West Country (E) Technology News

British engine maker Rolls-Royce is to sponsor for the first time a bid to break a world land speed record, it was announced today.

The company is backing the Bristol-based Bloodhound project, which is focused on travelling at over 1,000mph and breaking the world land speed record.

A Rolls-Royce EJ200 jet engine will be used in conjunction with a custom designed hybrid rocket.

Next year the Bloodhound team are hoping to travel to South Africa to break the current land speed record of 763mph. They then will target the 1,000mph barrier.

Colin Smith, director of engineering and technology at Rolls-Royce, said the firm will also provide financial and technical support for the project.

"Cutting edge engineering keeps Rolls-Royce and the UK at the forefront of global business," he said.

• Technology
• Bloodhound

Rolls-Royce has announced they are sponsoring the Bloodhound project.

The Bristol-based team are aiming to get a car to reach a landspeed record of 1,000 mph.

The company will provide financial and technical support. The engine used is one created by the company itself.

• Technology

Rolls-Royce will donate a million pounds to towards the establishment of the Bristol Aerospace Centre at Filton. It will also supply a number of heritage engines to the exhibition, including the Olympus 593, which powered Concorde.

It will be displayed alongside Concorde 216, the last of the super-sonic planes to fly.

• UK
• Filton

A public meeting is being held tonight in Compton Martin to talk about the controversial gas drilling method 'fracking'.

The company UK Methane are looking at the Somerset village as one of two places to test drill for shale gas and coal bed methane extraction.

An opposition group says there are concerns of contamination of land and water.

• UK
• Fracking
• Compton Martin

The leader of the union representing 21,000 workers in the nuclear decommissioning and energy supply industry has called on all parties involved in negotiations to redouble their efforts to reach agreement on a strike price for electricity generated by the planned Hinkley Point C in Somerset.

Alan Leighton, the National Secretary of Prospect, made his comments following today's announcement from EDF that it plans to scale back on preparatory work for the project and reduce the number of people working on it in a bid to control costs.

"Our members' fear that any delay in the preparation work could impede or delay EDF's ability to bring the project to fruition once agreement has been reached.Prospect is committed to an appropriate energy mix for the UK, including gas and renewables, but it is undoubtedly the case that nuclear and nuclear new build will be pivotal if we are to achieve the twin goals of capacity and security of supply.

We hope that this announcement will encourage all involved in the talks to redouble their efforts to agree a strike price. Particularly as it comes so soon after the recent warning from outgoing Ofgem head, Alistair Buchanan, that we are facing an imminent capacity crunch in the UK unless urgent action is taken.Without an agreement we risk losing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to meet the country's decarbonisation targets and help build a new economy that provides good quality jobs and growth for the UK."

• UK
• Hinkley Point
• Somerset

The parent company of British Airways has confirmed it's ordered 18 new Airbus A350 aircraft for its longhaul fleet. The planes which are partly designed at the Airbus site in Filton, will be delivered by 2018 in a three point nine billion pound deal.

BA have also bought 12 Airbus A380 superjumbos.

• Business

15,000 homes in Gloucestershire will be the first to benefit from high-speed internet in a new scheme being rolled out from the autumn. The £50 million project is a partnership between Gloucestershire County Council and BT.

Its aim is to get broadband out into rural areas, and to help businesses and people who want to work from home.

• UK

Could the next Angry Birds game be developed this weekend in Exeter?

Teams from universities throughout the West Country are taking part in a contest this weekend to create a new app for your mobile phone or tablet.

It's part of a worldwide challenge to find the next great use for mobile technology.

Richard Lawrence has been at Exeter University:

• Technology
• Exeter
• Angry Birds