Shetland Tidal Array goes full force

Nova Innovation has installed the third tidal turbine at the grid-connected Shetland Tidal Array, sited off Scotland.

The complete onshore and offshore system was installed in under 6 days, during mid-winter, in a diver-less operation, Nova Innovation informed.

This will be the final Nova Innovation’s M100 tidal turbine to be added to the first phase of the Shetland tidal array. The first two turbines were installed in the Bluemull Sound in 2016.

Each turbine installed at the Shetland Tidal Array has the capacity of 100kW.

The project is a collaborative partnership with Belgian renewable energy company ELSA, who provided project management expertise and operational input, as well as financial support.

Paul Wheelhouse, Scottish Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy, said: “Today’s announcement is another landmark development in Scotland and an excellent example of EU partner collaboration. Nova Innovation’s technology and Elsa’s project management expertise have delivered transformational change in this exciting growth sector.”

Simon Forrest, Chief Executive Officer at Nova Innovation said: “We are in discussions with partners in a number of export markets and are very much looking forward to establishing tidal energy as a long-term source of clean, green, predictable renewable energy.”

The Shetland Tidal Array has 100% EU content and has been delivered with over 80% Scottish supply chain input, Nova Innovation noted.