Thomas Bywater

3 weeks ago | thenational.scot | Thomas Bywater

Summer in the isles is cruise season. You can’t miss it. Last year saw more than 1000 ships and 1.2 million passengers calling into Scottish ports. An increase of almost 50% on pre-pandemic arrivals, big ship arrivals are getting larger and more frequent. Last May, the 6000-passenger MSC Virtuosa became the largest ship to visit Shetland to date, doubling the population of Lerwick overnight. The equivalent of 12 jumbo jets of tourists arriving at once on the harbour wall.

2 months ago | demilked.com | Thomas Bywater |Shanilou Perera

Having unlimited finances doesn’t necessarily acquit you of being a responsible citizen. Society will still hold you accountable for your actions, especially if it’s detrimental to the public at large.

2 months ago | taiwannews.com.tw | Thomas Bywater

, /PRNewswire/ -- AIKO, a global leader in solar PV R&D, is bringing its revolutionary Nebular solar module to the Australian market to address one of the biggest challenges in commercial and industrial (C&I) solar—the weight limitations of many rooftops. For years, businesses with low-load bearing roofs have faced challenges adopting solar, often requiring costly structural reinforcements or being forced to install smaller, less efficient systems.

Mar 16, 2025 | thenational.scot | Thomas Bywater

The empty, stone cleits belong to Scotland’s best-known “ghost town” of Hirta (Image: Getty) THE empty cliffs of St Kilda are a monument in black basalt. They’re as dramatic a landmark for boat trippers as they are a reminder of lost island communities. Croft houses abandoned for a less precarious existence, anywhere else. The empty, stone cleits belong to Scotland’s best-known “ghost town” of Hirta.

Mar 9, 2025 | thenational.scot | Thomas Bywater

LOCHABER no more. Sutherland no more. Young Scots heading abroad to find their fortune – or, at least, more fortune than at home – is a recurring theme. The fact Scotland is again experiencing a youth exodus might come as news to few. The population of Scots aged 18 to 30 has shrunk by 5% over the past decade. This is well ahead of the Office of National Statistics’ general trend for the UK, which is seeing young people pursuing opportunities elsewhere.