Thurso Architects Celebrate Fifth Anniversary

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

The UK Government has appointed Chris Stark to head the new Mission Control initiative tasked with delivering clean power across the UK by 2030, and this week’s announcement of £7.3bn of additional funding for the new National Wealth Fund will help unlock private investment in new technologies such as hydrogen and green steel.

Chris Stark delivered the inaugural Hydrogen Scotland Burns Week Lecture earlier this year on 22^nd January at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, using this opportunity to highlight the challenges of energy system decarbonisation and the need to achieve net zero power. Previously chief executive of the Climate Change Committee, and former Director of Energy and Climate Change in the Scottish Government, Chris Stark will bring extensive expertise working with the energy sector to remove barriers and achieve the clean power mission on the country’s path to net zero.

Chris Stark said: ‘Tackling the climate crisis and accelerating the transition to clean power is the country’s biggest challenge, and its greatest opportunity. By taking action now, we can put the UK at the forefront of the global race to net zero – driving down our carbon emissions but also cutting bills for households. It is a privilege to head up this work alongside the country’s top energy experts who will make this mission a reality.’

This new Mission Control initiative will be the first of its kind in the UK government – with a focus on accelerating the transition away from volatile fossil fuel markets toward clean power, improving Britain’s energy security and cutting energy costs – solving the Energy Trilemma.

Mission Control will be a one-stop shop, bringing together a top team of industry experts and officials to troubleshoot, negotiate and clear the way for energy projects. Mission Control will work with key energy companies and organisations including the regulator Ofgem, the National Grid and the Electricity System Operator to remove obstacles and identify and resolve issues as they arise. This will speed up the connection of new power infrastructure to the grid, and cleaner, cheaper power to people’s homes and businesses.

The announcement this week of £7.3bn of additional funding for the new National Wealth Fund will help unlock private investment in new technologies such as hydrogen and green steel. Chancellor Rachel Reeves and the Business Secretary, Jonathan Reynolds have instructed officials to immediately begin work to align the UK Infrastructure Bank and the British Business Bank under a new National Wealth Fund that will invest in the new industries of the future.

Under the Government’s new plans, the National Wealth Fund will bring together key institutions and a compelling proposition for investors. This will mobilise billions more in private investment and generate a return for taxpayers. £7.3bn of additional funding will be allocated through the UK Infrastructure Bank so investments can start being made immediately, focusing on further priority sectors and catalysing private investment at an even greater scale.

This £7.3bn funding is in addition to existing UKIB funding. As part of the National Wealth Fund reforms will be made to the British Business Bank, which is overseen by the Department for Business and Trade, to ensure it can mobilise the UK’s institutional capital and unlock billions of pounds of investment in the UK’s world-leading green and growth industries.

Hydrogen Scotland member TCP Group have reached the milestone of operating a fleet of 500 hydrogen fuel-cell mobile lighting towers available to hire, with the support of a fully managed service. The TCP Ecolite TH-200 hydrogen lighting towers are replacing traditional diesel-powered lighting towers, with remanufacturing hundreds of their diesel-powered lighting towers to use hydrogen fuel-cells and gas cylinders. providing the same lighting performance with the benefits of zero-emissions and much lower noise levels.

Gareth Holden, TCP Scotland Manager, said, “It’s great that our fleet of hydrogen lighting towers is growing at pace now. The towers are becoming increasingly popular for off-grid filming, events and major construction projects in Scotland. The light is natural and they are perfect for filming as they are completely silent.”

Jim Irvine, Operations and Development Director at TCP Group, added: “The TCP Ecolite TH200 (hydrogen fuel-cell mobile lighting tower) is an increasingly popular choice where temporary lighting is required and as companies look for clean energy solutions to reduce carbon emissions. We have an ever-growing demand for this particular lighting tower, and we committed to the provision of 500 towers by July 2024. With large infrastructure projects moving forward, such as Sizewell C and the Lower Thames Crossing, this temporary lighting solution is the No.1 choice, as they are silent running, no spill risk and zero emission at point of use.”

Many of TCP’s customers have already benefitted from deploying hydrogen fuel-cell lighting towers. Back in 2015, Costain used them on the Cross Rail project, and they were used for much of the HS2 project. TCP Group works regularly with the Environment Agency, in partnership with Jackson Civil Engineering, to provide clean energy solutions for works such as lock repairs.

Joe Ambor, Sales Director at TCP Group, explained the environmental benefits from remanufacturing TCP’s legacy diesel gen-sets: “We have steadily grown the fleet of hydrogen mobile lighting towers in recent years. As a company faithful to recycling where possible, we have remanufactured hundreds of our diesel-powered lighting towers to use hydrogen fuel-cells and gas cylinders. Our added value is to provide a fully managed gas service. Gas usage is monitored remotely and when a hydrogen gas cylinder needs exchanging, the TCP team make arrangements with the customer to replace the empty cylinder with a full one and then take the empty one away.”.

TCP Group has always had a focus on the effects on health with issues caused by diesel emissions. A partnership was formed with Hydrogen Scotland member BOC in 2010, to replace diesel fuel with hydrogen fuel-cells in lighting towers to transform lighting solutions for site operations. The silent running of the hydrogen fuel cell makes them better neighbours, along with fewer health dangers to site workers whilst helping to drive against climate change.

The hydrogen fuel-cell lighting towers are fitted with Prismalence lenses. These unique lenses create controlled light distribution meaning the uniformity is far superior than other competitors. Artificial lighting can have a negative effect on health and can cause fatigue, headaches and even stress symptoms. The Prismalence lenses have low glare, good visibility, good colour rendering and no flickering. Consequently, the light frequency is a much more comfortable light to work by, increasing employee wellbeing and jobsite safety.

About TCP Group: Founded in 1989 by Andrew Barker (the current Managing Director), TCP Group started out as a plant hire company, but always with a drive to find cleaner fuel solutions. TCP Group has spent the last decade investing in research and development to expand the Eco side of the business. Hydrogen-powered generators, sentry boxes, CCTV and security monitoring systems are some of the applications that TCP Group has developed over recent years and by using hydrogen, it removes at least 80% of emissions, compared to diesel fuel.

TCP Group is headquartered in Maldon, Essex and has depots across the country with the Scottish depot in Falkirk. TCP Group offer initial consultation and expertise to provide guidance to help reduce carbon emissions and offer best options for lighting and power in the most efficient way. TCP Group is also about to launch a range of training courses for customers to understand how hydrogen-based equipment can help with their own sustainability credentials.