orkney ← the digital glebe

After the Gold Rush 1

May

2013

Scottish Islands Renewable Project: Final Report https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/scottish-islands-renewable-project-final-report ‘Our study concludes that the costs of deploying renewables on a large scale in the Scottish Islands is high, and that there are a number of technological and environmental challenges. However, onshore wind on the Scottish Islands is cost competitive with several other forms of low carbon generation ...

They Just Don’t Get It 9

Feb

2013

Liam McArthur, Orkney MSP “Parliament’s energy, economy and tourism committee report makes clear that the government’s renewables targets are achievable. It also highlights the need for both Scotland’s governments to play their part in making this happen. “Two critical areas identified by the committee are the need to improve grid capacity and reform the system ...

Sea Monster 7

Feb

2013

The Beast The biggest seas currently on the planet are going to be west of Orkney over the next 60 hours. They will be monstrous, with a height of 48+feet. Whilst it’s grand weather for beachcombers, it’s simply madness to be out in. Now imagine that hitting a large-scale wave-farm deployed off the Orkney coast. ...

Cable Tied

Dec

2012

Orkney Islands Council is calling for urgent talks with the UK and Scottish Governments after the announcement by Scottish and Southern Energy that a new grid connection to mainland Scotland is being postponed until 2018. A new cable running from the west coast of Orkney Mainland to Caithness had been expected in 2016 – and ...

Meat: Too Big to Fail?

Mar

2012

Not being a regular watcher of Orkney farming news, I was particulary shocked to hear that the only abattoir up here was set to close. My first reaction was “OMG, it’s all over!” but now that I’ve had time to reflect, get other opinions of those with stock -and of course, watch the political dancing ...

Stronsay Inc 21

Mar

2012

Living Orkney, a by-blow of our solitary local paper the Orcadian, ran an article this month entitled ‘Millionaire visionary sets his sights on Orkney’ and indeed, it is FASCINATING reading. Our ‘visionary’ is one Christophe Watkins, CEO of a company called Stronsay Inc, and -apparently- very influential on the international green policy scene. The article ...