Scottish marine energy company Nova Innovation has installed a marine floating solar demonstrator to power Forth Ports’ headquarters in the Port of Leith.

Nova’s marine solar demonstrator was constructed and installed over the summer, showcasing the company’s ability to harness abundant solar energy on water surfaces. The operational array has already demonstrated its resilience by successfully generating electricity during the challenging conditions of ‘Storm Babet’ in October, providing a promising start as it prepares for the Scottish winter.

The technology has huge potential globally. Classification society DNV foresees a potential market of 4,000 GW of floating solar capacity. With Nova’s project set to showcase the potential of the emerging technology in Scotland, it could be a means to scale it across the nation and bolster its solar capacity.

“With water covering two thirds of the planet, floating solar technology offers a promising means of harnessing abundant solar energy while preserving valuable land space. We are delighted to have deployed the first floating solar demonstrator at Forth Ports and are already working on larger installations,” said Simon Forrest, CEO of Nova Innovation.

David Webster, director of energy for Forth Ports said: “We are excited to incorporate floating solar into our operations at the Port of Leith. Working with Nova Innovation demonstrates our drive towards progressive change within the maritime industry, as well as supporting our commitment to carbon neutrality by 2032 and achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2042.”