Tidal energy company Nova Innovation has added an additional two turbines to its Shetland Tidal Array, making the development the largest of its kind in the world.
The first array of three underwater tidal turbines was installed in 2016 with a fourth machine added in 2020.
With the installation of the fifth and sixth turbines, it becomes the array with the largest number of turbines anywhere in the world.
The two turbines, dubbed Grace and Hali Hope, were connected via a subsea ‘hub’, sending power to shore by a single export cable.
This innovation delivers significant savings on subsea cables, further reducing the cost of tidal power, essential as the industry scales-up and Nova develops larger sites with more turbines.
CEO of Nova Innovation Simon Forest said: “The doubling of the Shetland Tidal Array is further evidence of the scalability and commercial readiness of tidal energy. We have been powering homes and businesses in Shetland since 2016 so our technology is proven in Shetland, ready for the world.
“The EnFAIT project, funded by EU Horizon 2020, has been instrumental in driving down the cost of tidal energy, demonstrating extensive reliability and proving the bankability of the tidal sector.”
Scottish Net Zero & Energy Secretary Michael Matheson added: “Our abundant natural resources, expertise and innovation has made Scotland an early leader in marine energy.
“As one of the pioneers of tidal energy Nova Innovation are demonstrating performance and reliability of the technology, and I welcome the expansion of its Shetland array. From creating the world’s first offshore tidal array in 2016, this achievement marks a new milestone for tidal energy across the world as we seek to scale up and accelerate the technology in Scotland and beyond.”