It is fantastic to see the Government taking such a proactive approach towards wave power, and the machines will literally be tested to destruction in one of the most difficult areas of sea.
If even one of these devices can live up to its promise, then the possibilities for marine energy start to become real, and have the possibility of coming to fruition much earlier than expected.
Having had a very minor involvement with the Pelamis 'snake' project which was built in Arnish, I think it holds great promise as a possible winner.
However, the downside is that the plans to test the snake off the coast of Lewis must surely be being moved back (if not cancelled) while the company concentrate on the Pentland Firth.
The renewable energy debate moves on apace, with the options changing fairly rapidly. However, the technologies have yet to prove themselves, and the drop-off of conventional energy production is still looming, leaving a potential energy shortage on the horizon and looming closer.
Today's announcement is a huge and very welcome step in the right direction.
Very interesting
ReplyDeleteWill it be ok to send the apprentice out (alone) for bacon rolls, when using an electric van that recharges purely from cheap renewable sources?
ReplyDeleteOnly if you're buying the bacon rolls and the electricity from the Glorious Leader's outlet....
ReplyDeleteLooks like Mr Oppenheimer is getting out of the islands to leave us with his mess now he can get the cash.
ReplyDeleteBuyer beware.
A pity the council didn't have the sense or foresight to go in this direction several years back, rather than attempt to f*ck up the landscape of north Lewis against the wishes of the residents...
ReplyDeleteThese sea snake things are planned for Loch Roag - aren't they?
ReplyDeleteCouldn't we join the Cllrs together and make our very own unique sea snake? It could be launched at broadbay?, that would be a tourist puller!
ReplyDeleteIf you tie the councillors up and moor them in Broadbay, there'll be more shite in the water than any proposed super fish farm. The wild fish interests will have a meeting in their hut at the mere suggestion. LMAO
ReplyDeleteI understood that the Comhairle turned down marine as quicker returns were promised on onshore wind, and at the time Brian Wilson was at the Ministry and able to grease the wheels.
ReplyDelete3.55 Are you on the right thread there?
ReplyDeleteOppenheim is certainly looking like benefitting from onshore returns. Can he realy sell the wind farm he has just recieved planning permission for for 200M. You'd expect the lucky blighter to donate at least a hundred million to the people of the island. Have a light hearted think about how the council would wisely spend this imaginery renewable energy fund on our behalf; castle refurb, inprove road networks, maybe a 59 plate ice cream van kitted out with high tech bacon roll makers.
ReplyDeletesitting in moscow airport and just read the twisted crap from "anonymous 10.40 a.m.". no wonder these poor souls remain anonymous.
ReplyDeleteGood to know your out there for us Brian. See if you can interest the powers that be to rekit the "Red Army" with Harris Tweed trench coats.
ReplyDeleteI'm sitting on the pier at Achmore enjoying the duty free shopping, and wondering why Harris Tweed Textiles LLP has 4 mortgages and hasn't filed the accounts to 31/12/08 which were due by 10/8/09.
ReplyDeleteAre you being prosecuted by the PF in Edinburgh for this delay Brian? Seeking political asylum in the USSR?
Not that I like to name drop, as I was just saying to Nelson Mandela, but my next sales trip is to the Vatican where the Pope has ordered 12,000 Harris Tweed chastity belts for the Priests. In extra scratchy material.
ReplyDeleteI'm sitting here in Geneva International submarine train terminal with Angus MacNeil planning to corner the market in Harris Tweed Toblerone covers.
ReplyDeleteI'm reading this blog in the penthouse swimming pool of a Bahamas 11-star hotel having by undercarriage pummelled by 14 ex-Miss World contestants dressed as frogs, wondering if we can manufacture 200 lightweight Harris Tweed snorkels by Tuesday.
ReplyDeleteI'm reading this blog whilst skydiving over Antarctica testing our new Harris Tweed parachute .......
ReplyDeleteConfused.com says - so we DID throw all our lobbying weight behind marine energy, and the Comhairle DID protest bitterly when AMEC and the DTI turned up in 2001 suggesting the biggest windfarm ever on Barvas Moor, and Minister Wilson NEVER commissioned any interconnector studies, NOR had any connections with AMEC or Virtual Utility - suddenly it all makes sense.
ReplyDeleteI'm reading this blog whilst having dinner with Barack Obama, but the Harris Tweed spoon isn't working quite as the designers said it would....
ReplyDeleteI'm reading this blog whilst fighting a Polar Bear dressed only in a Harris Tweed thong (that's the Polar Bear in a thong, not me) with the latest Harris Tweed knife developed by Alasdair Morrison, and ready to take the catwalks of Ho Chi Minn city by storm when we launch it at Industrial Boiler Suit 2010.
ReplyDeleteThe cutting-edge design by Gervais O'Knobgobbler has already been picked up by Pocket Knife World, who will dedicate the entire July edition to our design.
This will be the subject of mass press hysteria when John Morrison issues the news releases next week.
Brian I would have thought you would have corrected 3:16 and their school boy error confusing the Carloway crowd with the Shawbost snobs.
ReplyDeleteAnyway back to sticking more pins in the tweed voodo doll- they defintely work- got rid of several unsubordinate types today. Darling, DO THEY NOT KNOW WHO I AM??????
Hey Brian, when's your next visit to the Falklands? Or possibly St Kilda?
ReplyDeletebrian wilson is everywhere .... is this a beach boys world tout ?
ReplyDeleteG'wan can we have a Brian Wilson anagram competition?
ReplyDeleteThere's something truly pathetic about this thread. Whatever else there is to carp about, Brian Wilson put commitment (yes, and used contacts) to do something special with the Harris Tweed industry which had become moribund. It's a real success, should be applauded by all Islanders, but the poisonous cyberNats can't keep their little talons off the keyboard.
ReplyDeleteRe - 7.43
ReplyDeletePerhaps the Cybernats have a real problem with pragmatic, practical politicians.
It seems to spark off a great deal of envy and spite.
Is this the same Brian Wilson who has a new road out to his house and has engineered the St Kilda Centre on his brothers land?
ReplyDelete10.32
ReplyDeleteNo, that one is the one of your fevered and bitter imagination. Not a shred of truth in any of it. The Gisla road (a couple of miles long, and a long way from his house) was many years in the planning and was needed needed before the quarry traffic rattled Enaclete to pieces. BW doesn't have a brother in Uig, and the land in question is owned by the Hamnaway estate.
Switch on your sense of humour! Big BW is a hardy public figure, who didn't get to the UK ministry by being a hand holding tissue wringing wimp, he can take a bit of stick. Virtually no-one would knock what he has done for HT, but until deified he's not above a spot of criticism either. A few folk could do with remembering that the UK in the 21st century more or less supports freedom of speech.
ReplyDeleteAs for the regional carping, well yes, undoubtedly lots of areas would like to have some-one with BW's influence moving in. But they don't and so it is human nature for people to feel frustrated, p*ss*d off and downright jealous.
So I reckon 7.43, that you should lighten up a little, and think of some more creative combinations for BW and HT in exotic locations - laughter is good for you, in case you didn't know.
7:43
ReplyDeleteoh its just a bit of fun, for flick sakes! "Brian"- you need your own twitter thingy, we need to know of your globe trotting antics in the name of tweed gadgets on a regular basis :D
It’s very interesting to see how much folk have to say about a massive opportunity that never took off on this Island.
ReplyDeleteThe renewable energy ship may well have sailed for us, why any developer would want to deal with Islanders is beyond me as we sent a clear message to the world on the wind farm issue, we can't agree on anything. In my travels around the country and Northern Europe I'm seeing a lot of renewable energy projects in action. We have virtually nothing... well apart from a few planning applications, some of which probably aren't worth the paper they are printed on.
As for the fool who thinks a smart cookie like Brian would have anything to do with Harris Tweed Textiles.... Once you finish drinking the local Achmore moonshine do some homework. There is a website called Google, a good starting point.
As for 10:40.... Google is probably too advanced for you.
7.46 Another miserable person in the Church of Brian. Smile and the world smiles with you!
ReplyDelete