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Week Commencing 22 February 2016 Energy & Business Services: Good to see in Gordon Calder's piece in today's John O' Groat Journal the upbeat views from Project Director David Taaffe on the likely jobs impact of the MeyGen tidal energy project. The news is also given a balanced and thoughtful welcome in the paper's Leader Column.
Energy & Business Services: It was good to speak last week with Magnus Davidson of Thurso's Environmental Research Institute (ERI) about the transnational EU-funded project called REGINA. The project aims to reduce the vulnerability of small communities in remoter areas of the Nordic Arctic and Scotland which face the development - or closing down of - large-scale industries.
Week Commencing 8th February 2016. Enabling Activities: Last Saturday (6th February) saw the annual "Jobs and How to Get Them" event, developed again by a group of agencies/ organisations (including CNSRP partners Skills Development Scotland and Highland Council) and managed by Caithness Chamber of Commerce.
Week Commencing 1st February 2016 Energy and Business Services: Good to meet this week with June Love and the contractor who is helping CNSRP partner Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) with some work on cost comparison in the oil and gas sector. The work, which is supported by Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd, is also linked to work being taken forward by Scrabster Harbour Trust.
Week Commencing 25 January 2016 Energy and; Business Services: Good to see Derek Campbell of Denchi Power heading out to take part in a programme sponsored by CNSRP partner HIE with the world-renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The MIT Entrepreneurship Development Programme is week long, high level, intensive executive education course teaching skills for high impact entrepreneurship.
Week Commencing 18th January 2016 Energy and Business Services: Dounreay Trì Limited is proposing to demonstrate a floating offshore wind farm approximately 6 km NW of Dounreay. The proposal consists of two turbines, located on a single semi-submersible floating platform, with an installed capacity of between 8 to 16 megawatts (MW).
A Caithness entrepreneur is set to give his business a global boost after attending one of the worlds most renowned business executive development courses. Derek Campbell of Thurso battery and charger manufacturer Denchi Power, will be among 120 entrepreneurs from across the globe taking part in the Entrepreneurship Development Programme at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston at the end of January.
Week Commencing 11th January 2016 Energy and Business Services: Beatrice Offshore Windfarm Ltd and independent energy company Danske Commodities have signed a 15-year power purchase agreement for the latter to manage 50% of the output from the Beatrice development to be built off the Caithness coast. As previously reported, CNSRP partners have been involved in helping Wick Harbour Authority as it discusses the opportunity for the operation and maintenance base for the BOWL development to be at Wick.
Week Commencing 4th January 2016 Energy and Business Services: One of the key elements in transmitting power from renewables in the north - the Beauly-Denny electricity power line - went into operation just before Christmas. For an aerial look at the power line see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-35146301 As the MeyGen tidal project enters a crucial year Atlantis Resources - the owner of MeyGen - has announced the onshore testing of its AR1500 turbine at the National Renewable Energy Centre (NaREC) facility in NE England.
Ring out the old, bring in the new - more than 100 Highlands and Islands towns and villages can access next generation broadband. As 2015 draws to a close 150,000 homes and businesses in the Highlands and Islands now have access to next generation broadband.
Week Commencing 14th December 2015 Energy and Business Services: Further movement in the tidal energy sector in Scotland this week, with the news that Atlantis Resources Ltd has reached an agreement with Scottish Power Renewables to purchase two of SPRs tidal projects in Scotland. The projects are a 10MW proposal for the Sound of Islay and a 100MW project at the Ness of Duncansby at the eastern end of the Pentland Firth.
Weekly update from CNSRP - week commencing 7th December 2015. Energy & Business Services: At last weeks CNSRP Advisory Board meeting members heard a presentation from John Scott of SSE, outlining the current progress and likely future activities in support of the major electricity grid enhancements taking place in the area.
Week commencing 30th November 2015 Energy and Business Services: Atlantis Resources Ltd, owners of the MeyGen project in the Pentland Firth, have just announced a newly-created post of Director of Power Generation. The postholder, Stephen Ward, will play a key role in the construction of MeyGen Phase 1A.
Week Commencing 23 November 2015 Energy and Business Services: There was an event in Wick this week for local companies interested in opportunities in the offshore wind market. Representatives from DEME Group outlined its companies roles in the development, construction and maintenance of offshore wind farms, and in the rapidly expanding UK offshore wind market.
Weeks Commencing 9th and 16th November 2015 Energy and Business Services: Later this month there will be an event in Wick for local companies interested in opportunities in the offshore wind market. As a leading company in the development, construction and maintenance of offshore wind farms, DEME Group is preparing new projects and contracts in the rapidly expanding UK offshore wind market.
A new survey into the attitudes and aspirations of young people indicates those taking part from Caithness and Sutherland are strongly connected and proud of their local community. The perceptions of 234 of the area's young people highlight a number of positive findings.
Week commencing 2 November 2015 Energy Business Services: HIEs Michael Koetsier and June Love hosted a successful visit from a potential inward investor last week, as progress continues to be made on opportunities related to the energy sector in the north. Tourism, Food Drink Good to see coverage in todays press of the new business venture being established in Wick.
New Business Award 2015 Winner: Dunnet Bay Distillers Seventeen businesses across the Highlands, islands and Cairngorms National Park area are celebrating wins from the area's most prestigious food and drink awards. The awards recognise excellence across a range of businesses from artisan producers and large-scale food exporters to restaurants and farm shops.
Week Commencing 26 October 2015 Tourism, Food & Drink (Saturday 31st) sees the official launch at John O' Groats of public art works commissioned by CNSRP partner Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and supported by Creative Scotland Lottery Fund. The works, entitled "nomadic boulders" will be officially launched at an event at the site on Saturday at 5pm.