Industry News Today
TechCentral
- WhatsApp retreats after user backlash, delays mandatory new terms 15th Jan 2021Facebook's WhatsApp is delaying the roll out of new business features following user backlash over the company's data sharing practices.Agency Staff
- US blacklists Xiaomi, days before Trump leaves office 15th Jan 2021The Trump administration blacklisted Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi and 10 other companies as it broadened efforts to undercut the expansion of the country’s technology sector.Agency Staff
- Trading WhatsApp for Signal or Telegram? Facebook isn’t fazed 15th Jan 2021History has shown that Facebook is able to impose new terms and conditions on users with little negative consequence. Rinse and repeat. By Alex Webb.Alex Webb
- Schools won’t reopen until 15 February 15th Jan 2021With the country experiencing a second wave of Covid-19, government has decided to delay the reopening of both public and private schools to 15 February.SANews
- Prenesh Padayachee joins Seacom as chief digital officer 15th Jan 2021Former Openserve and Internet Solutions executive Prenesh Padayachee has been appointed as chief digital officer, replacing chief technical officer Claes Segelberg in an expanded role.Staff Reporter
Advanced Television
- Portuguese broadband could limit SVoD access 15th Jan 2021Portuguese telcos can now limit or block access to non-linear TV services such as VoD platforms, catch-up TV and online games, to preserve the integrity and security of broadband networks and prevent congestion. This action has been introduced with a decree that regulates the new state of the Covid-19 emergency in Portugal, which comes into […]Editor
- ViacomCBS, DISH deliver live addressable impressions 15th Jan 2021ViacomCBS and DISH Media have announced a significant breakthrough by delivering what they say is the first-ever addressable impressions within a live national broadcast via MVPD set-top box. Addressable ad replacement was successfully executed on a select number of live campaigns across DISH’s 9MM household footprint in certain CBS-owned-and-operated US markets, marking a major technical […]Editor
- Forecast: Peacock to pass 52m subs in 2024 15th Jan 2021According to a report from Macquarie, the financial services company, Peacock will surpass 52 million subscribers in 2024 with revenues of $1.96 billion (€1.62bn). The US streaming platform, owned by NBCUniversal, is forecast to hit $604 million in revenue this year – up from $296 million in 2020. The majority of revenue growth is expected to […]Editor
Reuters Events | Renewables – Solar Thermal
- US CSP valve leap boosts prospects for hotter plants 13th Jan 2021New flow control valves being developed by US researchers could help CSP developers meet ambitious cost reduction targets. Sandia National Laboratories has partnered with global valve and pump group Flowserve and nuclear power developer Kairos Power to develop valves that can withstand far higher temperatures than current designs. The valves feed a heat transfer medium […]Robin Sayles
- Botswana to build 200 MW of CSP; Cubico buys 100 MW of CSP in Spain 13th Jan 2021Botswana to build 200 MW of CSP by 2026 Botswana plans to build 200 MW of CSP capacity by 2026, according to a new integrated resource plan (IRP) published by the government on December 15. The procurement process will start this year, it said. Botswana is a land-locked sub-Saharan country bordering South Africa, Namibia and […]Robin Sayles
- Solar tower at pasta plant spurs new generator design 18th Nov 2020A concentrated solar heat (CSH) system installed in Italy next year will bring a new high-temperature technology to industrial heating. A group of European companies will build a pilot ceramic particle concentrated solar tower plant at a pasta factory owned by Barilla in Foggia. The 'HiFlex' plant will use centrifugal solar technology developed by the […]Robin Sayles
- US to build 5 MW sCO2 CSP plant; Spain backs global tower insulation standards 18th Nov 2020Heliogen wins US funding for high-temperature CSP plant The US Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded concentrated solar developer Heliogen $39 million to build and operate a 5 MW CSP plant with supercritical CO2 (sCO2) power cycle and thermal energy storage. Heliogen will commit $31.1 million to the project, the DOE announced November 12. The […]Robin Sayles
- German heliostat tracker raises bar for CSP tower accuracy 15th Oct 2020A new heliostat alignment technology developed in Germany highlights the widening range of cost-saving products that will soon be available to commercial CSP tower plants. A number of research teams are developing advanced heliostat calibration technology. Heliostats typically represent around a third of CSP plant costs and the misalignment of mirrors can severely dent output. […]Robin Sayles