New Ferry Link Proposed Between Aberdeen And Iceland
The title of this post is the same as that of this article in The Times.
This is the sub-heading.
Talks are under way for a ferry from Aberdeen to Seydisfjordur in eastern Iceland, reviving a North Atlantic connection that endured for 150 years
These three paragraphs add more detail.
There were wild celebrations when the first ever regular mail steamer from Scotland arrived in Iceland.
Cheering crowds gathered as the Clyde-built Victor Emanuel, her single funnel belching black smoke, slipped into Reykjavik harbour in 1858 after crossing the North Atlantic from Leith. It was an historic day, marking a service that was to bind Britain and Iceland in a way they never had been before.
There was little or no emotion, however, when the last regular sea connection between Scotland and Iceland was lost in 2008 amid the rise of low-cost airlines, ending a century and a half of shipping history.
But now it appears that the ferry might be revived, as The Times article reports.
This Google Map shows the seas between Aberdeen and Iceland.
Note.
- Iceland is in the North-West corner of the map.
- Seydisfjordur, which will be the port, where the service will terminate is indicated by the red arrow.
- The Faroe Islands are in the middle of the map.
- Aberdeen is in the South-West corner of the map.
- The Orkneys and Shetlands are North of Scotland.
I was rather surprised, I could get everything on the single map.
This second map shows all the wind farms being developed around the North of Scotland.
Note.
- These seventeen wind farms have a total capacity of 24 GW.
- Currently, in total, as I write this we’re using 35.7 GW and generating 32.9 GW.
- The difference is made up of transfers.
- There are more details on these wind farms in Ørsted, Simply Blue, Subsea7 Submit Application For 100 MW Scottish Floating Wind Farm.
There would appear to be plenty more space for wind farms.
What Will Happen To This Energy In The North Of Scotland?
The Germans have a shortage of green energy and it is likely that they will build a system of pipes and wires called AquaVentus between Aberdeen and Wilhelmshaven via Humberside to bring green hydrogen and electricity to Germany.
I can see a need for ferries linking Wilhelmshaven, Aberdeen, Orkney, Shetland, the Faroes and Iceland, if construction really takes off in the area, where there is one of the largest undeveloped areas in Europe, that is suitable for wind farms.
And much of the area is in the UK EEZ.
I do wonder, if in his recent visit to Merz, Burnham and the German Chancellor agreed to develop the Northern part of the UK EEZ for the mutual benefit of the two countries.
I will finish with these questions.
What Is The Offshore Wind Potential Of Iceland?
I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.
Iceland possesses massive theoretical offshore wind resources, estimated by the World Bank at approximately 847 gigawatts (GW), which is more than the combined potential of countries like France and Spain.
Key Aspects of Iceland’s Offshore Wind Potential
Resource Scale: The World Bank estimates Iceland’s coastal waters could yield up to 847 GW of power, far exceeding the country’s domestic electricity consumption (which is currently met almost entirely by geothermal and hydroelectric power).
Geographical and Climate Challenges:
Shallows and Coastline: Unlike shallow North Sea basins, Iceland’s rugged coastlines have relatively few shallow areas, which can complicate conventional fixed-bottom turbine installations.
Harsh Conditions: Winter wind speeds and power densities are exceptionally high (with offshore values exceeding 1,000 W/m² in southern, eastern, and western coastal areas), though extreme weather, tectonic activity, and volcanic-glacial sediments require specialized foundation engineering.
Export and Cross-Border Concepts: Because Iceland’s domestic energy needs are already satisfied by low-cost renewables, large-scale offshore wind developments are often proposed for export. For example, developers like Hecate Independent Power (HIP Atlantic) have explored multi-gigawatt offshore wind projects off Iceland’s coast linked directly to the United Kingdom via long-distance subsea HVDC transmission cables.
Emerging Research: Scientific bodies like the British Geological Survey (BGS) and the Icelandic Geological Survey (ÍSOR) have partnered on grants to map Iceland’s seabed and glacial outwash plains to better evaluate site suitability and turbine foundation designs.
Iceland could be Europe’s largest power station.
It’s lucky Trump has no engineering, mathematical or scientific knowledge, otherwise he’d be jealous.
What Is The Offshore Wind Potential Of The Faroe Islands?
I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.
The Faroe Islands possess substantial wind resources, though deep surrounding waters present engineering challenges for standard bottom-fixed offshore wind turbines. To bypass these constraints and overcome local onshore resistance (“NIMBY” opposition), the territory has actively explored and planned offshore installations:
Planned Offshore Wind Projects
Tórshavn Offshore Wind Farm: The Faroese power company SEV planned an initial offshore wind project near the capital, Tórshavn, sized between 96 MW and 120 MW.
Replacement of Onshore Plans: This single offshore initiative was designed to replace at least five delayed or contested onshore wind farms, accelerating the territory’s push toward its goal of 100% sustainable electricity generation by 2030.
Technical & Geographical Challenges
Deep Waters: Standard fixed-bottom offshore wind turbines are difficult or costly to deploy because the waters surrounding the steep volcanic islands become deep very quickly.
Alternative Approaches: Studies and strategies have investigated floating offshore wind options, as well as integrating offshore wind with green hydrogen and ammonia production to power local maritime and industrial sectors.
Tidal Complement: Because standard wind and solar can be variable or affected by harsh salt and wind conditions, the islands are heavily supplementing their wind strategy with predictable underwater tidal kite technology (such as Minesto systems) which hold a separate 2 GW national tidal potential.
It looks like The Faroes goal of 100 % sustainable electricity generation by 2030, will mean they won’t be exporting large amounts of energy.
What Is The Offshore Wind Potential Of The Shetland Islands?
I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.
The Shetland Islands possess some of the most consistent and high-capacity wind resources in Europe, with multi-gigawatt offshore wind potential supported by ScotWind leasing rounds.
Key Offshore Wind Projects & Potential
Arven Offshore Wind Farm: A major floating offshore wind project targeted for the early 2030s located east of Shetland. It features a planned capacity of 2.3 GW (enough to power roughly 2 million homes annually).
Stoura Offshore Wind Farm: An early-stage floating wind project awarded to ESB via Crown Estate Scotland’s ScotWind process. Located about 40 km east of Shetland, it has a targeted capacity of 500 MW.
NE1 Site & Regional Leasing: The broader waters surrounding Shetland have yielded licensing for roughly 2.8 GW to 3 GW or more of offshore floating wind capacity through recent leasing rounds, utilizing deep-water floating technology for depths exceeding 60 meters.
Complementary Energy Infrastructure
Onshore Integration: The massive 443 MW Viking Energy Wind Farm (103 turbines) and related onshore sites operate alongside a 260 km subsea HVDC interconnector cable linking Shetland directly to the UK mainland grid.
Industrial Transition: The historic Sullom Voe Terminal is shifting into a clean energy and carbon storage hub (via projects like Veri Energy and ORION), exploring how excess offshore and onshore renewable power can drive green hydrogen production and offshore platform electrification.
Local Challenges: Developers and authorities must balance this massive marine energy potential with spatial constraints, local fishing industry concerns, and grid-connection capacities.
Shetland seems to have implemented an excellent local solution.
What Is The Offshore Wind Potential Of The Orkney Islands?
I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.
The Orkney Islands possess massive offshore wind potential, with surrounding regional waters estimated to hold anywhere from 5 GW to over 17 GW of immediate local generation capacity, alongside broader island and northern Scottish shelf sharing over 100 GW of combined offshore wind potential.
Key Offshore Wind Scale & Figures
Immediate/Local Potential: Between 5 GW and 10 GW of generation capacity lies within 12 miles of the islands, with broader regional models citing up to 17,000 MW (17 GW) of nearby offshore wind potential.
Broader Northern Potential: Orkney—alongside Shetland and the Outer Hebrides—shares access to a regional pool exceeding 100 GW of offshore wind capacity.
Major Projects: The landmark West of Orkney Windfarm (located 30 km off the west coast) features a capacity of 2 GW (up to 125 fixed-foundation turbines), designed to power over 2 million homes and target initial power generation around 2030. It is the first ScotWind project to secure both offshore and onshore planning consents.
Infrastructure & Grid Challenges
Grid Bottlenecks: Orkney frequently generates more than 130% of its local power needs from renewables, leading to significant wind curtailment because legacy interconnector cables to the Scottish mainland are heavily constrained (limited to roughly 40 MW).
Upcoming Upgrades: A new major transmission interconnector cable project is slated to scale up export capacity and relieve these constraints by the end of 2028.
Ports and Supply Chain: Strategic port developments—such as the Scapa Deep Water Quay project at Scapa Flow—are receiving multi-million-pound investments to transform Orkney into a primary assembly, manufacturing, and maintenance hub for Scottish and European floating and fixed offshore wind farms.
It appears that the priority is better transmission of the generated electricity.
Conclusion
It looks like a substantial amount of green electricity can be harvested and brought South, either as electricity or as green hydrogen.
Toyota Plans To Produce 3,000 Hydrogen-Powered Hilux Pick-Up Trucks A Year In Thailand
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on HydrogenInsight.
This is the sub-heading.
Thai government agency approves project to produce the vehicles for export to Europe and Australasia
These three paragraphs add more details.
Thai government agency Board of Investment (BOI) has approved a 1.4bn-baht ($41.7m) project led by Japanese automaker Toyota to build thousands of hydrogen vehicles in the country.
The project, which aims to be operational in December 2027, targets an annual production capacity of 3,000 hydrogen-powered Toyota Hilux pick-up trucks for export to Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
Production of the fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) will take place at the Toyota Ban Pho plant in Chachoengsao province, southern Thailand, where there is an existing Hilux production line.
I believe that these vehicles will be a winner, once they get the fuel strategy sorted.
I’ve Just Been WordPressed
I started this blog in July 2008 and I’ve had no trouble in those 18 years.
Until Now!
Use Of The Classic Editor Is Now Banned
The new editor is not to my taste, so I don’t use it.
It may be because, I only have one fully working hand, as my left-arm was broken by the school bully, when I was 14.
The Search On My Blog Home Page Doesn’t Work Anymore
This is a tradegy for me, as how can I find pages, that I need to show anybody.
Can Anyboy Offer Any Help?
I’m in London N1
Conclusion
Thanks WordPress for annoying a loyal customer, by not being very professional.
Ikigai And RheEnergise Target Italy For High-Density Hydro Storage Projects
The title of this post, is the same as that as this article on International Waterpower and Dam Construction.
This is the sub-heading.
Ikigai Energy and RheEnergise have signed a memorandum of understanding to identify sites and develop high-density pumped storage projects in Italy, with plans to expand into other European markets
These two paragraphs add more details.
Ikigai Energy, the development arm of the Ikigai Group, has partnered with RheEnergise to develop a pipeline of projects using its High-Density Hydro (HD Hydro) energy storage technology, initially focusing on Italy.
The companies have begun identifying potential sites, combining Ikigai’s storage project development and investment experience with RheEnergise’s technology and engineering expertise. Site selection will consider topography, grid connection availability and opportunities to locate projects alongside wind farms.
I like this concept and wish them every success.
Could Birmingham Become London’s New Runway?
There is no doubt, that London needs an extra runway. But could it be at Heathrow or Gatwick? Or even Birmingham?
London’s Current Runways
These are London’s current runways.
- City – 09/27 – 1508 metres
- Gatwick North – 08L/26R – 2565 metres
- Gatwick South – 08R/26L – 3316 metres
- Heathrow North – 09L/27R – 3902 metres
- Heathrow South – 09R/27L – 3660 metres
- Luton – 07/25 – 2162 metres
- Southend – 05/23 – 1856 metres
- Stansted – 04/22 – 3049 metres
Note.
- Gatwick’s runways are currently too close together, to be used at the same time.
- Heathrow’s runways are the longest that serve London.
- There are eight runways in total.
I’ve landed aircraft on the runwy at Luton, Southend and Stansted.
How Does Birmingham Airport Compare?
Consider.
- Birmingham’s runway is 15/33 and 3052 metres long.
- Birmingham Airport will be connected to High Speed Two, if and when that opens as predicted in 2036-2039.
- A journey from London will take less than 50 minutes.
It could be an alternative runway with good connections to the capital.
What Do Airlines Think About Birmingham Airport?
I asked Google AI and received this answer.
Airlines view Birmingham Airport (BHX) as an important, high-potential regional base in the UK, though operational and infrastructure pressures have caused friction.
Strong Commercial & Operational Appeal
Major Operating Base: BHX serves as a primary operating base for major low-cost and leisure carriers, including Ryanair, easyJet, Jet2.com, and TUI Airways.
Expanding Network: Airlines continue to support and grow routes out of Birmingham. Recent additions include carriers like Qatar Airways (to Doha), Saudia (to Jeddah), and Pegasus Airlines (to Istanbul), along with active targeting of new long-haul and unserved European markets.
Growth Ambitions: The airport has a £300 million investment schedule over the next decade to scale up to 18 million passengers by 2033, backed by strong local economic demand from the West Midlands corporate and leisure markets.
Operational Strain & Baggage/Capacity Issues
Baggage & Infrastructure Failures: Airlines operating out of BHX faced severe challenges during peak travel periods (such as summer 2026), when overwhelmed baggage handling systems forced airports and airlines to make the difficult trade-off of prioritizing strict flight slots and departures over loading passenger luggage—leaving hundreds of travelers flying without bags.
Mitigation Measures: To cope with heavy peak and holiday queues (such as security delays and check-in bottlenecks), airlines like easyJet, Jet2, Ryanair, and TUI have heavily promoted day-before bag drop options at BHX to ease terminal congestion.
There is nothing there that can’t be fixed.
Is Birmingham Airport A Good Neighbour?
I asked Google AI and received this answer.
Whether Birmingham Airport is considered a “good neighbour” depends heavily on whether you weigh its economic benefits to the West Midlands against the localized noise, environmental, and disruption impacts experienced by nearby communities.
The Case for the Airport (Economic and Regional Value)
Job Creation and Economy: Business groups and regional leaders view Birmingham Airport (BHX) as a vital engine for the Midlands, directly and indirectly supporting thousands of jobs and contributing billions to the regional economy.
Draft Master Plan (2026–2041): The airport has unveiled a £2 billion draft master plan aimed at doubling passenger capacity to roughly 30 million a year by making better use of its existing single runway rather than building a second one.
Public Consultations: The airport conducts public engagement sessions and highlights its investments in local community trusts and regional workforce programs (such as in East Birmingham and North Solihull).
The Complaints from Local Neighbours (Noise and Disturbance)
Aircraft Noise: Residents living directly under or near flight paths—in villages and suburbs like Bickenhill, Marston Green, Sheldon, and Elmdon—frequently report stress, sleep disruption, and noise pollution from early-morning and night-time flights.
Night Flights and Caps: Tensions regularly flare over night-flying limits. While the airport maintains that it operates within permitted statutory limits and transitions toward quieter aircraft, local action groups argue that expanded night-flight allowances and increased traffic degrade local quality of life.
Surface Access and Local Infrastructure: Increased road traffic, parking spillover, and drop-off charges remain a persistent point of friction for nearby towns and drivers.
Note.
- Birmingham Airport can be expanded by making better use of the single runway.
- I believe that by 2040, there will be zero-carbon 70 seat airliners, that will have a range of a thousand kilometres.
- For distances longer than a thousand kilometres, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) will be used.
- Birmingham Airport also needs to be connected to the West Midlands Metro.
Flight Distances From Birmingham Airport
These are distances to various airports in kilometres.
- Aberdeen – 329 km.
- Amsterdam – 529 km.
- Belfast George Best – 363 km.
- City of Derry – 457 km.
- Cork – 465 km
- Dublin – 320 km.
- Dusseldorf – 597 km.
- Edinburgh – 402 km.
- Geneva – 894 km.
- Glasgow – 418 km.
- Hamburg – 795 km.
- Hannover – 774 km.
- Inverness – 585 km.
- Kirkwall – 727 km.
- Munich – 1059 km.
- Newcastle – 287 km.
- Newquay – 318 km.
- Nice – 1181 km.
- Paris Charles de Galle – 488 km.
- Sumburgh – 826 km.
The energy revolution in aviation, could be starting in Birmingham.
When Will The Third Runway At Heathrow Be Finished?
Estimates vary, but I reckon, it will be 2040 before the third runway opens.
The Wikipedia entry for the Expansion of Heathrow Airport says this.
On 16 December 2020, the UK Supreme Court lifted the ban on the third runway, allowing a planning application via a Development Consent Order to go ahead. The plan stalled in 2023 after post-COVID pandemic falling passenger numbers and concerns about investment costs, but as of June 2024 the third runway is still planned with a projected completion date around 2040. In January 2025, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves confirmed it was the new Labour government’s plan to proceed with a third runway within the current parliamentary term.
If it is 2040, then it is likely that High Speed Two will be open to Birmingham Airport before Heathrow’s Third Runway is completed..
UK And Germany Will Face Threats Together, Says Burnham In Berlin
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
The UK and Germany will face threats together, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said as he reaffirmed a series of defence and security partnerships
These two paragraphs add some more detail.
On his first official European trip, apart from visits to Ukraine, Burnham met German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and was greeted with military honours in Berlin.
Speaking to reporters at the German capital’s Federal Chancellery, the prime minister said both countries were facing hybrid attacks “on a regular basis” and “it makes sense” to take them on together.
I am surprised that the article doesn’t mention energy, as it is a problem for both Germany and the UK.
Germany’s problems include.
- They are short of both green electricity and gas.
- They produce about a fifth of their electricity from coal.
- They have weaned themselves off Russian gas and nuclear power.
- They have poor electricity storage.
Their strengths include.
- Siemens is the second-largest European wind turbine manufacturer.
- 29 wind farms in the UK, have been built around Siemens wind turbines.
- RWE is a major German developer of wind farms.
- RWE is the largest generator of electricity in the UK.
- RWE own or part-own thirteen wind farms in the UK.
Germany also has good plans to solve their problems.
- AquaVentus is a series of pipes and wires to bring green electricity and hydrogen from Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Aberdeen and Humberside in the UK. to Wilhelmshaven in North-West Germany.
- H2ercules is a plan to deliver hydrogen around Germany to power industry.
In New Study Shows How North Sea Offshore Wind Can Yield More While Costing Less, I found this “It appears from the text in this must read report, that the Germans might develop as much as 20 GW in neighbouring countries.”
The UK’s problems include.
- High electricity and gas prices.
- Not enough electricity storage.
- Poor connections to the grid.
Our strengths include.
- A large amount of solar and wind power is being developed.
- We will generate more electricity than we need.
- Geographically, we generate more electricity on the East side of the UK, so our electrons are ideally placed in invade Germany.
- We shall be able to send electricity and hydrogen to Germany using the AquaVentus system.
- We are developing at least three 2 GW/30 GWh pumped storage systems in Scotland to store electricity and back up AquaVentus.
- Rough and Aldbrough are gas storage reservoirs on Humberside, that could be converted to store hydrogen, so we could keep Germany supplied.
- HiiROC is affordable hydrogen production technology being developed in Hull, which is five times more efficient, than traditional methods.
Centrica is backing HiiROC and is developing a stable of British ideas.
The UK’s Biggest Advantage
This map shows the The Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) around the UK.
Note.
- Undoubtedly, the rules by which EEZs were drawn, favoured the UK, and countries like Belgium and Germany didn’t do as well.
- The area of the UK’s EEZ is twenty-three times that of Germany’s EEZ.
- Belgium doesn’t do well compared to The Netherlands.
- There is a substantial area between the UK and Ireland, which can deliver energy to where it is worth more.
- Great Britain and Ireland are surrounded by a large area, that must be worth developing.
- There is a convenient corridor, that runs North-West from the German EEZ to the UK EEZ, which could be used to deliver energy to Germany.
Didn’t the UK (and the Irish) do well!
I believe that there are joint actions that the UK and Germany can take to both their own advantages.
Find A Way To Keep Rough Operational
If we keep Rough operational, then.
- It can usefully act as hydrogen storage for the Germans, with a connection to AquaVentus.
- We can also use it as a store for hydrogen created from excess energy, when we have too much.
- It can also supply hydrogen to companies like INEOS on Humberside.
- Hydrogen could also be exported from the Port of Hull in small coastal liquid hydrogen tankers.
- Companies that need a lot of zero-carbon energy could move to Humberside.
I suspect John Healey will make an announcement in the 2026 Budget.
AquaVentus And Energy Storage
AquaVentus, the pumped storage hydro in Scotland and the hydrogen storage on Humberside could make a big difference to the cost of UK energy, as instead of paying wind farm operators to turn off their wind farms, the excess electricity be handled in one of these ways.
- It can be sent to Germany using AquaVentus as electricity.
- Electricity can be stored in the pumped storage hydro in the Highlands.
- It can be used to create hydrogen which can be stored in Rough and Aldbrough.
- Hydrogen can be sent to Germany using Aquaventus.
- Electricity waste is minimised, which saves the UK money.
- Germany gets a more reliable supply of green hydrogen.
The UK should get a cash flow from Germany for the energy, that is delivered.
AquaVentus Could Be Combined With National Grid’s Eastern Green Links Project
Consider.
- AquaVentus will bring energy from Aberdeen and Humberside to Wilhelmshaven.
- National Grid are building five Eastern Green Links along the East Coast of the UK to move electricity to where it is needed.
- EGL1 will link Murton, Co Durham and Torness.
- EGL2 will link Drax, Yorkshire and Peterhead.
- EGL3 will link Anderby Creek and Peterhead.
- EGL4 will link Anderby Creek and Westfield, Fife.
- EGL5 will link Anderby Creek and Peterhead.
- All willhave a capacity of 2 GW.
The Eastern Green Links have a Wikipedia entry.
This Google Map shows the location of Wilhelmshaven with respect to the UK.
Wilhelmshaven is marked by the red arrow.
- It looks to me, that between Lincolnshire and Scotland AquaVentus and EGL1-5 will be following a similar route up the East Coast of the UK, which would surely make construction easier, faster and less costly.
- Provision could easily be made to provide a link to the Sizewell nuclear site, which has a total capacity of 4.4 GW.
- NeuConnect is a 1.4 GW interconnector between the Isle of Grain and Wilhelmshaven, that is under construction and will be 725 kilometres long.
- On the Isle of Grain is the 1.32 GW gas-fired power station, that is owned by RWE.
- BritNed is a 1 GW interconnector between the Isle of Grain and Rotterdam.
- Nemo Link is a 1 GW interconnector between Kent and Zeebrugge.
- LionLink is a proposed 1.8GW HVDC electrical interconnector to link offshore wind farms in the North Sea to the electrical grids in both Great Britain and the Netherlands.
- In National Grid, TenneT Germany Launch GriffinLink, A First Of A Find Project To Maximise Offshore Wind, I talk about GriffinLink, which will run between the UK and Germany.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see a tidying-up of the electrical connections between England, Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany.
Are the Danish And German Grids Connected Under The North Sea?
I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.
The Danish and German electricity grids are connected through undersea and land infrastructure, though direct grid-to-grid interconnections under the North Sea itself are currently expanding rather than existing as a direct bilateral link between the two countries’ mainland grids.
Current and Planned Connections
Land Boundary: The primary connection between Denmark and Germany is a shared 146-kilometer land border across the Jutland peninsula, which carries high-voltage alternating current (HVAC) power lines linking the two national transmission systems.
North Sea Undersea Cables (Indirect/Transit): The COBRAcable, a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) submarine link operated by TenneT and Energinet, connects the electricity grids of the Netherlands and Denmark, running through the German sector of the North Sea.
North Sea Hybrid Projects: German and Danish transmission system operators (such as Amprion and Energinet) have signed agreements and memoranda—including joint declarations from the North Sea Summit—to examine and develop future hybrid offshore wind interconnectors and energy hub links in the North Sea.
Baltic Sea Connections: In contrast, direct cross-border grid and hybrid wind connections between Denmark and Germany are more established or actively deploying in the Baltic Sea, such as through the Kriegers Flak and Bornholm Energy Island projects.
It looks like what is happening between England and Germany has already been developed between Germany and Denmark.
Does Germany Want To Put Wind Farms In Other Countries EEZs And Bring The Energy To Germany?
Google AI gave this answer to my question.
Yes, Germany is moving toward integrating and allowing cross-border and radial offshore wind projects located in the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of neighboring countries—such as Denmark—to connect directly to the German grid.
Rather than “renting” areas unilaterally, Germany is accomplishing this through joint cross-border European partnerships and bilateral agreements.
Key Details
Regulatory Changes: Germany has proposed amendments (such as via drafts integrating “international offshore connection lines” into its WindSeeG legislation) to explicitly cover radial lines from an offshore farm outside the German EEZ connected exclusively to the German grid.
Counting Toward Targets: These proposed rules allow cross-border radial offshore wind projects to count directly toward Germany’s national offshore wind targets (such as its 70 GW offshore wind goal).
Cross-Border Cooperation: Strategic frameworks—such as between Denmark and Germany—are being established to link projects in foreign waters (like Danish waters) to German converter platforms (e.g., the OST-2-4 platform in the German EEZ).
Research and Industry Push: Studies (including analysis by Fraunhofer IWES) and industry voices (such as Örsted) have argued that shifting or sharing some offshore build-out into neighboring waters like Denmark and Sweden can optimize output, lower costs, and reduce the risk of regionally weak wind conditions. This is also part of broader European agreements like the North Sea Summit declarations scaling up cross-border infrastructure.
Note.
- The UK and German EEZs join via a corridor, that would surely be bideal for a large capacity cable, which is clearly visible on then EEZ map.
- The UK has more than enough space for wind farms.
- The primary source of the UK’s offshore energy could shift to wind farms to the West and North-West of Great Britain.
- Eastern British would probably play a large part in the construction and service of German wind farms to the East of Great Britain.
There would appear to be winners all round.
- Germany gets the energy it needs.
- The UK gets the affordable energy it needs.
- The UK gets paid for the energy created in and exported from its waters.
- British jobs will be created in the construction and support of the German wind farms.
This could be the start of something very big for Germany and the UK.
Is Coeliac Disease Increasing In The Philippines?
I asked Google AI, this question, to show how Google AI can answer medical questions, and received this answer.
Coeliac disease is traditionally considered rare in the Philippines because the national staple diet is rice rather than wheat, though more cases are being diagnosed due to increased awareness and mixed-descent populations
Current Status and Trends
Low General Prevalence: East and Southeast Asia—including the Philippines, Indonesia, and Korea—historically report very low coeliac disease prevalence (around 0.06% in general East-Asia pools) because of low historical wheat consumption and low frequencies of associated genetic markers like HLA-DQB1*02.
Increasing Awareness and Diagnoses: While large-scale epidemiological tracking specific to the Philippines is limited, reports from lifestyle publications and medical communities indicate that more individuals are being diagnosed. This rise is largely driven by greater access to diagnostic blood tests, increased clinical recognition, and Filipinos of mixed descent or Western-influenced diets seeking evaluation.
Broader Regional Trends: Across the broader Asia-Pacific region, diagnosed rates of gluten-related disorders have ticked upward as Westernized diets, commercial wheat imports, and medical screening improve, though it remains far less common than in Europe, North America, or parts of South Asia/the Middle East.
Uttoxeter Station – 14th October 2026
Becuse Uttoxeter station could be on a possible open access service between St. Pancras and Manchester Piccadilly stations, I went and had a look.
My father would have made a comment about Molotov as regards this station.
Molotov had this reputation for always saying no.
This station is rather short in its list of facilities.
- It has no lifts for the footbridge.
- It has no staff.
- There was no obvious information about local transport.
- I saw no details of how to get a taxi.
- There were no litter bins on Platform 1.
- Poor early and late trains.
I believe this station needs a lot of improvement.
These are my thoughts.
Are Any Improvements Planned At Uttoxeter Station?
I thought I had better ask this question of Google AI first, so I didn’t repeat myself.
Google AI gave me this answer to the question.
Several service and timetable improvements are planned for Uttoxeter station:
Sunday Train Timetable Changes: Starting in December 2026, Sunday train services through Uttoxeter and Tutbury will be expanded to run from 9:30 AM onward, removing the previous restriction where trains did not start until after 3:00 PM.
Local Campaign for Increased Frequency: Local campaigns and discussions with East Midlands Railway (EMR) and Network Rail are underway to assess adding more frequent local train services and extra carriages on the Derby-to-Crewe line, including through Uttoxeter.
Proposed Open Access Services: Grand Central Trains has submitted an application for a new open access train service connecting Manchester Piccadilly and London St. Pancras that would call at Uttoxeter (proposing five trains per day).
Regional Infrastructure Upgrades: Network Rail has conducted ongoing infrastructure and track-renewal works across Derbyshire and Staffordshire (such as recent upgrades near Wychnor Viaduct and Clay Mills level crossing) to improve overall line reliability for services passing through Uttoxeter.
Note.
- When I visited the station, a guy complained to me about train times.
- I took one train to Uttoxeter and one from the station. Both were crowded.
- I believe Grand Central Trains service between London St. Pancras and Manchester Piccadilly will be a winner.
- Good to see that a level crossing has been removed.
Nothing seems to be planned, except for the better timetable.
Would Adding The Open Access Service Be Welcomed?
The open access service could have these effects.
- Five more trains in each direction would add more capacity.
- Trains could be timetabled to run in busy times.
- Early and late trains, would benefit shift workers.
- Running to London St. Pancras would connect to Continental services in the same station.
- Running to stations like Derby, Leicester, Stoke-on-Trent, Stockport and Manchester Piccadilly would widen the employee catchment area for employers in Uttoxeter.
- Alton Towers, JCB and Uttoxeter racecourse would probably all benefit from a direct train service to London St. Pancras, Derby, Stockport and Manchester.
Andy Burnham says he wants growth. Surely these five trains in each direction would inject growth into Uttoxeter and the surrounding area.
A Decent Bus Service To Local Attraction Would Be Needed
I took these pictures today of a small bus in London.
Note.
- It is a Wrightbus GB Kite electric bus.
- It was built in Northern Ireland.
- Wrightbus is owned by Lord Bamford’s son.
- Lord Bamford’s family own JCB.
I’m sure the family can agree on a deal to make Uttoxeter a must-visit place.
ScottishPower Renewables Completes ‘Record-Breaking’ Cable Landfall Operation For East Anglia Two
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
ScottishPower Renewables has completed what the company says was a record-breaking cable landfall operation for its 960 MW East Anglia Two offshore wind farm in the UK, installing two nearly 1.8-kilometre-long ducts beneath the Suffolk coastline and seabed for the project’s export cables
These two paragraphs add more detail.
The ducts, each measuring 800 millimetres in diameter, were installed using horizontal directional drilling (HDD), a technique that creates an underground passage without excavating beaches or disturbing the coastline directly. ScottishPower Renewables says the operation involved the world’s longest continuous single sections of extruded polyethylene (PE) ducts and represents the largest electricity transmission landfall of its kind in the UK, based on the combination of duct length and diameter.
Manufactured by Pipelife in Norway, the ducts were produced as single uninterrupted lengths, eliminating the need for welded joints. They will provide a protected route for the high-voltage export cables carrying electricity from the offshore wind farm to shore.
Note.
- The East Anglia Array, of which East Anglia TWO is part has a Wikipedia entry.
- The landfall for the East Anglia TWO offshore wind farm is located north of Thorpeness in Suffolk.
Techniques like this will increase the efficiency of building wind farms.