Scottish tidal energy firm Nova Innovation has been handed £6.4 million to fund manufacturing and distribution of its subsea turbines.
Secured from the Scottish National Investment Bank, the investment will allow the Edinburgh-headquartered company to increase its presence across the UK and expand into new global markets.
Nova’s innovative 100 kilowatt (kW) tidal turbines have been transforming the power of the sea into green energy in Shetland since 2016.
By focusing on scalable solutions, the company has been able to install, adapt and enhance its technology on site, creating a reliable and replicable product for mass production.
Nova’s turbines can be used to generate tidal energy within small projects in coastal communities or scaled up to large developments that feed into the national grid.
As well as strong domestic opportunities for tidal energy in the waters around Scotland and the UK, Nova’s technology has global potential with strong tidal currents on every continent.
Simon Forrest, chief executive of Nova Innovation, said: “We are passionate about creating sustainable energy solutions and have proven that our tidal turbines meet all our client requirements in the toughest of environments. Our products deliver clean, predictable power with no visual impact or negative effects on the environment.
“We have been successfully powering homes, businesses, and the grid in Shetland for over five years. We now look forward to delivering our product to new markets around the world.
“We would like to thank the Scottish National Investment Bank for this significant investment in mass manufacturing and distribution of Nova’s tidal energy technology – supporting Scotland’s transition to net zero and tackling the climate emergency.”
The investment will support Nova in meeting growing global and local demand for its tidal turbines, as well as ongoing research and development into marine enrgy.
Core technology will be manufactured in Scotland and supply chain benefits will be passed on to other local businesses.
The company has already experienced strong global demand for their technology with current projects across the UK, Europe, Asia and North America.
Eilidh Mactaggart, CEO of the Scottish National Investment Bank, said: “Nova Innovation is a great example of Scottish engineering finding new solutions to the climate crisis. Its tidal technology has the potential to sustainably meet the energy needs of remote communities globally.
“This innovative business has proven that its tidal technology works successfully commercialised its technology with a growing order book for its turbines both locally and globally.
“I am very proud that the Bank’s investment will enable Nova to develop new facilities to expand its manufacturing capacity and increase the supply of its tidal turbines to Scotland, the UK and the world.
“Nova’s recent development of tidal powered electric vehicle charging points underlines the company’s ability to develop and expand the use of its technology creatively. Nova’s focus on the supply to island and coastal communities who were previously heavily dependent on fossil fuels has been a key driver in its success to date.”
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