident studies, internal exposures in excess of a few mSv/y would be expected to be frequent in Fukushima.

Extensive whole-body-counter surveys (n F 32,811) carried out at the Hirata Central Hospital between October 2011 and November 2012, however show that the internal exposure levels of residents are much lower than estimated. In particular, the first sampling-bias-free assessment of the internal exposure of children in the town of Miharu, Fukushima, shows that the 137Cs body burdens of all children (n F 1,383, ages 6–15, covering 95% of children enrolled in town-operated schools) were below the detection limit of 300 Bq/body in the fall of 2012. These results are not conclusive for the prefecture as a whole, but are consistent with results obtained from other municipalities in the prefecture, and with prefectural data.

Read the Full Report Here
Keywords: Fukushima Dai-ichi NPP accident, radioactive cesium, whole-body counting,
committed effective dose

It’s the GREEN Economy Stupid! April 22 is Earth Day

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The Great Disruption by Paul Gilding

Take a look at The Great Disruption by Paul Gilding. It makes sense to me that the planet has a finite amount of natural resources and we could run out …

Every year it comes and goes with not nearly enough attention from the mass media.  What am I talking about?  EARTH DAY.  Officially it’s Monday, April 22, although EVERY day SHOULD be Earth Day.  Contrary to deniers of climate change, the planet is changing.  Whether mankind is wholly responsible for this is something that’s been hotly debated.  But, while experts and subsidized deniers do their hot debating about who or what caused it, and whether or not it is a normal cyclical change, it continues to get even hotter, and we still have to deal with droughts, storms, loss of shoreline, loss of species, acidification of the oceans, reduced foodstock from the sea, lack of clean fresh water and more! AUGH!

Ignoring, evading, denying, and mocking the problem is not helping and all this takes precious time and resources away from actually doing something to prepare for the change that IS coming.  

The problem for most Americans is that we live our luxurious lives (compared to that of other nations) in air conditioned offices and homes far, far removed from the processes of farming, water purification, and energy resource extraction.  We don’t have to get our hands dirty.  We are only affected by increased prices.

But, this somewhat blissful shelter from the realities of climate change is not going to continue for long for Americans.  Soon, it will no longer be a problem for “the poor folks in Africa,”  Nope, the problem is going to come home and hit us hard, and not just in the form of an extra dollar per gallon of gas.

i’ve been reading “The Great Disruption – How the Climate Crisis Will Transform the Global Economy” and I would suggest it be read by everyone. Basically, the author talks about how climate change is just one of many factors that is going to affect the way we live on this planet.  It’s the kickstarter that people notice, but there are other factors such as the gobbling up of natural resources in the making of “stuff” that is going to change our idea of a successful and productive life.  Simply, we won’t have the natural resources to keep making stuff; we’re going to have to recycle to get even the basic materials and everyone is going to have to live with less stuff – particularly less “throwaway” stuff.  It’s a good read, but I’ve also added photos here of some of my other favorites.  

Take a look; pick up one of these books. Knowledge is power. Sticking your head in the sand will just irritate your eyes so you can’t see the truth.

Happy Earth Day everyone!

See more books and links to Earth Day websites below, including one where you can get the great bumper sticker that says, “It’s the Green Economy Stupid!”

Hot - Living through the next Fifty Years on Earth

Another insightful book discussing a proactive approach to climate change and dwindling natural resources …

T-Shirts, posters, and my favorite bumper sticker “It’s the GREEN Economy Stupid.” can be found on the home page of http://www.earthday.org

 http://www.earthday.org

http://www.epa.gov/earthday/

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/environment/earth-sciences/

 

Earth - Making Life on a Tough New Planet, Bill McKibben

Earth – Making Life on a Tough New Planet by Bill McKibben – more suggested reading!

 

The End of Growth

The End of Growth is another good read.

Die Bundesregierung handelt dumm

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For a culture so steeped in logic and science, it’s surprising Germany has made the most expensive and silly decision concerning its energy independence. Not only will retiring their nuclear power fleet cost them ~$1.5 TRILLION, they will be forced to purchase electricity from neighboring countries such as France, which will continue to generate almost all of its baseload via safe, clean, affordable nuclear power.

Dummkopfs!

NUCLEAR POLICIES: Trillion-euro cost of German energy transition
Germany’s plan to transform its energy system to one reliant on renewable power as it phases out nuclear energy could cost up to €1 trillion, German energy and environment minister Peter Altmaier has publicly admitted.

Still Kicking the Nuclear Waste Can Down the Road

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Perplexed? I’m beyond perplexed!  Normally when you fork over funds for something, you get something in return. But not when it comes to the energy business and the current state of U.S. politics!  For years nuclear power plants have been paying into a U.S. Department of Energy program to take care of their nuclear waste – to safely store it.  So far the nuclear industry has put $28 billion into the coffers for this purpose. This program came into law with the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 which called for the construction and maintenance of multiple waste deposit sites, and then in 1987 an amendment to the Act directed that a single depository be built – Yucca Mountain, Nevada.  

Because nuclear power does not pollute the air with harmful emissions, it is considered by many to be a “GREEN” technology. However, the U.S. must decide a course of action for the waste from its nuclear power plants if nuclear is going to be a viable energy technology for the future.

But guess what?  Because of partisan politics, the U.S. government, still — 26 years later — has not begun to take that waste and store it; not at Yucca, not anywhere.  The waste of our country’s nuclear power plants is sitting around all over the countryside next to each nuclear power plant. Now, if YOU had paid $28 billion for someone to take out your trash and properly store it so no one would accidentally get hurt by it, and 26 years later, the contractor still had not done it, wouldn’t you be mad?

True, some of the nuclear utilities have sued the U.S. government to get that money back and thus far they have retrieved about $2.6 billion. They could probably use those funds to ensure that their on-site storage facilities are safely maintained. But, they had to burn a lot of “people energy” and time and money on legal fees to do so.  More legal suits are still in the works and Washington continues to kick our country’s nuclear waste disposal issue down the road with occasional help kicking that can from entities, such as the Blue Ribbon Commission which has been studying alternatives to opening the doors at Yucca Mountain. 

Now, bless-their-hearts (I always say that about people who are forced to declare obviously wrong decisions) the folks at the U.S. Department of Energy, have come out and said that not only do the utilities still have to pay this fee, the DOE is not even going to adjust it down one little bit …! The utilities still have to continue to pay it – even though they continue to get nothing for it and no one else is getting anything either – certainly not the individuals like you and me paying monthly electric bills. 

WHAT?  How is this right? Plan and simple, it’s NOT.  It’s politics played to benefit the few, instead of benefitting everyone and the future of our energy security.  Would someone please pick up the can of the nuclear waste issue and quit kicking it down the road?
 Click here for a good background story   

Grizz Deal to speak on Small & Modular Reactors in London at NIA conference

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What’s happening with Small & Modular Reactors now?  Find out when John R. Grizz Deal, CEO of IX Power LLC will provide an overview on the small modular reactors (SMR) industry at the Nuclear Industry Association’s “Near Term SMRs in the U.K.” event on January 30 in London.      

John R. Deal, aka “Grizz,” will sharing the latest information on Small & Modular Reactors at the NIA in London January 30, 2012.

The event will also feature presentations by industry luminaries such as  Lord John Hutton, Chairman of the NIA, and Alexander Bychkov, Deputy Director General at the International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA). Sponsored by Eversheds, as a public service attendance the event is open to all for a nominal fee of GBP 75.  To register, send an email to Stephanie McKenna whose address is located on the NIA web site. 

IX Power is an safe energy and clean water technology innovation firm based in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Before starting IX Power, Deal was the CEO of Hyperion Power Generation for five years. He co-founded Hyperion, the first modern SMR company to approach the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission with its SMR concept, with Dr. Otis (Pete) Peterson, Dr. Robert Libutti, and Deborah Deal-Blackwell. The objective of Hyperion Power was to introduce a mass produced, self-contained 25MWe power reactor safe and compact enough to be shipped on the back of a truck after complete factory assembly. Now known as a design in the generation IV (Gen IV) class of reactors, the Hyperion reactor was created to bring safe, emission-free clean nuclear power to remote communities outside the U.S. and industrial and mining operations.

Before starting Hyperion, Deal served as the chief marketing officer for Space Imaging, and was the founder and CEO of LizardTech, one of the more successful company spinouts from a Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) technology transfer effort. Additionally, Deal served as Entrepreneur in Residence for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) at Technology Ventures Corporation, and as Visiting Entrepreneur at LANL. Grizz founded seven firms based on U.S. DOE technologies and holds graduate and undergraduate science degrees in geography from Texas A&M University. He is an adjunct faculty member of the Moscow School of Management Skolkovo. He is a frequent speaker and writer on energy technology and policy, product development, starting and growing advanced technology-based ventures, and issues in raising capital for such ventures.

IX Power is working with an international team of scientists and strategists to develop and bring to market a number of ground-breaking technologies including the IX Power OrganiClear™ system that removes dangerous organic hydrocarbons from water produced by oil & gas, mining, and industrial processes without creating a hydrocarbon waste stream. The company’s main offices are in Los Alamos, Washington, D.C., and London, England.

 –IX–

What’s Next for Small Modular Reactors in the United States?

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A number of countries have SMRs (Small Modular Reactors) under development.  Russia has been working on various models for some time and is famous for its RITM-200, the reactor powering its new nuclear icebreaker. Most recently South Korea announced that it has received its own state regulator approval for the SMART SMR and would soon be selling it around the world.  

Read the SEAB Subcommittee on SMRs report – link at the bottom of the page.

And, the U.S.?  The Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy issued a Funding Announcement Opportunity (FOA) for a Small Modular Reactor Licensing Technical Support Program  back on March 22, 2012. This government-industry cost share program was  for the design certification and licensing of up to two light water SMRs. Several applied, recently only one – B&W’s mPower design – was awarded funding.

On April 3, 2012, just weeks after the original FOA from the DOE came out in March, but well before the award was made, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu charged the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board (SEAB) with creating a subcommittee to report on what the U.S. should do above and beyond the existing FOA for two light water reactors. Secretary Chu wrote, “The broad purpose of the SEAB subcommittee on SMRs is to advise the Secretary on ways to advance this technology to achieve a global leadership role in civil nuclear technology for the United States, and ways for DOE to accelerate that role.”

Specifically, Secretary Chu charged, “Looking beyond the current DOE program authorized by Congress and begun by the FOA, this SEAB Subcommittee will: (1) Identify areas in which standards for safety, security and nonproliferation should be developed for SMRs to enhance U.S. leadership in civil nuclear energy, and (2) Identify challenges, uncertainties and risks to commercialization and provide advice on policies and other approaches that may be appropriate to manage these risks and accelerate deployment in support of national goals.”

I attended the “open meeting” in the Spring and came back and put the question to several of the “Linked-In’ groups on nuclear power:  ”What would you advise the SEAB subcommittee on SMRs?”

There was a huge response.  After the discussions had gone on for a couple of months, I gathered the input with everyone’s consent and contact information and sent it in one very long letter to Dr. Nicholas M. Donofrio, Chairman of the SMR subcommittee. Before Thanksgiving, I received a letter back thanking everyone who participated on “Linked-In” and with the link to the completed report that was approved by the SEAB main committee.  Here it is: Report from SEAB Subcommittee on SMRs.

In another blog entry – and maybe on Linked-In – we’ll discuss some of the contents of the report.  In the interim, thanks to everyone who participated in the discussion via the various nuclear groups back during the summer of 2012 …!  Keep speaking up!  Happy Holidays!

Again, here’s the pertinent links:

Report from SEAB Subcommittee on SMRs

The subcommittee’s original marching orders

The DOE’s web site on SMRs

IX Power CEO, John R. Grizz Deal to Brief World Nuclear Power Conference on Small Modular Reactor Industry

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LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, 12 November 2012 – John R. Grizz Deal, CEO of IX Power LLC will be the featured speaker on the small modular reactors (SMR) industry at Europe’s World Nuclear Power Briefing in Warsaw, Poland. Deal will present “Applications for the use of Small Modular Reactors – What is in the Cards for the Future” at the two day event December 10 and 11. 

John R. Grizz Deal, CEO of IX Power LLC

IX Power is an energy and water technology innovation firm based in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Before starting IX Power, Deal was the CEO of Hyperion Power Generation for five years. He co-founded Hyperion, the first modern SMR company to approach the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission with its SMR concept, with Dr. Otis (Pete) Peterson, Dr. Robert Libutti, and Deborah Deal-Blackwell. The objective of Hyperion Power was to introduce a mass produced, self-contained 25MWe power reactor safe and compact enough to be shipped on the back of a truck after complete factory assembly. Now known as a design in the generation IV (Gen IV) class of reactors, the Hyperion reactor was created to bring safe, emission-free clean nuclear power to remote communities outside the U.S. and industrial and mining operations.

At Europe’s World Nuclear Power Briefing, Deal will present the current global inventory of frontrunner SMR designs and technology. He will discuss the application of SMRs, along with the implementation, licensing, safety, security, financial and the policy issues impacting their development.

Before starting Hyperion, Deal served as the chief marketing officer for Space Imaging, and was the founder and CEO of LizardTech, one of the more successful company spinouts from a Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) technology transfer effort. Additionally, Deal served as Entrepreneur in Residence for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) at Technology Ventures Corporation, and as Visiting Entrepreneur at LANL. Grizz founded seven firms based on U.S. DOE technologies and holds graduate and undergraduate science degrees in geography from Texas A&M University. He is an adjunct faculty member of the Moscow School of Management Skolkovo. He is a frequent speaker and writer on energy technology and policy, product development, starting and growing advanced technology-based ventures, and issues in raising capital for such ventures.

IX Power is working with an international team of scientists and strategists to develop and bring to market a number of ground-breaking technologies including the IX Power OrganiClear™ system that removes dangerous organic hydrocarbons from water produced by oil & gas, mining, and industrial processes without creating a hydrocarbon waste stream. The company’s main offices are in Los Alamos, Washington, D.C., and London, England.

–IX–

Hurricane Sandy: It’s Time to Re-Start the Conversation on Climate Change

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Throughout this long summer and fall of presidential campaigns, we’ve been wondering where was even a mention of Climate Change?  The coal lobbyists have been running a lot of TV commercials advocating for the election of folks to the House and Senate that would slash at the EPA’s effort to regulate the use of this polluting, toxic fossil fuel. But where and when recently has anyone stood up to the elephant in the room – the obvious change in our climate that is going on?

Photo from Getty Images. Story in the Huffington Post.

Whether you believe it’s largely manmade or a historically natural recurring feat of our planet’s system, it’s hard to deny it’s happening. Let’s  just focus on how the human race is going to accommodate the changes in the climate that are happening.  What steps can be taken to mitigate the effects of stronger storms?  How can we improve our infrastructure and the way we build our population centers? Hey all you politicians: It’s time to start talking about Climate Change!

For more on this subject, read Mark Hertsgaard‘s article in The Nation, “Hurricane Sandy as Greek Tragedy.”  Hertsgaard has covered climate change for twenty years and is the author of six books, including, most recently, HOT: Living Through the Next Fifty Years on Earth. But don’t stop there. For another view, also read Nicholas D. Kristof’s comments in The New York Times, “Will Climate Get Some Respect Now?”  

Sending thoughts and prayers for those affected by Hurricane Sandy …

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Video link to Washington Post of Hurricane Sanday

Queens, NY was hit with the one-two punch of not only water – but fire as well. About 80 homes were burned to the ground during the Hurricane. Hopefully, no one was lost in the blaze but it may be days before authorities are certain everyone got out alive. Click on the picture to see the video.

 

As dawn broke on the East Coast this morning, it was painfully evident that Hurricane Sandy (aka Frankenstorm) was unfortunately everything forecasters had warned it would be and sometimes more. IX Power will continue to send our thoughts, prayers and donations to the brave survivors of one of history’s most infamous storms.

NYC’s financial district really got a bath from Superstorm Sandy.

Here’s how you can help too:

 

Donate to the American Red Cross.  We have seen many news reports of the Red Cross whipping into action to mitigate the misery of people affected by the storm.

The Salvation Army had boots on the ground providing hot meals well before the storm even hit and they will be there long after. Donate directly to the Salvation Army specifically for victims of Hurricane Sandy by  texting the word “STORM” to 80888 to make a $10 donation through your cell phone. Or make a donation to the Salvation Army online.

Click here to read the Better Business Bureau’s advice on how to select a charity for your donations regarding Hurricane Sandy. 

Click here for more information on other charities assisting victim of Superstorm Sandy.

Click here for the FEMA site on how to donate and volunteer responsibly.