Navertech Ltd Successfully Install NDAA-Certified CCTV System in Harsh Marine Environment

One of Navertech Ltd‘s long-standing clients approached them to replace its CCTV system. It was recently completed with 22 cameras installed in a challenging environment, and with the unpredictable summer weather creating its own challenges. The marine environment is harsh on common metals used in CCTV hardware, as was apparent from the former CCTV system which was corroded and beyond repair.

Galvanic corrosion is a well-known problem in the marine environment which had to be mitigated to ensure a long-lasting installation, along with ease of maintenance. Navertech Ltd researched and recommended an NDAA certified CCTV system, owing to the fact the client’s facilities are classed as critical infrastructure, giving the client extra peace of mind that their CCTV installation would be safe from external cyber threats from embedded chips.

The former CCTV system had been expanded over the years with multiple standalone installations and hardware, so aside from offering a comprehensive level of coverage, it was imperative that the system was fully integrated to avoid multiple systems being in use for different areas of the operation.

Ease of maintenance was an important consideration with most cameras required at height which could not be serviced without specialist access equipment. With cameras covering an area of approx. 3 square kilometres, communication between the cameras and the central operations room meant that to counteract high levels of radio interference from vessels, a combination of long-distance high-speed fibre and specialist wireless links were required to ensure the cameras provided a stable, controllable and high-definition view.

The design of the CCTV system was completed in-house in consultation with the client operations team, with further technical advice and support provided by one of Navertech’s specialist vendors, Norbain, and with all electrical work carried out by local firm G Anderson Electrical.

The client commented: “We are pleased that local companies have been involved and their continued involvement in maintenance is a key factor going forward for us. The NDAA compliant system has been received well by our peers in the industry security forum that I attend.”

William McGillivray, Navertech’s Commercial Director said: “We’re generally not known as a CCTV installer, but we have been installing IP cameras for years. Working with Graeme’s team at G Anderson Electrical on the cabling on this sizeable job worked out well.”

A new entry category has been added into the mix for this year’s Taste North Challenge.

As part of the annual Taste North festival held in Wick on 3rd November, the regional culinary competition celebrates the use of ingredients produced in Caithness and Sutherland. This year, the challenge has four entry categories: 15 and under, 16-24, Open and new for this year, a Commercial Operator category which is open to anyone who makes and sells food or baking products. A £50 Taste North voucher prize and trophy will be awarded to each category winner.

Tony Singh MBE will be a special guest and will be judging the entries, alongside his cookery  demonstrations throughout the day.

Tony commented: “The Taste North Challenge is a fantastic competition, and I can’t wait to try some amazing baking creations, made with your favourite local ingredients from Caithness and Sutherland. Get your aprons on and submit your entry forms by 28th October. I’ll see you at Wick High School on 3rd November with your entries!”

The online entry form must be completed by Monday 28th October and baked entries submitted at Taste North by 11am to be included in the judging process.

The Taste North Challenge is sponsored by Developing the Young Workforce North Highlands and Mackays Hotel in Wick.

Trudy Morris, Chief Executive Officer, Caithness Chamber of Commerce and DYW North Highland Lead said “It’s hard to believe that Taste North is entering its ninth year. The growth and success of this event are a testament to the dedication of the organisers, businesses, and supporters who have made it a flagship occasion in the local calendar. Taste North offers a fantastic opportunity for communities and visitors to come together and celebrate the richness and abundance of food and drink in the North Highlands.

We are thrilled to be once again sponsoring the Taste North Challenge. At DYW North Highland, we are passionate about providing opportunities and platforms for our young people to thrive. Initiatives like this build confidence and encourage young people to explore new skills which will benefit them immensely as they prepare to enter the world of work.

We are also excited about the introduction of the new Commercial Operator category for 2024. The competition promises to be fierce, with the exceptional talent of our local bakeries and food businesses in our region!”

The winners of the 2023 Taste North Challenge were:

• Fifteen and under – Robyn Speirs (Firework Night Cake, using home-grown carrots and local eggs)
• Sixteen to 24 – Iona Simpson (Hamish the Highland Coo cake, using Caithness Chocolate)
• Open – Emma Gordon (Scottish Lamingtons, using Old Pulteney and home-grown raspberries)

For more information on the Taste North Challenge and to submit an entry form before the 28th October, visit www.venture-north.co.uk/taste-north.

Architects HRI Munro are celebrating their first 5 years trading in Caithness. HRI opened an office in Thurso, based in the Naver business centre, in August 2019.

The Inverness based firm have projects across the County and on Orkney. The Thurso office, run by Associate Alan Gray assisted by Technologist Ruth Gunn, has been key to an expanding workload.

“The Thurso office has gone from strength to strength since it opened in 2019” said Alan, “and we are now involved in a wide range of projects in Wick, Thurso and along the north coast together with a number of jobs on Orkney. HRI Munro are also appointed as framework Architects to Orkney Islands Council and we service a significant percentage of that workload from Thurso”.

HRI Munro’s work in Caithness has included the operation and maintenance base for the Beatrice Offshore Windfarm at Pulteneytown in Wick, residential projects along the north coast, onshore facilities for MeyGen at Canisbay and current early stage involvement in future offshore windfarms in the north.

HRI Munro Director Vicky Hazell is similarly optimistic about future growth in the firms work in Caithness and Sutherland. “We opened the Thurso office in 2019 as we were convinced that Caithness and Sutherland have a bright future both in terms of renewable development, tourism and hospitality and consequential residential and visitor facilities”. The steady growth of the Thurso office, evidenced by their recent move to a larger unit within the Naver business centre, bears this out. “We are happy that our Thurso office is now well consolidated and growing” said Vicky “and we continue to be optimistic for business development over the next several years”.

Tony Singh MBE, one of the UK’s best loved celebrity chefs is returning to Taste North, a festival celebrating quality food, drink and craft produce in the North Highlands.

The annual festival which has been shortlisted in this year’s Highlands and Islands Thistle Awards and attracted over 1700 visitors last year, returns to Wick High School on Sunday 3rd November 2024 with a large exhibitor marketplace, family friendly activities, the Taste North Challenge and chef cookery demonstrations.

Tony Singh MBE last attended Taste North in 2018 and said “I can’t wait to be back at Taste North again this year! Caithness, you lot really know how to put on a show – the food, the drink, the craic, it’s fantastic! I’m looking forward to getting stuck into all the amazing local produce, meeting some of the incredible people behind it, and of course, cooking up a storm at the cookery theatre. It’s going to be a brilliant day out, so make sure you come along, have a nibble, and say hello. See you there on Sunday 3rd of November!”

A second-generation Scottish Sikh, Tony was born and raised in Leith, Edinburgh, and learned at his mother’s knee the cookery skills which would see him create the unique fusion of Scottish and Asian flavours for which he is so well known. Known for his quick-fire wit and cheeky personality, Tony is a firm favourite on British television, starring in BBC2 programmes, A Cook Abroad: Tony Singh’s India, and The Incredible Spice Men, with Cyrus Todiwala. Alongside this, Tony makes regular appearances on cookery shows including The Great British Menu, Saturday Kitchen and Ready Steady Cook, as well as guest spots on Pointless, Celebrity Eggheads, Celebrity Mastermind and many others.

Ellie Lamont, Chairperson of Venture North and owner of Mackays Hotel in Wick said “We’re thrilled to welcome Tony Singh back to Taste North, looking forward to enjoying his infectious sense of humour and culinary passion. We can’t wait to show him the vast array of produce we have at Taste North 2024. It’s a great gathering for people to come along and shop to their heart’s content!”

Taste North is organised by Venture North, the Destination Management Organisation for Caithness and Sutherland, and provides a premium pre-Christmas opportunity for communities and visitors to gather and enjoy the wealth of Highland food and drink with a strong Support Local ethos.

Taste North is grateful to the following funds for their support: RWE Camster Wind Farm Community Fund, Stroupster Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund, and RWE Bad a Cheo Wind Farm Community Fund (Latheron, Lybster and Clyth), all administered by Foundation Scotland, and to sponsors Developing the Young Workforce North Highland, Dunrobin Castle, and Mackays Hotel Wick.

For more information on Taste North including confirmed exhibitors, see www.venture-north.co.uk/taste-north

• SSEN Transmission is delighted to announce that contracts have been signed with the Siemens Energy and BAM Joint Venture, Nexans and RJ McLeod for key elements of the construction of the Orkney-Caithness 220kV link, connecting Orkney to the Scottish mainland for the first time
• Construction is set to get underway this month.

Significant progress has been made on a project that will see the Orkney Islands connected to the GB electricity transmission network for the first time, with contracts awarded to key supply chain partners and work set to get started in September.

The Orkney-Caithness Link project, an estimated capital investment of more than £900m, will see the installation of a new high voltage alternating current (HVAC) subsea cable between Orkney and the Scottish mainland, enabling the connection of up to 220MW of new renewable electricity to the national grid, providing another boost to delivering the UK’s ambitious energy security and net zero targets.

The link will consist of a new substation at Finstown in Orkney, along with around 14km of underground cable to where it makes landfall at Warebeth, then 53km of subsea cable, which will connect into a new substation at Dounreay in Caithness where connection will be made to the GB electricity transmission network.

Over the last few weeks, contracts have been awarded to the key supply chain partners that will help in the delivery of this project. The substations will be constructed by the Siemens Energy and BAM Joint Venture (JV) who bring significant experience of delivering transmission substations on our network, including in island environments. RJ McLeod will install the underground cable ducting, including horizontal direction drilling to minimise impact at landfalls and water courses. Nexans will be manufacturing the cable in Halden, Norway, and will install the 14km land and 53km subsea cable system between the substations.

Deputy Project Director at SSEN Transmission, Ian Clark, said:
“We’re delighted to have awarded these crucial contracts to the Siemens Energy and BAM JV, Nexans and RJ McLeod for the delivery of the Orkney-Caithness Link project. All three have a strong track-record of project delivery and we’re looking forward to continuing our relationship with them.

“Early development and initial public consultation on this project started in 2017 and reaching this point – where we’re ready for construction to begin – is a testament to the hard work by the entire team at SSEN Transmission and our supply chain partners.”

“We’re now ready to get started with construction work at each end of the link in Finstown and Dounreay and will keep the communities informed as we make progress.”

As the project moves into mobilisation, at SSEN Transmission we’re asking for locals from neighbouring communities to be part of our Community Liaison Group (CLG). The CLG helps us to form a close link with the community and is vital for information sharing and two-way engagement between the project team and the community. To find out more and get involved, email orkney.engagement@sse.com.

Acknowledging the award of the contract, RJ McLeod’s North Director, Sandy Osborne, said:
“We are very pleased to be able to continue working with SSEN Transmission through the award of this major grid connection project. This follows the successful delivery of various energy projects, such as substations dating back around 20 years, as well as other energy sector projects for the wider SSE Group across the Highlands and Islands including large wind farms such as Viking on Shetland”

“These works will provide us with the opportunity to deliver a boost to the local economy, not only in terms of employment with a local highland contractor, but also in terms of the extensive and valuable local supply chain of goods and services. An integral part of the project will be community and landowner liaison and protection of the environment, and we will follow and build on the good practices deployed and refined on our previous Highland and Island projects.”

Mark Pilling, Vice President of Grid Solutions Europe at Siemens Energy, said:
“We’re pleased to be part of this project which helps unlock the potential of renewable energy in Scotland’s islands. I’m proud that substations and grid stabilisation technology from Siemens Energy will connect 220MW of clean energy to the grid, enough to power 250,000 homes. This project marks the continuation of a fantastic relationship with our Joint Venture Partner BAM, and our customer SSEN Transmission.”

Huw Jones, Executive Director, BAM Nuttall said:
“We’re delighted to get the green light for this vital upgrade to the UK’s energy network and to be working with our longstanding partner Siemens Energy to deliver sustainable energy infrastructure for SSEN Transmission. This project marks another important step in the journey to decarbonise our electricity grid, and we are looking forward to working alongside our partners to create a lasting legacy for the local community via the delivery of this critical infrastructure.”

Pascal Radue, Executive Vice President of Nexans’ Generation and Transmission Business Group:
“We are excited to collaborate with SSEN Transmission on this critical step toward ensuring the reliable exchange of energy between the Orkney Islands and the UK mainland. Transmission links are a pivotal piece of the sustainable energy puzzle, delivering electricity from regions with the greatest supply to those with the greatest demand.”

With the supply chain in place, the Orkney-Caithness connection project now moves into its construction phase, with full energisation anticipated in 2028.

Communities, businesses and stakeholders across the North Highlands are invited to give their views on a proposed Visitor Levy.

In May 2024, The Scottish Parliament passed the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act, legislation which provides local authorities the power to introduce a levy to be charged on purchase of overnight accommodation. Hotels, hostels, guest houses, bed and breakfast, self-catering, camping and caravan sites, vehicles and vessels which are predominantly situated in one place, and any place where a room or area is offered for residential purposes otherwise than the visitor’s main residence are included in the Act.

In the Highland region, there is a requirement that The Highland Council publishes a proposed Visitor Levy Scheme and completes public consultation on this before a scheme can be implemented. There is also a minimum 18-month period from a finalised proposal, so the earliest a Visitor Levy Scheme can be introduced is 2026.

As the Destination Management Organisation for Caithness and Sutherland, Venture North is continuing to collect evidence of opinions on the proposed Visitor Levy Scheme in order to best represent the region and be the voice for responsible and sustainable tourism in the far north.

This year, Venture North attended the Sutherland Agricultural Show, Durness Highland Gathering and Mey Highland Games to gauge opinions on the proposed visitor levy and priority areas any visitor levy funds should be spent on. Venture North also have a fuller online survey open until the end of August 2024 which they are encouraging all to complete.

Cathy Earnshaw, Destination Strategy Manager at Venture North said:

“From our survey last year, we know that there were very marginal results for and against a Visitor Levy, but the majority of responses showed concerns as to the financial impacts on businesses, the risks of encouraging visitors to choose other destinations that offered better value for money or that it would encourage more stays out with camping and caravan sites. There was also clear direction as to the need for regional input to the management of any future funds raised by a Levy for the benefit of all.

As part of this year’s engagement at the Highland shows where we had over 500 votes, 60% showed desire for Visitor Levy funds to be used on visitor infrastructure and services. We also heard many other viewpoints in our conversations. Hearing what businesses, visitors and residents want for the region and the future protection of our environment and cultures is important, so we can effectively engage with The Highland Council on the Visitor Levy. Please give us your views in our survey!”

Those who complete the survey will be in with a chance of winning prizes kindly donated by Venture North business members: Connell Outdoor Pursuits, Dunrobin Castle, Konstantina Pateraki Jewellery, Marks & Pencils, North Coast Watersports, Strathnaver Museum and Sutherland Adventure Company.

To take part in Venture North’s Visitor Levy survey, visit the online portal here or email info@venture-north.co.uk.

Forss Business & Energy Park is a 200-acre site situated 7 miles west of Thurso town, comprising of 60,000 sq ft of combined office and industrial space, alongside a 6 turbine windfarm and an Anaerobic Digestion Plant.

Under new management since March 2024, the park has gone from strength to strength in recent months. Existing tenants, including North Pont Distillery, have expanded their premises by a combined total of 16,000 sq ft. Some new faces have also joined the base, including Carries Couthie Café which opened in July and services both the park and public.

Famed for its early life as NAVCOMMSTA Thurso, a cold war American Navy Base, Forss Business Park is known to many, both locally and overseas. Its rich history is still hidden throughout the site to this day, and with plans in place to develop a visitor centre showcasing it’s many lives, this will once again be visible to the public. Other exciting plans for future development include further renewable energy, battery storage units and potential data centres.

From clay pigeon shooting and distillery tours, to delicious meals and baked goods, our vacant office space has never looked more appealing. Check it out at forsspark.co.uk or call 01847 808100.

Hydrogen Scotland member bp Aberdeen Hydrogen Energy Limited – the joint venture between bp and Aberdeen City Council – announced this week that their final investment decision for its Aberdeen Hydrogen Hub project has been agreed. Construction activities are expected to begin before the end of 2024, targeting green hydrogen production from 2026.

The Aberdeen Hydrogen Hub will feature a hydrogen production, storage and distribution facility, located at Hareness Road in Aberdeen, which will be powered by electricity generated at a solar farm to be installed on the former Ness landfill site located nearby.

Once operational the Aberdeen Hydrogen Hub will have the potential to deliver up to around 300 tonnes of green hydrogen a year through the initial phase of the project, enough to fuel 25 buses and a similar number of other fleet vehicles per day. The Aberdeen Hydrogen Hub is a scalable, green hydrogen production, storage and distribution facility in the city powered by renewable energy. The hub plans to be developed in three phases, scaling with growing demands for hydrogen:

1. Phase one involves building a hydrogen refueling facility for buses and trucks, powered by a solar farm. It aims to produce over 800 kilograms of green hydrogen per day – enough to fuel 25 buses and a similar number of other fleet vehicles.
2. Phase two could see production scaled up to supply over three tonnes per day of green hydrogen for road, rail, freight and marine, by 2030.
3. Phase three could scale up further to supply hydrogen for heat in buildings and potentially export. Expansion would be enabled by the expected increased availability of local renewable power sources, including developments that emerge from the ScotWind offshore wind initiative.

The solar farm and hydrogen facility will be on separate sites but linked by an underground solar grid connection. The hydrogen site has a substation grid connection to power it in periods of low solar power production, while excess power can be returned to the grid when high solar power is generated.

The green hydrogen and vehicle refuelling facility are located at Hareness Road. The solar farm would be located at the former Ness Landfill site to the west of the Coast Road. The planning application for the Aberdeen Hydrogen Hub was submitted in March 2023 and planning permission was granted at the end of June 2023.

The Aberdeen Hydrogen Hub will be actively marketing hydrogen for use in road transport fleets (e.g., buses, trucks, vans and cars at 350 and 700 barg) and related applications. Get in touch with the Aberdeen Hydrogen Hub via their contact us page to find out more about use of green hydrogen to decarbonise transport fleets and to discuss offtake from the Aberdeen Hydrogen Hub.

National Grid has released the latest update to their Future Energy Scenarios, FES2024. For an introduction to the FES2024 Pathways there is a series of four FES2024 webinars taking place this week on Wednesday 17^th and Thursday 18^th July, see below for details.

The ESO Pathways to Net Zero represent different, credible ways to decarbonise the UK energy system by 2050. FES 2024 has adopted a new framework to better present three pathways for net zero by 2050 with the Counterfactual scenario which shows how UK energy might look if decisive actions are not taken within the next two years to deliver the fundamental change required for a net zero UK energy system by 2050.

1. Mixed Pathway: explores a route to net zero under a mixed technology development path.
2. Electrification Pathway: explores a route to net zero under a highly electrified development path.
3. Hydrogen Pathway: explores a route to net zero under a hydrogen development path
4. Counterfactual: explores a world where not enough progress is made on decarbonisation and net zero 2050 is missed.

The previous FES framework, used since 2020, presented a wide range of credible outcomes on the route to net zero. This new framework seeks to explore a narrower range by identifying strategic choices that can be made on the route to net zero and forms part of a wider industry overhaul to Great Britain’s energy network planning.

The three new FES2024 pathways – Holistic Transition, Electric Engagement and Hydrogen Evolution – explore strategic routes to net zero based on extensive stakeholder engagement, research and analysis. In comparison, the Counterfactual is used to understand the gap between successful tracking of the pathways versus enabling change too slowly and missing key UK targets for Net Zero by 2050.

1. Holistic Transition: 2050 energy demand for net zero is met through a mix of electrification and hydrogen, with hydrogen mainly around industrial clusters. Consumer engagement in the transition is very strong with demand shifting, with smart homes and electric vehicles providing flexibility to the grid.
2. Electric Engagement: Net zero in 2050 is met through mainly electrified demand. Consumers are highly engaged in the energy transition through smart technologies that reduce energy demands, utilising technologies such as electric heat pumps and electric vehicles.
3. Hydrogen Evolution: Net zero in 2050 met through fast progress for hydrogen in industry and heat. Many consumers will have hydrogen boilers, though energy efficiency will be key to reducing cost. There are low levels of consumer engagement. Hydrogen will be prevalent for heavy goods vehicles but electric car uptake is strong.
4. Counterfactual: Net zero UK target for 2050 is missed, though some progress is made for decarbonisation compared to today. While home insulation improves, there is still a heavy reliance on gas across all sectors, particularly power and space heating. Electric vehicle uptake is slower than the net zero pathways, but still displaces petrol and diesel.

In 2023 the total UK energy demand was 1706 TWh with fossil fuels making up 79% of total UK energy supply. Petroleum supplied over 90% of road transport demand and 100% of aviation and shipping demand. Interactions between different fuels are low, demonstrating limited whole system thinking or cross-sector decarbonisation as illustrated below:

By contrast the Hydrogen Evolution pathway predicts the total UK energy demand will reduce to 1292 TWh in large part due to improved energy efficiency measures. Hydrogen supplies 30% of overall energy needed in 2050 used across all sectors. Overall energy demand drops by 414 TWh, driven primarily by the remaining demand that is electrified. Natural gas is still used for electricity and hydrogen production in 2050 but it is abated through CCS.

The Hydrogen Evolution pathway uses high levels of hydrogen dispatchable power plants to lower needs for renewable and nuclear capacities, and CCS abated natural gas plants have lower utilisation post 2035. Hydrogen storage provides most flexibility in this pathway.

Link to FES2024 Pathways Summary

Link to FES2024 Pathways report

Link to FES2024 Changes

FES2024 webpage