Amec Foster Wheeler checks waste from Hadron Collider
Amec Foster Wheeler (AFW) has announced the award of a series of contracts from CERN, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, to carry out radiochemical testing.
Energy Transition
Attenborough and Cox join call for action on clean energy
Sir David Attenborough has urged countries to sign up to a global scheme to make clean energy cheaper than fossil fuels, warning the Earth is in danger from climate change.
Pupils see long-term future in North Sea oil and gas
A survey of school students has revealed that two thirds (67%) believe there is a long-term future in the North Sea oil and gas industry.
Campaigners celebrate after windfarm rejection
Campaigners were celebrating last night after the controversial Brown Muir windfarm plans were rejected by councillors. But SNP members of the local authority were facing a backlash from protesters amid accusations they put their party before the people by voting to back the scheme. The 12-turbine project tabled by Vento Ludens for a site between Elgin and Rothes attracted more than 1,300 objections. By contrast, Moray Council received just 20 submissions supporting the proposed development. The local authority’s planning and regulatory services committee blocked the application yesterday on the casting vote of chairman Chris Tuke.
Wave Energy boosted by European grant
A wave power device tested at a marine energy centre in Orkney has been boosted by a £580,000 European grant. Edinburgh-based Aquamarine Power and the National University of Ireland, Maynooth (NUIM) have together secured a EU Horizon 2020 grant to improve the performance of Aquamarine Power’s Oyster wave energy converter. The company has already built and operated two full-scale Oyster machines at the European Marine Energy Centre (Emec) in Orkney.
UK Government risks early end to projects after withdrawal of subsidies
Recent policy announcements withdrawing support for renewable energy have seen the attractiveness of the UK’s renewables market as an investment destination plummet, according to EY’s Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index (RECAI).
Atlantis Resources replaces finance chief as it relocates to Scotland
Tidal power generator Atlantis Resources has appointed Simon Counsell as chief financial officer following the resignation of Duncan Black.
Campaigners welcome early end to wind subsidy
Campaigners have hailed the early closure of a subsidy scheme for onshore wind projects – while renewables experts last night warned it will deter investment. Jenny Hogan, director of policy at Scottish Renewables, warned firms were at risk of “shutting up shop altogether” and that 5,400 jobs had been put at risk by the withdrawal of the Renewables Obligation (RO) scheme. Ending the subsidy – funded by levies to household bills – a year earlier than expected could cost up to £3billion of investment, she added. Ms Hogan also called for the Westminster Scottish Affairs Committee to consider holding an inquiry on the move, which she said would have a disproportionate impact on Scotland.
Subsidies axe threatens renewable energy firms, MP committee told
Renewable energy firms are at risk of “shutting up shop altogether” as a result of the early withdrawal of government subsidies, a Westminster committee has been told.
Decommissioning conference to hear from T In The Park stalwart
Oil and gas decommissioning specialists can learn lessons from Scotland's largest music festival T In The Park at a conference later this year.
Tekmar wins offshore windfarm cable protection contract
Subsea cable protection specialist Tekmar has been awarded a major contract for a wind farm on the north west cost of England.
New biomass process could be new dawn for power generation
A new revolutionary clean biomass fuel could be replace coal in power stations its developers claim.
UK Government policy hitting windfarm investment
New research has shown for the first time that recent announcements from Whitehall are having a significant impact on investor confidence and their ability to lend to onshore wind farm developers. Green-energy body Scottish Renewables (SR) is today publishing survey findings it says shows for the first time how UK Government policy is scaring off potential windfarm investors.
Plan for major wind farm off world heritage coastline is turned down
A major offshore wind farm which would have been visible from a World Heritage Site coastline has been turned down.
Lords committee to investigate potential tensions in EU energy cooperation
The UK's House of Lords EU Committee on Energy and Environment has launched a new inquiry into EU energy governance.
Sgurr Energy examines Chinese offshore wind projects
Renewable energy consultancy SgurrEnergy has been appointed by utility firm Huaneng Renewables Corp Ltd to assess the general site conditions of offshore wind projects in China.
Cameron welcomes OGUK chief to officially open Aberdeen facility
Oil & Gas UK chief executive Deirdre Michie formally opened the new Aberdeen base for oil services firm Cameron.
APR Energy removes all remaining assets from Libya
Power supplier APR Energy has successfully demobilised and removed all of its remaining assets from Libya.
Dong sells off half of German windfarm project for €780million
Dong Energy is to divest 50% of the 330MW German offshore wind construction project, Gode Wind 1, to a private equity fund for €780million.
India’s Hydro push revives $1.4 billion Goldman-backed plant
India’s Power Minister Piyush Goyal said disputes blocking a hydroelectricity project worth at least $1.4 billion have been cleared, part of a drive to revitalize the industry as he targets an unprecedented expansion in renewable energy. Resolving the years-long delay in the Teesta-III project in northeastern Sikkim state near China will make hydroelectricity more alluring to investors, according to Goyal. One of his major challenges is finding the $200 billion India needs for a goal of 175 gigawatts of green-energy capacity by 2022. “If you go back in history for the last five years, the entire hydel industry has come to a standstill in India,” Goyal, a 51-year-old former banker and chartered accountant, said in an interview in New Delhi on Tuesday. “We’re going to revive it.”
Venture capital firm backs roll-out of small community wind-energy schemes
A venture capital firm specialising in investments in innovative, high-growth technology companies is backing the roll-out of small community wind-energy schemes across the Highlands and islands. Scottish Equity Partners (SEP) said yesterday the £9million investment from its Environment Capital Fund into newly formed business Hamsin Wind aimed to deliver single units at about 200 high wind speed locations in the north. Working with development partners Mistral Energy and ABG Corporate Finance, Hamsin has appointed Ayrshire company Kingspan Wind as its turbine supply partner.
Cars running on whisky? Well almost
Celtic Renewables is celebrating an £11million cash boost for its plan to produce transport fuel from the residues of whisky-making
Intervention urged over nuclear power station decision
The Government is being urged to intervene to speed up a final decision on when a new nuclear power station will be built in the UK or leave the country facing the “very real prospect” of power cuts.
Proposed solar panel subsidy cuts ‘threaten tens of thousands of jobs’
Government plans to slash subsidies for solar panels on homes could cost more than 20,000 jobs, green campaigners have claimed. Ministers have announced proposals to cut the amount paid for domestic solar arrays from 12.47p per kilowatt hour to 1.63p for new systems from January 2016 - a fall of 87%. The plans could mean almost a million renewable installations will be prevented from going ahead over the next five years, according to the Government’s impact assessment of the move.
Nuclear reactor delay in France will have no impact on UK plans, says EDF
Energy giant EDF has announced a delay in building a new nuclear reactor in northern France, but said it will have no impact on its planned new power station in the UK. The European pressurised reactor (EPR) nuclear plant at Flamanville in Normandy will not be up and running until 2018, a year later than previously announced. Two more EPRs are under construction in China and EDF plans to build two at Hinkley Point, Somerset.