News Archive
23/12/2014
Tidal Stream Turbines Improvements by Alstom
Alstom has taken advantage of its experience with the 1 MW turbine to improve the design of its tidal stream turbine. They are now offering the Oceade™ 18 - 1.4 MW, making the turbine even more efficient, cost-effective and easy to maintain.
23/12/2014
Minesto and Atlantis Resources Ltd ("Atlantis") have been awarded €750,000 For Research
The EU awards €750,000 for the development of tidal power components - resulting in unique collaboration between tidal energy developers. Marine energy companies Minesto and Atlantis Resources Ltd ("Atlantis") have been awarded €750,000 from the Eurostars Programme, funded by the European Union.
23/12/2014
Christmas Comes Early for Energy Switchers
For the first time ever, fixed rate energy tariffs dominate the top 10 cheapest deals on the market, all offering average bills below £1,000, according to analysis from MoneySuperMarket. Traditionally the cheaper tariffs offered by energy suppliers were reserved for variable rate online only deals but, for the first time ever the best buy table is dominated by fixed rate deals which are all under £1,000.
23/12/2014
UK House Prices To Increase By 3% In 2015
UK House prices to increase by 3% in 2015. RICS annual housing market forecast.23/12/2014
Freeze, Don't Squeeze in 2015: Hold Interest Rates to Protect Hard Pressed Households
With all the major political parties committed to deficit reduction next year, IPPR's chief economist warns in his annual New Year Message, that the greatest risk to Britain's economy is not rampant inflation but stagnation and deflation caused by rapid rate rises. Writing for the Left Foot Forward blog, he urges the Bank of England to "freeze, don't squeeze" in 2015.23/12/2014
UK Buy-to-Let: A Look Back at the Market in 2014
In 2014 Britain saw the highest annual increase of house prices amongst EU member states. In fact, data by the he Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) revealed that the UK was in fact one of the OECD nations with the biggest rise in real house prices, with a 90%+ growth from the 1980s until the beginning of the financial crisis in 2009.23/12/2014
Public Sector Finances, November 2014
Public sector net borrowing excluding public sector banks (PSNB ex) from April to November 2014 was £75.8 billion, a decrease of £0.5 billion compared with the same period in 2013/14. PSNB ex was £14.1 billion in November 2014, a decrease of £1.6 billion compared with November 2013.23/12/2014
Travelling Home For Christmas...?
How does Santa manage to find his way around the world so quickly, without missing a single boy or girl? Well if you could search through his sleigh, you will find Father Christmas' mobile on the dashboard, already open on the indispensable and FREE navigation marvel app, MAPS.ME!. Never mind any other map apps on the market - Mail.Ru's revolutionary service MAPS.ME is not only the most detailed navigation system you could want for your mobile, updated by users with everything from cash machines to postboxes, as well as being fast-loading both on and offline, taking up little memory space, it's also COMPLETELY FREE, with no in-app purchases to worry about.23/12/2014
Asking Prices Set To Rise In 2015
Home.co.uk predicts the South East and East of England will be among the biggest winners over the next 12 months. The property market in England and Wales is set for continued growth in 2015, with asking prices likely to rise by around 7%.
22/12/2014
Financial close for Wick Campus puts project full steam ahead
The Highland Council is pleased to announce that 'financial close' of the Wick Campus project was achieved, Friday 19 December 2014. With financial close, the Design, Build, Finance and Maintain (DBFM) contract has now been signed off for the £48.5m project which is due to complete in September 2016.
22/12/2014
Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd - Poultry Sale - 22 December 2014
Dingwall, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (December, 22nd) sold 167 lots of Christmas poultry. Oven ready turkey (121) averaged 204.7p per lb and sold to 300p per lb for a 14lb bird from Balnakyle Farm, Aberlour, and £45 gross for a 17.5lb bird from No.22/12/2014
ATLANTIS AWARDED FEED-IN TARIFF FOR 4.5MW OF TIDAL GENERATION IN CANADA
Atlantis Resources Limited's Canadian subsidiary has been awarded a Feed-in Tariff for up to 4.5 megawatts of tidal generation to be deployed at the Fundy Ocean Research Center for Energy (FORCE) in Nova Scotia, Canada. The Developmental Feed-In-Tariff award of C$530 (£292) per megawatt hour (MWh) provides revenue support for Atlantis to deploy and operate up to three state-of-the art AR-1500 turbines at FORCE.
21/12/2014
Business Disability Forum supports findings of Access to Work inquiry
Business Disability Forum (BDF) welcomes the findings of the Work and Pensions Select Committee inquiry into the Access to Work scheme, which were published today in a report entitled 'Improving Access to Work for disabled people'. BDF provided evidence as a witness at the inquiry session on 15 October, which focussed on rules surrounding the provision of support workers, supporting people with mental health issues and cost-sharing arrangements with employers.20/12/2014
Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership - Update
Week commencing 15th December 2014 Energy & Business services: Friday's John O' Groat Journal carries news that Caledonia Green Innovations (CGI) is re-opening the engineering facility at Bower, Caithness, creating up to 35 jobs. CGI is one of a number of Aberdeen-based companies that have been involved in the ongoing programme of engagements that have been led by CNSRP partner HIE, with seconded support from partners DSRL and Highland Council.
20/12/2014
Atlantis Resources Makes First MeyGen Facility Drawdown
Atlantis, majority owner of the world's largest planned tidal stream energy project, MeyGen, announces that its flagship project has achieved another significant funding milestone, successfully completing all conditions required to initiate its first drawdown from its senior project finance providers, The Crown Estate and Scottish Enterprise through the Renewable Energy Investment Fund. The major construction and supply contractors to this iconic project have commenced design, engineering and procurement works in readiness for commencement of onshore construction at the project site in Caithness in January 2015.20/12/2014
Capacity market winners and losers - First UK Electricity Capacity Market Auction
The UK government is to subsidise 49.26GW of mostly existing electricity generators that have emerged victorious from the country's first capacity market auction. For the full story see at reNEWS - http://renews.biz/81311/uk-heralds-capacity-subsidies/.20/12/2014
Scotland's outdoor habits revealed
The number of people visiting the outdoors for recreation has gone up, with the estimated number of visits at its highest in recent years, according to a report published today (19 December) by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). In the first year of Scotland's People and Nature Survey, carried out between March 2013 and February 2014, 12,000 adults were asked how they use and enjoy the natural environment.19/12/2014
Highland Council Budget Agreed
The budget for 2015/16 and the indicative budget for the following 3 years has been agreed following a meeting today of Highland Council. A package of savings totally £42.8 million was agreed.17/12/2014
Serco NorthLink Ferries to Start New Year with New Offers
Serco NorthLink Ferries has announced two new special offers to launch early in 2015. From January 2, the ‘Kids Go Free' promotion will see children travel for free on direct Lerwick to Aberdeen and Aberdeen to Lerwick routes.16/12/2014
