Scotland will deploy its first floating PV system this year as part of efforts to increase renewable energy generation and reduce carbon emissions. Nova Innovation, a leading developer of tidal turbines, has added floating solar to its portfolio and will install the PV system later this year. The company is currently testing the array at its facilities in Edinburgh.
“These panels give a fascinating glimpse into the opportunities for Scotland’s future energy system and are the first step towards harnessing our significant potential for floating solar,” said Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf, during a tour of the manufacturing site in Edinburgh’s port district of Leith.
Nova Innovation installed the world’s first offshore tidal turbine array in Shetland in 2016 and subsequently received GBP 6.4 million ($8 million) from the Scottish National Investment Bank in 2021 to expand production of innovative renewable energy generators. It has since established project sites in Canada, France and Indonesia.
“The investment by the Scottish National Investment Bank in Nova Innovation helped expand its manufacturing base here in Leith and aligned strongly with the Scottish government’s priority of supporting innovative technology that will help us achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2045,” said Yousaf. “Scotland is already one of the most advanced hubs in Europe for the testing and demonstration of marine energy technology and I look forward to seeing where the panels will be launched in the near future.”
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Nova Innovation CEO Simon Forrest said that record-high energy prices and growing concerns over security of supply made it imperative for Scotland to focus on homegrown energy from its abundant natural resources.
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“Scotland is at the heart of the tidal energy revolution and Nova continues to lead the sector with proven technology and unrivalled reliability,” said Forrest. “With the addition of floating solar to our portfolio, we are ideally placed to help drive the race to net zero.”
Nova Innovation says the official launch of the floating PV installation will take place later this year. It claims that it already has a multi-megawatt international pipeline.
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