The world’s first community-owned tidal turbine will be stationed in Shetland, it was announced yesterday.
The Nova-30 generator will be owned and used by the North Yell community to power a local ice plant and industrial estate.
The device, which will be situated in the Bluemull Sound between the islands of Yell and Unst, will be plugged into the national grid to provide electricity for one of the remotest parts of Scotland.
It will be built by Leith-based Nova Innovationand Steel Engineering inits newly-expanded manufacturing facility inRenfrew, which was officially opened by First Minister Alex Salmond yesterday.
Mr Salmond said: “Scotland is leading the way in the development of marine renewables, and today’s announcement that the world’s first community-owned turbine is to be manufactured and deployed on these shores is a truly fantastic endorsement of our burgeoning renewables sector.
“The turbine being developed by Nova Innovation – based in Leith – and manufactured by Steel Engineering – based in Renfrew – will be used to power businesses in a Shetland community, showing the very tangible benefits that marine renewable power can bring to Scotland’s businesses and people in the years to come.”
The Nova-30 device will use three rotor blades to generate 30kw of electricity.
It will be owned by the North Yell community which received a £150,000 grant from the Scottish Government towards its development.
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