Solar panels at Sumburgh

Shetland Islands Council's planning board will this week consider an application to install 48 ground-mounted solar panels at Sumburgh Head Lighthouse.

Full Shetland Times story here: http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2013/09/30/sumburgh-head-solar-panel-plan

New Lerwick Power Station plans lodged

Plans for the new Lerwick Power Station, which will have an option to run on natural gas piped from the new gas plant at Sullom Voe, have been lodged with the Scottish Government.

Full story from The Shetland News here.

First barge load-in for Peterson since 2007

The arrival of three modules for decommissioning at Lerwick Harbour was 'significant', according to Peterson UK, and was  the company's first barge load-in at Lerwick since 2007.

Full story from Shetland News here.

Refreshed and updated Power From The North magazine now online and in print

A refreshed and updated version of Promote Shetland’s acclaimed Power From The North magazine has been published in print and online, timed to coincide with the Our Islands - Our Future conference in Orkney.

Power From The North showcases Shetland’s massive involvement in energy - both oil and gas and renewables such as wind, tidal and wave power. The enormous potential for development in all these areas is highlighted, from the fabrication of complex carbon fibre structures for wave power companies to the current oil and gas activity west of Shetland.

At a time when Shetland is seeing a boom in hydrocarbon-related activity, Power From The North is a timely reminder that the skills and resources developed in the isles since oil first came ashore can in the future be applied just as rewardingly in the renewables field.

“Shetland is a beautiful and wonderfully satisfying place for tourists to visit,” said Andy Steven of Promote Shetland. “But it is also a powerhouse for a range of industries in oil and gas and renewable electricity. It is crucial that we recognise the importance of this to the isles’ economic future. Power From The North is part of our strategic thinking, in partnership with local industry and other development agencies, on the areas of growth for Shetland over the next decade.”

The Power From The North project also includes this regularly updated blog and a Twitter feed.

Power From The North - the magazine: http://www.shetland.org/energy/shetland-energy-brochure-2013.pdf

Power From The North - the blog: http://powerfromthenorth.blogspot.co.uk/

Power From The North - on Twitter  @powernorth

Viking Energy welcomes Government pricing aid for isles electricity

The Government's announcement of a draft minimum price  of £115 per megawatt-hour for isles-generated renewable electricity is “a hugely positive step forwards”, according to Shetland windpower developer Viking Energy.

Full story from The Shetland News here.

£115 per MWh? Draft isles energy subsidy announcement

On the eve of both the Scottish Renewables Marine Conference and Exhibition in Inverness, and the Our Islands, Our Future event in Orkney, a draft minimum 'strike price' for renewable energy generated in the Scottish islands is announced by UK Government Energy Minister Ed Davey.

Full details from Shetland News here.

£1bn-plus of contracts awarded related to Schiehallion and Loyal fields

More than £1bn of contracts have been awarded to UK-based companies for the redevelopment of the Schiehallion and Loyal oil fields west of Shetland, according to operator BP .

Full BBC story here:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-24044962

New online Shetland Business Register live and open to entries

Shetland Islands Council has created a new online business register as a way of cataloguing the wide range and high quality of expertise, services and infrastructure that exists across Shetland all in one place. The register is now live and businesses can sign up athttp://move.shetland.org/shetland-business-register.

It will present Shetland’s industry, in a convenient and easily accessible way, to companies who may be involved in large-scale projects and are seeking local suppliers.

SIC’s Economic Development Service will also use it as a tool to let registered companies know about relevant business information including training opportunities and external funding sources.

Each registered business will receive a password to edit their individual profile and ensure their most up-to-date information is displayed.

The fully searchable database will be accessible to companies involved in large-scale projects via a password, which can be applied for through Economic Development. Anyone can access an overview of the business listing at http://move.shetland.org/shetland-businesses

Douglas Irvine, Executive Manager - Economic Development, says: “We expect that the new online register will become the first stop for companies looking to do business in Shetland, as well as a useful tool for local businesses to make the most of opportunities available to them.”

Shetland connected to Offshore Europe Exhibition

Shetland's connection to the wider world of energy developments is highlighted by the opening today of the Offshore Europe Conference and  Exhibition in Aberdeen.

Faroese Telecom/SHEFA, operators of the fibre-optic cable that provides Shetland with superfast broadband communications are at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre, along with Lerwick Port Authority, Peterson SBS, ZE1 Global, and Shetland-connected companies such as Veolia Environmental Services and Enviroco.

Lerwick Port Authority's commitment to establishing the port as a centre for offshore decommissioning work under the 'Shetland Decommissioning' label is highlighted by their 'Lerwick Shetland' stand, where they are jointly exhibiting with AF Decom Offshore (UK), Veolia Environmental Services and Peterson SBS.

LATEST DEEP-WATER BERTH NEARS COMPLETION AT LERWICK HARBOUR

High activity and positive outlook reinforces ongoing investment

The expansion of Lerwick Harbour’s deep-water infrastructure continues, with another new berth becoming operational during November at the established Greenhead Base in a period of high activity by the oil and gas industry at the Shetland port.

Dredged to nine metres water depth, Greenhead Berth 7 will provide an additional 100 metres of quay, extending the 100 metres-plus Berth 6 which was brought into operation early to support a subsea installation contract in February 2012 and has been in constant use by various offshore contractors since.

The two quays, dredged to nine metres, cost £7.6 million. The Port Authority has invested more than £74 million since the 1960s, much of it recently aimed at developing deep-water capabilities. The port has almost 4,000 metres of quay, including over 1,300 metres of deep-water berthing following developments to accommodate larger vessels now operating.

The tonnage of oil-related shipping at Lerwick was up 26% in the first half of this year, compared to the same period in 2012, with cargo shipments up 42.5%.

Current activity east and west of Shetland includes support for offshore development and decommissioning projects. The port is also taking delivery of equipment for onward transport by sea and road to the Shetland Gas Plant, under construction near Sullom Voe, as well as accommodating workers on two floatels, with a third expected this month.

Lerwick Port Authority Chief Executive, Sandra Laurenson, said: “The high activity in support of the sector’s operations offshore and onshore means Berth 7 will come into use immediately it is available.

“The positive outlook for the foreseeable future underlines our proactive strategy for the continuing development of the port, with an anticipated capital spend of more than £20 million within the next two years.”

Schemes in the pipeline include additional sites for industry, more lay-down areas and further deep-water berths.

Ms Laurenson added: “Further ahead, the infrastructure for oil and gas closely matches likely requirements by the offshore renewables sector in any future northern North Sea developments and the Authority is providing assistance to enquiries on potential projects and possible test sites.”