Weir Group has announced it is selling its oil and gas division to Caterpillar in a £314m deal. The division employs more than 2,000 people, most of them in North America. It was loss-making in the first half of this year. Weir has pursued a strategy of leaving the power and oil and gas markets. It has concentrated efforts on mining, which generate revenues of over £2bn annually. The business processes the majority of the world's mined copper. This is a key component in smart ... Read more

The UK is achieving less than half of the required build rate to deliver energy systems that will reach net-zero emissions by 2050, according to a new whitepaper from engineering consultancy Atkins. The “Race to Net-Zero” whitepaper explores the capacity requirements of low-carbon technologies based on the Committee on Climate Changes’ (CCC) recommendations to the UK Government on the net-zero legislation. Under the requirement, Atkins has found that 48 natural gas units, 66 biomass facilities, six nuclear power stations, and 6,520 offshore ... Read more

Plans for major hydrogen facilities in Norway and the Isle of Wight have been unveiled, as business giants, banks and green campaigners call on world leaders to include hydrogen investment in their Covid-19 recovery plans. The first of the two facilities, proposed by a consortium of European businesses called Norsk e-fuel, is expected to come online in Herøya by 2023, producing 10 million litres of hydrogen annually. This output will be predominantly used by the aviation industry. The consortium – comprising carbon capture ... Read more

The world’s first test centre aimed at accelerating the development of materials and structures for tidal energy is to be built in Scotland, thanks to collaboration between Babcock International and the University of Edinburgh. The £2.4m Fastblade project is to be based in Rosyth and will be the first facility ever to carry out large-scale accelerated testing of tidal blades. Engineering researchers plan to use complex forces that simulate real-world environments; this will enable the highest design capabilities to be achieved. Fast ... Read more

Scottish Power in the UK will invest up to £2bn in 2019, as the company transitions from fossil fuels to wind power, battery storage and EV charging. It is claimed that a total of £6bn will be spent between 2018 and 2022, with 40% invested in new wind generation, 42% going towards smart networks, and 15% on new products and services for its customers. This will include a new public EV charging business, with installations set to get underway in 2019. There ... Read more

A new high-tech nuclear centre set to bring millions of pounds to the Midlands has opened. However, this comes at a time when the UK's nuclear industry faces criticism. The Derby Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing and Research Centre will reportedly deliver on the commitments set out in the government’s nuclear sector deal. The deal seeks to ensure that the UK continues to power British homes through innovation, new technologies and promoting a diverse and skilled workforce in the nuclear sector. NAMRC expects to generate £5m ... Read more