Looking bright and freshly decorated, the newly-renovated aero-generator at Houll in Fair Isle is ready for action again.

While some islanders spent the cold spell snug inside their super-insulated modern houses, many more were spending a small fortune trying to coax some warmth into cold, drafty homes. For them it seems a good time to check out the nice fat government grants on offer to make home life cosier and cheaper while also doing a little something to help the planet. JOHN ROBERTSON has been unravelling two of the schemes intended to help fund renewable energy heating systems …

Tesco’s Lerwick branch is forging its own environmental path following a decision by management on the mainland to pull out of a Christmas card recycling scheme.

A scientist who has spent the last few years researching killer whales in Shetland led a study which has revealed there are two types of the mammal living in UK waters.

As ever, 2009 was a busy year for wildlife spotters in Shetland. Here, JOYCE GARDEN reminds us what was there to be seen.

There has been a large rise in the number of otter deaths on Shetland’s roads this year, with as much as 10 per cent of the population killed, according to alarming figures published by Scottish Natural Heritage yesterday.

A powerful new wind turbine which is set to hit the market could allow Viking Energy to cut 30 machines from its windfarm plan without reducing the amount of electricity it would generate.

Dancer and choreographer Martin Robinson has returned to Shetland to put on a new piece that compliments the Gunnister Man exhibition.

People attending the four public meetings about the Viking Energy windfarm next week should turn up ready to voice their views. The events organised by Shetland Islands Council will simply involve recording what people want to say.

Amid all the furore over the environmental benefits or otherwise of Viking Energy’s windfarm, a lower key and significantly less contentious project is ambitiously seeking to reduce Shetland’s carbon emissions by 28,000 tonnes over the next two years – the equivalent of taking 10,555 cars off the road.

It was a special day in the South Mainland on Friday with its first-ever Up-Helly-A’ festival proving a roaring success.

WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR SHETLAND

Friday, 12 March 2010 at 10:42

HEADLINES

TODAY: SCATTERED SHOWERS, COOL NW’LY WIND
TONIGHT: LITTLE CHANGE
TOMORROW: SCATTERED SHOWERS, BREEZY
DAYS 2-5: SOME RAIN OR SHOWERS, LIGHTER WINDS
DAYS 6-10: RAIN OR SHOWERS

Firms in Shetland are facing huge rate rises – some by as much as two-thirds – under the Scottish government’s revaluation of business property which will come into force at the beginning of next month.