EV Charging from Tidal Energy

Electric Vehicles have a new form of renewable energy to their charging. Nova Innovation has installed the world’s first electric vehicle charge point powered by tidal energy on the island of Yell in the Shetlands.

Tidal turbines in the Shetland Tidal Array supply the energy that is converted into electricity for the charge point. A battery storage system has also been deployed to ensure a constant supply for vehicles. Nova Innovation plans to add six-turbines to facilitate up to 30,000 EV charges per year. While tidal has a long way to go to catch up with other renewable sources such as wind and solar, it does have one potential advantage: predictability.

This type of innovation is the key in responding to the global climate emergency and highlights the opportunities that can be realized as we transition to a net-zero economy. 

The EV charge point in Cullivoe is powered by Nova Innovation’s Shetland Tidal Array – tidal turbines that have been generating electricity for homes and business in Shetland since 2016 – and now electric cars