ReNew News: Aberdeen hydro energy community group launches bid to raise £500k
The backers of an urban community hydro energy scheme in Aberdeen have launched a bid to raise £500,000 from local investors.
Energy Transition
Gales boost Scottish wind power output to cover 24 hour demand
Environmentalists have claimed that the high winds which struck Scotland last Sunday were strong enough to power the equivalent of all Scotland’s electricity needs for the day.
Sumitomo Corporation buys stake in Galloper wind farm
Sumitomo Corporation has bought a stake in the Galloper wind farm.
Floating solar power sector has “considerable” bank support
A major bank’s decision to throw its weight behind a floating solar power scheme shows the sector is rich with commercial potential, bosses at engineering consultancy OST Energy said. OST acted as technical adviser for Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) during the early stages of the project to bring Europe’s largest floating photovoltaic solar project to financial close earlier this year. The 6.3 Megawatt peak (MWp) array, installed by Lightsource Renewable Energy, is the first project of its kind to secure European bank financing.
E.ON starts operations from its Texan windfarm
E.ON said it now has more than a dozen windfarms in operation in the US with the addition of a new asset in Texas.
Tech Tuesday: Welcome to the battery age
Batteries capable of storing power at utility scale will be as widespread in 12 years as rooftop solar panels are now, revolutionising the way consumers use energy.
Statoil awards two Dudgeon wind farm contracts to Peterson
Statoil has handed two six-year contracts to energy logistics firm Peterson to provide support for its £1.5billion Dudgeon wind farm project in the southern North Sea. Peterson will provide Statoil with stevedoring and ship agency services, provisions delivery, staff transportation, as well as fuelling from its base in Great Yarmouth. The contract values were not disclosed.
Nigg best placed to create offshore wind jobs
Nigg Energy Park has been identified as the best prepared of Scotland's east coast ports to create jobs from offshore wind contracts in a new industry report. The Cromarty Firth facility's potential was highlighted in the findings of a strategic review, which also examined the capabilities of Invergordon, Aberdeen, Dundee, Montrose, Methil and Rosyth as well as ports on England's east coast. Conducted by the Offshore Wind Industry Council (OWIC), the study focused on the capability of ports to carry out "staging" work, storing and loading offshore wind farm components and carrying out pre-construction activities. It also assessed their ability to manufacture large components in or near their sites.
EDF launches new 6 turbine wind farm near Stirling
EDF Energy Renewables today announced the launch of its six turbine wind farm in the Ochil Hills near Stirling. The Rhodders wind farm is located near EDF’s existing Burnfoot Hill and Burnfoot North developments to the north of Tillicoultry, Clackmannanshire. The latest addition takes EDF’s combined electricity generation capacity in the area to 42 megawatts (MW), which is enough to cover the average annual demand of all the homes in Clackmannanshire.
Mytrah gets $31m cash boost from GE Energy for wind project
Mytrah said it has struck an agreement with Guayama Holdings for it to invest up to $31million in its subsidiary to support the development of a 200MW wind energy project in India.
Bats and onshore wind turbines…a fatal attraction
Concern over bats being killed by onshore wind turbines has been growing for several years and that worry has just been further reinforced by research in Germany.
ReNew News: UK gears up for solar-powered 1,800 mile car race across Australia
Engineers are launching a bid to put Britain on the winning podium of an epic 1,800-mile car race powered by the sun.
Nuclear-free zone: Britain weighs energy options without Hinkley
The British government’s surprise decision last week to review the $24 billion Hinkley Point nuclear plant would leave a huge hole in the U.K.’s energy policy if it leads to the project’s cancellation.
Scottish university spin-out targets renewables market following six-figure investment
A Scottish university spin-out which makes sensors for detecting faults on electricity grids has scooped investments totalling £370,000. Synaptec plans to use the money to hire more staff members and break into the renewable energy and subsea markets. The batch of funding came from business angel syndicate Equity Gap, the Scottish Investment Bank, Scottish Enterprise, and Strathclyde University, where the company originated.
Updated: Scottish tourism employment figures not affected by wind farms – report
The spread of onshore wind farms in Scotland has not affected the number of people working in the tourism industry, either for better or worse, according to new research. Biggar Economics said its report did show that some areas which enjoyed the greatest rise in tourism employment also saw the biggest increase in turbine numbers, but could not prove a direct relationship between the two trends. The Midlothian-based economics consultancy drew its conclusions from its study of 18 Scottish sites between 2009 and 2013.
Tech Tuesday: Costain taking new approach to drones
Costain is working with operators of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to develop intelligent solutions to its customers’ challenges.
Amec Foster Wheeler wins extension on nuclear Cumbria contract
Amec Foster Wheeler has won a continuation of a contract to provide environmental support to NuGeneration Limited for a proposed nuclear power station in Cumbria.
Ecosse Subsea Systems doubles workload on Baltic wind farm project
Ecosse Subsea Systems (ESS) has doubled its workload on a Baltic Sea wind farm project, the Banchory-based engineering firm said today. Italian company Prysmian Group last year subcontracted ESS to carry out pre-cut seabed trenching for Wikinger, a planned 70-turbune wind farm off Germany. ESS has now agreed to take on the route clearance and seabed preparation work on the Wikinger development, which has been led by Spain’s Iberdrola since 2010.
ReNew News: Dutch companies move into Chinese offshore wind market
A number of Dutch companies are to take part in offshore wind projects in China.
Solar flight completes first round-the-world journey
The world’s first round-the-world flight to be powered solely by the sun’s energy has made history, landing in Abu Dhabi, where it first took off on an epic 25,000-mile journey that began more than a year ago.
Tech Tuesday: Norwegian scientists test chemical free oil spill solution
Norwegian scientists are close to establishing whether water can replace chemicals in cleaning up oil slicks.
Solar industry jobs fall by third over last year
The number of jobs in the solar industry has fallen by a third in the last year as installation rates plummeted, analysis suggests.
UK Government urged to clarify support for renewables industry
MPs have called on the UK Government to clarify future support for the renewables industry amid concerns current policy is putting growth and investment at risk.
Windfarm developer insists it will deliver economic boost for region
The developer of a controversial windfarm off the north-east coast insisted last night its £300million investment would deliver an economic boost for the region.
Government consent for highland windfarm lawful, judges rule
The Scottish Government’s decision to grant consent for a 67-turbine wind farm was lawful, judges have ruled.