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Latest News for Scotland
Turbines exiled from wilderness
New plans that would exclude wind farms from 19% of Scotland, designated as National Scenic Areas or national park status, leaves anti-wind farm campaigners fretting as they anticipate more wind farm pressure on the remaining 69% of Scotland. And no consideration or reprieve is give to Scotland's seascapes, as the Tiree Array, currently is only on 'hold' by Scottish Power Renewables.
Smart Metering Code
"Smart Metering Installation Code of Practice" from Ofgem comes into effect on 1 June, ahead of the mandated government roll-out of smart meters from 2014.
Gaudeamus Scotland
Professor Andrew Goudie, Visiting Professor and Special Adviser to the Principal of the University of Strathclyde has published "Scotland’s Future: The Economics of Constitutional Change." that highlights the primary economic challenges that must be addressed in analysing and debating Scotland’s constitutional future.
Bees swept under the carpet
The European Commission proposals to restrict the use of neonicotinoids failed to get the necessary qualified majority in an EU vote, which was naturally welcomed by the chemical firm Syngenta.
Lidar to test the Winds
At last in a 'horse before the cart' development, led by the University of Strathclyde, wind farm production and development could be improved and reduce the need for expensive, reactive maintenance.
Muirburn seasons
On Skye, early spring weather has been good enough to allow many land managers to begin muirburn earlier than usual. Organiaed by the Portree Office of SAC Consulting an event offered both crofters, deer managers and others a chance to discuss issues surrounding the controlled burning of moor heather with an expert from Scotland’s Rural College.
Renewables & nuclear: invest & extend
The Scottish renewable energy sector expects investment to top £1 billion for the first time in 2012, as the French EDF Energy announces it is to extend the expected operating life of two of its UK nuclear power stations by seven years. Accordingly Hunterston B in Ayreshire and Hinkley Point in Somerset are now expected to remain operational until at least 2023.
Eight years to balance gender in business
While compulsory gender quotas for the number of women holding board positions did not, thankfully, pass the EU November vote, stiff new measures will force companies to achieve a 40% female board head count by 2020, or face sanctions. In the computer, technology and manufacturing industries this issue really need planned redress.
Infrastructure: cut hi-speed broadband cost
Analysys Mason Ltd's Final Report on behalf of the European Commission (DG Information Society and Media) has assessed the potential impact of five regulatory measures on reducing the cost of deploying high-speed broadband infrastructure across Europe. These are: a centralised atlas of passive infrastructures; mandated access to passive infrastructure; a one-stop shop on rights of way & administrative procedures; a database where all planned civil works must be published; an obligation to equip all new buildings with high-speed (100Mbit/s, as well as mandated open access to the terminating segment.
Hidden cost to high pressure wind
The pressure wind farm companies are putting on Scotland’s planning system to build on ‘unsuitable’ sites have quadrupled the number of appeals they have lodged against council decisions to reject planning permission and diverted millions of pounds of council taxpayers’ money to deal with the influx.
Coastguards MOC opens March, 2014
As Avincis bases in London to seek government outsourcing opportunities across Europe, it sees the market for air rescue services growing as governments look to save money by privatising fire fighting, search & rescue and air ambulance services. Coastguard services however are headed for control-room-style co-ordination of centres, where the Marine Operation Centre in Fareham on the UK's south coast between Portshmouth and Southampton is to be open by March 2014.
Changing energy and environment
While many companies and traditional industries have struggled, Scotland’s renewable electricity industry has delivered capital investment of some £2.8bn since the beginning of 2009, according to new figures from Scottish Renewables. The figures are part of a new series of statistics ‘Scotland’s Renewable Energy Sector in Numbers’ published online this week.
Scotland Institute Think Tank
The Scotland Institute, a think take being set up next week in the wake of the launch of the No vote in the independence referendum campaign and finds the founder of the Institute, hedge fund millionaire Azeem Ibrahim, denying that the absence of the SNP or Greens from the launch was any indication of an anti-Independence stance and insisting the Institute was not taking sides.
Scotland's ungainly wind rush
As Fife Council joins Aberdeenshire requesting a suspension of wind farm applications, ForArgyll dubs the promise of renewable energy as becoming "prospecting worthy of the gold rush."
Social website breakdown
According to a BT study Scottish households use the internet for social networking more than any other nation or region in the UK. some 48.2% of internet surfers in Scotland regularly access social networking sites, compared to just 20% in Northern Ireland, 42.6% in Wales, 33% in the England North East, 39.3% in the South West and 45.7% in London.
As others map us with Brave and reckless intent
Is Disney forecasting what devolution will achieve in its map of Scotland? Perhaps Donald Trump had a word in Disney's ear and insisted that putting the Kingdon of Fife into the United Kingdom rather than Scotland, meant no windfarms could be located there!
As others saw us on Saturday
Blue skies have been the norm in recent days, as the UK basks in glorious late spring sunshine, although the east coast has had some early morning haars.
Olympic torch & fiery cross
You've got to love and fall about with 'For Argyll' whose latest tongue in cheek is the Olympic Flame which gets a number two service for John o'Groats and pints out Dunnet head is the most Northerly point in Britain
Short term renewables rethink
Wind is creating a storm of issues for the renewable energy sector and ranges from wind speed boasts not living up to claims; wind farm developers funding environmental and wildlife organisations, biasing their approval of windfarm plans, and most recently wind farm location on peat bog areas unleashing CO2 from the irreparable peat sinks for a mere 25 years, less than a generation, of variable energy returns.
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