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Industry News
ScotGov: An agreement signed in South Korea last week will see Scotland develop its international reputation as a world leader in the marine energy sector. Finance Secretary John Swinney witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Scottish Development International and Incheon Metropolitan City to encourage the two countries to exchange knowledge, ideas & technologies to develop their marine energy industries.
10DS: The UK’s world-leading medical science base has been boosted by £30m of government & private investment in a new research centre at the University of Oxford, PM David Cameron announced recently.
The Big Data Institute will capture & analyse extensive sets of health data for the detection, monitoring, treatment & prevention of a broad range of conditions from cancer, diabetes, stroke & high blood pressure through to pathogens & infectious diseases, such as malaria & influenza.
The project has received £10m under the second round of the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund (UK RPIF), matched by a further £20m donation from the Li Ka Shing Foundation.
The project has received £10m under the second round of the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund (UK RPIF), matched by a further £20m donation from the Li Ka Shing Foundation.
WAG: Economy Minister, Edwina Hart, has officially opened the new Llanelli manufacturing facility of an entirely new clean green cooking fuel for the military, camping & leisure markets. The Fire Dragon fuel plant, run by Cardiff based BCB International, was able to start with support from the Welsh Government’s Economic Growth Fund and will initially create 6 new jobs. BCB has been developing & formulating its new fuel - over the past 5 years.
The fuel is a major advance on existing solid fuels for cooking. It is ethanol based, has the consistency of candle wax and therefore easy & safe to transport, burns clearly & cleanly. A number of other products on the market are toxic & sold with health warnings - some give off cyanide derivatives when burnt, while others release formaldehyde in certain situations.
One of BCB’s most highly publicised recent products are the Blast Boxer shorts used by many of our Armed Forces to protect them from blast & fragment injuries to the groin caused by roadside bombs better known as IEDS.
DECC: £21m has been awarded to entrepreneurs to help bring a range of new & innovative low carbon products to market.
FSA: The Food Standards Agency is joining up with the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) to co-fund innovative research on food safety through the TSB’s competition Nutrition for Life – Providing Safe and Healthy Food.
The competition will fund collaborative research & development projects and smaller feasibility studies, aimed at providing safe & healthy foods. The FSA will consider co-funding successful, innovative projects in the research call, if they fall within their strategic priorities. Registration opens 20 May & closes on 16 June 2013.
OS: National mapping authority Ordnance Survey, has released a new product which maps watercourses across Scotland including the highlands & islands, to help local authorities manage flood risk effectively and reduce the impact of flooding incidents. OS MasterMap Networks – Water Layer will be used to improve scientific understanding of water flows & water quality reporting under the statutory EU Water Framework Directive.
Combining OS MasterMap Networks – Water Layer with the topographic, address & road information published in OS MasterMap allows users to understand the impacts of flooding for individuals, businesses and essential public services, including health & education providers and the emergency services.
WAG: Work is set to start this month on a strategically important extension of the historic Penrhyn slate quarry that will help safeguard jobs and secure reserves that could last for up to 20 years at current rates of production.
Economy Minister Edwina Hart said: …. “Penrhyn Quarry is renowned the world over for the quality of slate it produces which is used on the renovation of historic properties as well as enhancing new modern developments.”
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