Industry News
ScotGov: First Minister Alex Salmond officially launched E.ON's new P2 Pelamis wave energy converter last week, formally naming it the Vagr Atferd (Norse for ‘wave power’). It is capable of generating 750kW of renewable energy and will be installed & tested at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney.
The installation at EMEC will be the first time that the P2 machine has been tested anywhere in the world and also represents the UK's first commercial supply contract within the marine energy sector. The device is 180 metres long - or as long as the Gherkin building in London is tall - and weighs approximately 1,500 tonnes - See also item in ‘In the News’ section.
Newswire – UKSA: The UK Space Directory is an authoritative source of information on space capability within the UK. The Directory assists in raising the profile of the UK Space community (both industry & academia) and will promote the capabilities of individual organisations to stakeholders both inside & outside of the UK.
Press release ~ UK space directory online ~ Technology Strategy Board – Space Special Interest Group ~ UK Space Agency
OS: Fully customisable, mid-scale mapping that has been specifically designed for the Web has now arrived in OS OpenData, with the release of OS VectorMap District, which is now available for developers to download, order on disc & view via Ordnance Survey’s FREE mapping portal. It is available through the OS OpenData ‘view’ & ‘supply’ options and will be added to the OS OpenSpace API within the next few weeks.
The new dataset has been specifically designed for use online & created to support the aims of Data.gov.uk, offering a clear & customisable background on which to display a whole range of other information. OS VectorMap District has been released as an ‘alpha’ product, meaning it will be developed and enhanced over time in line with user feedback.
OS: Ordnance Survey has launched its own blog to provide a new way to communicate with customers, stakeholders and the public. The site (blog.ordnancesurvey.co.uk) includes posts on a range of topics, from walking guides & product news to how geographic information (GI) plays a role in people’s lives.
Ordnance Survey also sees the blog as a chance to help raise awareness of its role in the digital economy and the value of GI. An independent assessment has valued its contribution to the UK economy at around £100bn, but many people still see the organisation as solely the maker of leisure maps.
Among the posts already on the site is a story around the launch of Ordnance Survey’s free mapping portal, OS OpenData; a sneak peek at the organisations new head office building; how the Environment Agency is using mapping to raise awareness of flooding; and why Bath makes a great place for a stroll.
