Renewable Energy: The Tides Help Power Cars in Scotland

Nova Innovation announced that vehicles in Shetland are now fueled by the power of the sea, courtesy of the creation of the first ever electric vehicle (EV) charge point where drivers can ‘fill up’ directly from a tidal energy source.

The EV charge point is located on the shores of Bluemull Sound, at Cullivoe harbor on the island of Yell in Shetland. Beneath the water, Nova’s tidal turbines have been powering homes and businesses in Shetland for more than five years. The island’s vehicles can now be powered purely by the tide.

“Our technology generates electricity from the immense power of the seas, and it is changing the way we power our lives - from how we make a cup of tea to how we travel," said Simon Forrest, CEO of Nova Innovation. "We now have the reality of tidal powered cars, which demonstrates the huge steps forward we are making in tackling the climate emergency and achieving net zero by working in harmony with our natural environment."

Traditional combustion engine vehicles are responsible for around a fifth of all carbon emissions in the UK. In the push towards net zero, the Scottish Government has banned the sale of new cars powered solely by petrol or diesel by 2032, accelerating the need to develop new sources of clean energy to power vehicles. The Nova project has received grant funding through Transport Scotland to install the EV charging infrastructure as part of the clean energy transition.

Image courtesy Nova Innovation