Scotland approves world's 'biggest offshore windfarm' project - days after Donald Trump pressured First Minister to scrap renewables
The US president branded the turbines a "con-job" and described those along Scotland's coastline as "some of the ugliest you've ever seen".
Mr Trump raised the issue during face-to-face talks with Scottish First Minister John Swinney on the president's visit to Aberdeenshire on Tuesday.
6:30
The lobbying by Trump appears to have failed because, as of Thursday morning, the Scottish Government issued licences for the Berwick Bank project in the waters off the Scottish Borders.
SSE, the developer, has described the project as the largest in the world, with the possibility of powering six million homes when complete.
Mr Trump said at the weekend that offshore wind is "ruining" Scotland and Europe, and claimed it is "killing the birds".
John Swinney told Sky News following the summit with the US president that "we are not going to be able to agree on all subjects and I am a believer in climate change".
Announcing approval on Thursday, the Scottish Government said that Berwick Bank could generate enough electricity each year to power every household in Scotland around twice over.
Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said: "These large-scale renewable energy projects will ensure people in Scotland truly benefit from clean power, lower bills, and good quality job opportunities."
Stephen Wheeler, managing director of SSE Renewables, added: "Berwick Bank has the potential to rapidly scale-up Scotland's operational renewable energy capacity and can accelerate the delivery of homegrown, affordable and secure clean energy to UK consumers from Scottish offshore wind, helping meet the UK's clean power ambition by 2030."
The final plans will need to be approved by Scottish ministers before Berwick Bank proceeds.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BreakingNews.ie
24 minutes ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Nvidia and AMD agree to share China chip sale revenues with US government
Nvidia and AMD agreed to share 15% of their revenues from chip sales to China with the US government, a government official has confirmed. President Donald Trump's administration halted the sale of advanced computer chips to China back in April over national security concerns, but Nvidia and AMD revealed in July that Washington would allow them to resume sales of the H20 and MI308 chips, which are used in artificial intelligence development. Advertisement The official, who insisted on anonymity to discuss a policy not yet formally announced, confirmed to the Associated Press the revenue sharing terms of the deal, and said the broad strokes of the initial report by The Financial Times were accurate. The FT reported that Nvidia and AMD agreed to the financial arrangement as a condition for obtaining export licence to resume sales to China. Nvidia did not comment about the specific details of the agreement or its quid pro quo nature, but said they would adhere to the export rules laid out by the administration. 'We follow rules the US government sets for our participation in worldwide markets. While we haven't shipped H20 to China for months, we hope export control rules will let America compete in China and worldwide,' Nvidia wrote in a statement to the AP. Advertisement 'America cannot repeat 5G and lose telecommunication leadership. America's AI tech stack can be the world's standard if we race.' AMD did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Visitors give commands to a robot at Nvidia's booth during the China international supply chain expo in Beijing (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.) The top Democrat on a House panel focusing on competition with China raised concerns over the reported agreement, calling it 'a dangerous misuse of export controls that undermines our national security'. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, the ranking member of the House Select Committee on China, said he would seek answers about the legal basis for this arrangement and demand full transparency from the administration. Advertisement 'Our export control regime must be based on genuine security considerations, not creative taxation schemes disguised as national security policy,' he said. 'Chip export controls aren't bargaining chips, and they're not casino chips either. We shouldn't be gambling with our national security to raise revenue.' Back in July, Nvidia argued that tight export controls around their chip sales would cost the company an extra 5.5 billion US dollars (£4 billion). They have argued that such limits hinder US competition in a sector in one of the world's largest markets for technology, and have also warned that US export controls could end up pushing other countries toward China's AI technology. Advertisement Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told CNBC in July that the renewed sale of Nvidia's chips in China was linked to a trade agreement made between the two countries on rare earth magnets. Restrictions on sales of advanced chips to China have been central to the AI race between the world's two largest economic powers, but such controls are also controversial. Proponents argue that these restrictions are necessary to slow China down enough to allow US companies to keep their lead. Meanwhile, opponents say the export controls have loopholes – and could still spur innovation. Advertisement The emergence of China's DeepSeek AI chatbot in January particularly renewed concerns over how China might use advanced chips to help develop its own AI capabilities.
ITV News
25 minutes ago
- ITV News
Trump to deploy National Guard to Washington DC to 're-establish law and order'
Donald Trump has announced he is deploying the National Guard to tackle crime and homelessness in Washington, sparking legal concerns from the city's mayor over who will be patrolling the capital's streets. In a news briefing on Monday, the US president said he was 'deploying the National Guard to help re-establish law, order and public safety in Washington DC, and they're going to be allowed to do their job properly'. Ahead of the news conference, Trump said on social media that the nation's capital would be 'LIBERATED today!' and that he would end the 'days of ruthlessly killing, or hurting, innocent people'. Trump compared the crime in the American capital with that in other major cities, saying Washington performs poorly on safety relative to the capitals of Iraq, Brazil and Colombia, among others. Police statistics show homicides, robberies and burglaries are down this year when compared with this time in 2024. Overall, violent crime is down 26% compared with this time a year ago. 'We're getting rid of the slums, too,' Trump said, adding that the US would not lose its cities and that Washington was just a start. The president said he signed an executive order and presidential memorandum in the Oval Office before holding the briefing. The move involves at least 800 federal law enforcement officials as well as the National Guard, raising fundamental questions about how an increasingly emboldened federal government will interact with its state and local counterparts. It's alleged the plans involve 100 FBI agents, around 40 agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration and Immigration and Customs. In addition, Trump also said 'we will bring in the military if it's needed' but added 'I don't think we'll need it.' In a social media post on Sunday, Trump emphasised the removal of Washington's homeless population, but it was unclear where the thousands of people would go. 'The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY,' Trump wrote Sunday. 'We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital. The Criminals, you don't have to move out. We're going to put you in jail where you belong.' Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, said Trump's posts at the weekend depicted the district as 'one of the most dangerous cities anywhere in the world" and that 'any comparison to a war-torn country is hyperbolic and false'. She questioned the effectiveness of using the Guard to enforce city laws and said the federal government could be far more helpful by funding more prosecutors or filling the 15 vacancies on the DC Superior Court, some of which have been open for years. 'I just think that's not the most efficient use of our Guard,' she said Sunday on MSNBC's 'The Weekend,' acknowledging it is "the president's call about how to deploy the Guard.' The president criticised the district as full of 'tents, squalor, filth, and crime'. He appears to have been set off by an attack on Edward Coristine, one of the most visible figures of the bureaucracy-cutting effort known as DOGE. Police arrested two 15-year-olds in the attempted carjacking and said they were looking for others. 'This has to be the best run place in the country, not the worst run place in the country,' Trump said Wednesday. He called Bowser 'a good person who has tried, but she has been given many chances.' Bowser acknowledged that the law allows the president to take more control over the city's police, but only if certain conditions are met. 'None of those conditions exist in our city right now," she said. 'We are not experiencing a spike in crime. In fact, we're watching our crime numbers go down.' Trump has repeatedly suggested that the rule of Washington could be returned to federal authorities. Doing so would require a repealing the Home Rule Act of 1973 in Congress, a step which Trump said lawyers are examining, but it could face steep pushback. Trump also spoke about his upcoming meeting with Vladamir Putin on Friday calling it "really a feel out meeting, a little bit". The president said he was open to meeting the russian leader first and then a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy or a meeting with both together, but did not say he would push for a three-person meeting. Trump said "Putin invited me to get involved' and even said he thought it was very respectful that Putin is coming to US territory for the meeting in Alaska, instead of insisting that Trump go to Russia. He said he'll tell Putin that it's time to end Russia's war with Ukraine.
Auto Express
25 minutes ago
- Auto Express
Car Deal of the Day: EVs don't come much cheaper than this
Practical electric SUV; Comfortable to drive 381-mile range, standard heat pump Just £206.34 a month Family-friendly electric SUVs really don't come much better than the Renault Scenic, and often that alone is enough to make it appear as our Deal of the Day. However, today's offer is just so good, we had to give it a mention. Advertisement - Article continues below In fact, good is putting it lightly because this deal is the best we've seen all year. Embrace Leasing is offering the electric high-rider for an unbelievable £206.34 a month right, representing stunning value for money. All that's needed to get the ball rolling is a £2,776.08 initial payment, and the deal is for two years. Mileage is capped at 5,000 a year, but should you need more, 8,000 per annum can be had for just £12.12 extra a month. You'll be taking the keys to a model in Techno trim. Despite this being the entry-level model there's no shortage of standard equipment, with features such as 19-inch diamond-cut alloys, a 12-inch portrait touchscreen with an excellent Google-based operating system, climate control, and a clever armrest that offers nifty storage and charging for tablets and mobile phones. Powering the Scenic Techno is an 87kWh battery that gives a claimed range of 381 miles – offering great flexibility for families – while the standard-fit heat pump can help to make the car as efficient as possible in colder months. The Scenic isn't the quickest car in the world, but nor does it need to be. Having said that, a sub-eight-second 0-62mph acceleration time isn't to be sniffed at, while the Scenic boasts a comfortable ride, and generally a very easy-going driving experience. The Car Deal of the Day selections we make are taken from our own Auto Express Find A Car deals service, which includes the best current offers from car dealers and leasing companies around the UK. Terms and conditions apply, while prices and offers are subject to change and limited availability. If this deal expires, you can find more top Renault Scenic E-Tech leasing offers from leading providers on our Renault Scenic E-Tech page. Check out the Renault Scenic E-Tech deal or take a look at our previous Car Deal of the Day selection here…
