Underwater turbines to power islands’ distilleries
A marine energy company has announced a project to produce whisky distilled by tidal power in the Sound of Islay.
Nova Innovation, based in Edinburgh, has revealed plans to install a series of underwater turbines in the Sound of Islay between the isles of Islay and Jura, home to 10 of Scotland’s finest whisky distilleries.
Nova says the plan is to create ‘clean, renewable power generated by the tide’ to power the distilleries in the Inner Hebrides and displace fossil fuels used on the islands.
The subsea turbines have no visual impact on the landscape, create no shipping or navigational hazard and work in harmony with the marine environment, Nova said.
The 3MW project is called ‘Oran na Mara’ – Gaelic for ‘song of the sea’ - and follows Nova’s 2016 tidal power scheme at Bluemull Sound, Shetland.
Simon Forrest, chief executive officer of Nova Innovation, said: ‘Tidal energy can play a huge role in decarbonising the whisky industry and ensuring a sustainable future for Scotland’s island communities.’
Crown Estate Scotland (CES) awarded Nova Innovation an ‘option agreement’ for the project which enables the company to start its detailed development of the scheme.
Mark McKean, development manager at Crown Estate Scotland, said: ‘This project is a great example of how a local energy system might work and we hope to see more of these types of projects around Scottish waters, creating new developments that will grow Scotland’s blue economy and push us closer to reaching the country’s goal of net zero emissions by 2045.’
Angus Colquhoun, engineering and risk manager at Distell, owners of Bunnahabhain Distillery on Islay, said it was delighted Nova had been awarded seabed rights for the project.
He said: ‘This has significant potential to support a raft of improvements that Bunnahabhain Distillery is committed to making, to grow the sustainability of the iconic Scotch malt whisky brand and support the distillery to do its bit to help tackle the climate change crisis.’
AJ Cunningham, operations manager at Bruichladdich Distillery on Islay, said the project was encouraging news for Islay and sourcing energy locally and renewably.
‘Access to a clean and continuous supply of energy, such as tidal power, could help support our carbon zero ambitions,’ he said.
Michael Russell, MSP for Argyll and Bute, said: ‘The combination of the two shows the innovation and imagination for which Scotland is also famed and I am delighted to welcome this news.
‘It will help decarbonise Islay but will also give an example of good practice.’