Dong Energy makes final investment decision to build Hornsea Project
Dong Energy said it has made a final investment decision to build the Hornsea Project One offshore windfarm in the UK.
Energy Transition
Wind turbine put on hold
Controversial plans to build a 260ft wind turbine near a north-east village have been put on hold until councillors visit the site.
Highland hydro developer to launch construction phase on £13.6m project
A Scottish hydro-energy developer which recently warned the sector faces a countdown to extinction is preparing to start work on a new £13.6million Highland project. Bosses at Green Highland Renewables (GHR) said its new project at Loch Eilde Mor, near Kinlochleven, will be one of the last hydro schemes commissioned in the region due to UK Government cuts to subsidies. Under the feed-in tariff (FiT) system, small-scale solar, wind and hydro schemes have received fixed-rate payments for the electricity they generate since 2010.
UK Ministers challenged over Hinkley Point steel procurement
Ministers have insisted they have “absolutely nothing to apologise about“ over a row relating to steel procurement for the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station project.
Total invests in solar energy start ups
Total's Energy Ventures, the venture capital fund that invests in start-ups, has acquired an interest in solar firm Off Grid Electric and Powerhive.
Tech Tuesday: Expro wellhead surveillance technology aims to optimise production
Expro are currently collecting real-time data to support production optimisation from brownfield wells using their non-intrusive wellhead surveillance technology.
Easyjet plans could see passengers served water from hydrogen batteries
Passengers with a low-cost airline could be served water created as a waste product from hydrogen batteries under plans for a zero emissions fuel system.
Multi-million investment boost for tidal lagoon development
The development of tidal lagoon schemes has received a boost with a commitment of millions of pounds to the technology in the UK and India.
AFC Energy hits fuel cell milestone at German power plant
UK industrial fuel cell developer AFC Energy has produced more than 200kW of electrical output at its Kore power plant in Germany, marking a major milestone for the technology.
Chamber of Commerce joins alliance in calls for debate on fracking
Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce (AGCC) has joined an alliance of fellow trade bodies which is banging the drum for a wider debate on the benefits of fracking. The alliance, which includes Oil and Gas UK, made the call after 55% of UK adults who took part in a poll said they want domestic gas production – including from fracking - to be prioritised over imports. The same survey by ComRes indicated 56% think reducing the cost of energy is more important than environmental concerns.
Petrofac, GE win £110million contract on offshore windfarm
Petrofac and GE have been awarded a contract worth more than £110million to engineer, construct and install a turnkey power system. It will connect up to 336MW of clean energy from the Galloper offshore wind farm off Suffolk, to the British grid.
Scottish hydro-power wipeout predicted
Scotland’s hydro power faces an agonising march into near-oblivion by the end of the decade, an industry boss warned yesterday. Mark Mathieson, chief executive of Green Highland Renewables (GHR) said the UK Government had failed to take account of evidence and missed out on broader benefits of hydro energy in its review of feed-in tariffs.
M&A activity grows, set to continue in 2016
Worldwide M&A activity in the power and renewable sector almost doubled last year, according to a new report. PwC’s annual findings show momentum is expected to continue throughout 2016.
£2bn windfarm project nears construction as backers found
A consortium has pledged £500million worth of backing for a £2billion wind farm planned for the outer Forth Estuary, bringing the construction phase a step closer, the company behind the project said yesterday. Mainstream Renewable Power is now in a stronger position to meet the March 26 deadline for achieving financial close, though a judicial review continues to cast doubt on the scheme. The Neart na Gaoithe (NNG) wind farm would bring huge economic gains to Scotland. More than £540million will be spent in Scotland during the construction phase, with 500 jobs created.
Demand for renewable electricity up 8% in 2015
Demand for renewable electricity in Europe continued to grow last year up 8% from 2014, new data has shown.
Energy Minister says plans afoot to revive “corpse” of Peterhead CCS project
Attempts are being made to revive the “corpse” of the carbon capture and storage (CCS) project which had been destined for Peterhead, Scotland’s energy minister said yesterday. But Fergus Ewing said none of the other options being mulled would be easy to put into practice. Plans to build the CCS plant were derailed in November following the UK Government’s decision to cut £1billion worth of funding for the technology.
Tech Tuesday: Read teams with GE for new micro-leak detection tool
Well intervention specialist Read Cased Hole has collaborated with GE Oil and Gas to develop a new micro-leak detection tool that can be deployed in well intervention processes including slickline, electric line, coiled tubing and tractor.
Statoil’s Hywind project could create “hundreds” of jobs
The firm behind ambitious plans to create a floating windfarm off the north-east coast have promised it will deliver a jobs bonanza. Energy giant Statoil said last night its Hywind scheme would generate hundreds of posts during the construction, 15 miles from shore.
Dulas makes gains on Welsh Water’s Five Fords project
Dulas has completed work on the second phase of a 2.4MW solar project which will provide energy for Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water’s Five Fords waste water treatment works in Wrexham.
Work on Statoil’s offshore windfarm to kick-off this summer
Work on a massive windfarm off the coast of a north-east town will begin in the summer, it was revealed last night.
Energy firms at risk from “zombie” attacks
Energy firms are are prime risk from cyber crime and what tech experts described as the Internet of Zombies - relentless bot attacks by professional hackers that can run for days, weeks or months at a time.
Scottish CO2 hub “a unique opportunity for the UK”
The creation of a Scottish CO2 (carbon dioxide) Hub can unlock UK and European potential for carbon capture and storage (CCS), according to a new report.
Aqualis secures contract for BorWin 3 converter platform in North Sea
Offshore marine and engineering consultancy Aqualis Offshore has been contracted by Petrofac to perform technical support services for its work on the BorWin 3 gamma topside for the North Sea.
Turbine subsidies to be scrapped
Amber Rudd has confirmed the UK Government will push ahead with plans to scrap subsidies for new onshore wind farms, placing ministers on a potential collision course with the House of Lords.
Tech Tuesday: Imaging technology moves ahead in oil and gas
Advances in the systems and tech that can benefit the subsea supply chain has seen technology from other fields such as medicine, aerospace and the nuclear sectors play a bigger role in recent years and there's no sign that trend stopping anytime soon.