As a nation, we Scots have a proud history of being at the cutting edge of innovation. For most, this stirs up thoughts of post-industrial technological advancements in the late 19th and early 20th centuries such as the telephone and television or, more recently, attracting big business to our shores through manufacturing and energy production.
Much has changed since those halcyon days and it’s impossible to escape the sea change we are experiencing with the all-encompassing power of artificial intelligence (AI).
While it seems far removed from the Alexander Graham Bells and John Logie Bairds of this world, or even the powerhouse industries of shipbuilding and oil and gas, it shares the fact that it feels completely unavoidable. Scotland can’t afford to sit on its hands.
Exciting new plans look set to put Scotland at the forefront of these AI advancements and, ultimately, have huge potential to provide a major boost to our economy.
The news I’m referring to is the new green AI data centre proposal at Ravenscraig, North Lanarkshire, reported to be worth in the region of £3–4 billion.
Such a staggering potential investment demands the attention – and they’ve certainly got mine!
The plans lay out a huge data farm, on the site of the former Ravenscraig steelworks, which would provide a massive economic boost to the area, creating some 2,400 jobs with screeds more expected in the construction phase.
The centre, which would utilise battery-storage green energy across the 160-acre site, has been proposed by developers Apatura, who have bases in Edinburgh and York.
What exactly is it I hear you ask?
From my understanding, the green AI data centre is a sort of supercomputer which requires parallel computing, ultra-fast networking, immense power draw and heat management to process large amounts of information for its clients.
This is an intensive process, but the centre will have huge green credentials, something Scotland has also been at the cutting edge of in recent decades, using its large processing power to harness excess renewable energy we are generating, and store it safely and sustainably for future use.
The developers have already confirmed they are supported by 550 megawatts of grid connections expected to come online by 2030.
This should provide more reliability and better value for consumers and businesses alike as it stores the surplus wind and solar energy we’re currently wasting.
Approval and construction could take some time yet, but the overall picture looks rosy, particularly given the UK Government’s backing of the project via the AI Growth Zone scheme.
While this is a lot to get your head around, the key takeaway here for me is the reimagining of former industrial land. We need to embrace developments which move Scotland forward while still making a nod to our heritage.
After all, that identity of innovation, technology and hard graft is the strong foundation on which modern Scotland is built.
It may look a little different in the 21st century, but the core principles remain the same.
We have the natural resources, with large amounts of water on tap to provide the cooling power required to make these data centres work, the reputation and the wherewithal to make things happen in the AI sphere.
What is missing is the infrastructure required to grow this most modern of enterprises by attracting new business and investment to our industrial heartland.
The proposed Ravenscraig AI data centre could bring significant benefits to the local area. By transforming a long-disused steelworks site into a hub for cutting-edge technology, it supports economic regeneration and sustainable development, as well as plugging the skills gap we currently face in AI.
For a community long marked by industrial decline, the development offers a chance to redefine its future around high-tech growth, sustainability, and inclusive economic participation. It marks a modern reinvention of a historically significant site – bringing new purpose to a place of industrial heritage.
Hopefully Apatura are successful in their plans and development of the site can start sooner rather than later because if we don’t take advantage of this opportunity somebody else will.
Side
Good biz is about sharing success
Business is about more than making money. It is about people, community, and leaving the world a little better than we found it. John Horne understands that.
John runs JR Scaffold, part of the JR Group. This year, his company is turning 30 years old. To mark that milestone, he’s doing something truly special. He is auctioning off almost his entire collection of sports memorabilia.
We are not talking about a few football scarves. This is one of the biggest private collections in Scotland. It includes signed shirts from legends like Ronaldo and Messi, and even items from stars like Muhammad Ali and Tiger Woods.
John started collecting back in 1995, the same year he started his business. Now, he wants his passion for sport to help others. The money raised will go to two charities that mean a lot to him: the Emmie Smillie Foundation and MND Scotland.
This is what good business looks like. It is about building success and then sharing it. It is about using what you have to give back to things you care about. John’s auction will raise money, awareness for important causes, and will hopefully inspire another individual in a comparable position to do something similar.
I believe every business, big or small, can find a way to give back. It does not have to be a huge auction. Sometimes even small gestures can make a big difference. John shows us that when business and kindness come together, everyone wins.
It Makes Me Smile
Farmer’s Hare-y Moment
Farmers understand the biology of our food, speak like trained mechanics, and stronger than an ox. Now they are carrying out emergency roadside C-sections with a pen-knife.
Mid-silage, farmer Robert Craig spotted a moving tummy on a hare and thought, “Aye, surgical intervention it is.”
Next time you find yourself stuck behind a tractor please try and remember that the person in the driving seat is an example of the oft-misrepresented full quote, “Jack of all trades, master of none, though oftentimes better than a master of one.”
Robert’s rescue of Bruno the hare is an example of how farmers are some of the most skilled and adaptable workers in the country, and business leaders should take inspiration.
It Makes Me Cry
Glasgow’s gearing up for TRNSMT, but Subway strikes might leave fans stranded
I feel for workers wanting better conditions – nobody should face unsafe staffing levels. But this will cause chaos, prevent people spending, and cause reputational damage for the Glasgow Green-based festival.
Shops, bars, and hotels rely on big events like this. A city gridlocked with traffic helps no one and businesses deserve to keep the tills ringing after enduring enough in recent times.
There’s got to be room for compromise. I hope the union and SPT get around the table fast.
Because come TRNSMT weekend, Glasgow needs the music to take centre stage, not subway drama.
