Oil and Gas

Scottish Business Buzz 03.02.16

Written by Rhona Middler

Screen Shot 2016-02-02 at 15.35.14Glasgow-based Smarter Grid Solutions have won a key role in a deal to lower connection costs for renewable energy generation in New York.

NYSEG and RG&E are collaborating with Scottish technology firm Smarter Grid Solutions to test the new interconnect approach, making it easier and more efficient for large-scale producers of renewable energy resources to connect to the electric power grid.

NYSEG and RG&E will test Smarter Grid Solutions’ Active Network Management (ANM) technology to help accommodate larger amounts of solar-generated electricity on the lower-voltage distribution electric delivery system without jeopardizing the safe and reliable operation of the grid. ANM can also support interconnection of wind, hydro and biomass/biogas generated electricity.

Smarter Grid Solutions helped Iberdrola’s Scottish subsidiary, SP Energy Networks, support faster integration of renewable energy resources onto its grid.

Scottish Energy News covers story in full.


Screen Shot 2016-02-02 at 15.43.05Business for Scotland has branded the Aberdeen City Region Deal disappointing.

Kenny Anderson, Managing Director of Anderson Construction and Business for Scotland member has called for incentives for renewables to be reinstated to support engineering expertise in the North Sea.

The Aberdeen-based businessman said: “The region has made the case for £2.9billion in support, but Prime Minister David Cameron visited Aberdeen to announce that Westminster would offer just £125million.

“Given Westminster has reaped well over £300billion from Scottish oil and gas fields during the past 40 years, you’d expect ‘the broad shoulders of Better Together’s Union’ to deliver substantially more.

“I think incentives for renewables should be reinstated and assistance with developing the new technologies is an avenue for the engineering expertise developed in the North Sea.”

Covered in the Press and Journal.


Screen Shot 2016-02-02 at 16.00.35Crerar Hotels Trust has donated £4,000 to ‘Kids Love Clothes’, a Scottish based charity helping struggling families with young children in Edinburgh and the Lothians by providing much-needed quality kids clothing.

Kids Love Clothes work with professionals such as health visitors, midwives and social workers providing a much needed, seasonally appropriate wardrobe’s worth of clothes for each child. The support from Crerar Hotels Trust will specifically fund the cost of a year’s insurance and petrol for the van used to collect and deliver clothing. In 2015 more than 450 families received support.

Kids Love Clothes is one of more than 50 charities to receive monetary donations from the Crerar Hotels Trust in 2015 alone. Paddy Crerar, the Crerar Hotels Group Chief Executive and Trust Chairman said:

“Crerar Hotels Trust is absolutely delighted to support Kids Love Clothes, their tireless work makes a massive difference to countless families struggling with young children in Edinburgh.”


Screen Shot 2016-02-03 at 09.43.08Business for Scotland will seek to be the lead business voice in making the case for Scotland and the UK to remain within the EU.

Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp Founder and CEO of BfS commented:

“Our members overwhelmingly support (82%) Scotland and the UK maintaining our EU membership. David Cameron’s draft deal has some merit in terms of the red card system for resisting ever greater union, but where is Scotland’s red card on being forced out of the EU against our will?

“His government has failed to give Scotland and the other UK nations a red card system that would stop English votes dragging them out of the EU if the people in those nations vote to stay.

“Admittedly Cameron has shown eurosceptics that he is able to put issues such as migrant benefits on the negotiating table and that will strengthen his hand, however, February’s European Council meeting has only produced a guideline agreement and the European Court of Justice could overrule or unpick any deal as it would have no legal substance.”

BfS responds to Cameron’s EU deal.

About the author

Rhona Middler

Rhona was Business for Scotland's Engagement Executive and Events Manager.

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