Nova Innovation seeks environmental crew for ‘The Island in the Currents’

Scottish tidal energy company Nova Innovation has launched a tender for a contractor to lead the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) work for its Enlli tidal project in North Wales.

The Enlli project aims to generate electricity from the natural ebb and flow of the tide between Ynys Enlli – ‘The Island in the Currents’ – and the mainland of the Llŷn Peninsula.

The project, expected to see five 100kW Nova Innovation turbines installed on the seabed, received €1.4 million (£1.2 million) from the Welsh Government in November 2020.

At the time, the company said the funding would be used to support environmental consenting and engineering work related to the project.

Now, Nova Innovation is looking to appoint a contractor to lead the EIA assessment and the production of the Environmental Statement for the scheme.

According to the company, the successful contractor will work closely alongside its engineering, project management and environmental specialists to complete the work.

In particular, the lead EIA contractor will be working alongside the company’s environmental manager to deliver the tendered portion of work as part of a 13-month-long contract, Nova Innovation said.

The deadline for the application to the tender has been set for May 13, 2022, while the estimated contract award announcement is planned to follow a week later.

Aside from developing a new source of clean energy, the Enlli project is expected to create opportunities for sustainable business and jobs for local people in the new low-carbon economy.

It also has the potential to help the ‘Island in the Currents’ switch from a dependency on diesel generation to become the world’s first blue energy island, according to Nova Innovation.

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