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PRIMRE/Databases/Projects Database/Projects/Bluemull Sound Shetland Tidal Array
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Bluemull Sound Shetland Tidal Array
Starting in 2016, Nova Innovation deployed the world’s first offshore tidal turbine array in the Bluemull Sound, Shetland, Scotland. The first three Nova M100 devices (installed total capacity 300 kW) were deployed in 2016 and 2017. In 2018, Nova Innovation was granted licenses to extend the array to six turbines (increase capacity to 600 kW) and reconfigure the turbines within the array. In 2018, Nova Innovation worked with Tesla to add energy storage to their tidal technology. This created the world’s first grid connected tidal power station with the ability to deliver baseload (constant, steady-state) power and deliver energy on demand to meet consumer needs. In 2019, the array supplied electricity to the grid for more than 17,000 generating hours. These turbines have continued to generate and export electricity to the grid since then.
In August 2020, a fourth 100 kW turbine was added to the array. This was the next generation of Nova's M100D turbine, with no gearbox (direct drive). In January 2023, two additional M100D turbines were installed, taking the total to six. In 2023 licenses were granted to partially decommission the array by removing the three original M100 turbines and associated offshore infrastructure. This reconfiguration will enable information on array effects and optimal layout design to be gathered.
Additional Information
Project Status
Is the project actively being planned or is deployed in the water (active)? Or was the project canceled or completed (inactive)?
Active
Project Life Cycle
Project Progress through life cycle:
- Planned: Project has identified a deployment location and is preparing for deployment
- Operational: Project is deployed in the water and is active
- Completed: Project was previously deployed in the water
- Decommissioned: Installation has been fully removed in accordance with regulations
- Canceled: Project was canceled before being deployed in the water
Operational
Max Rated Power Capacity
The maximum amount of electricity that can be produced by project, based on available resources and device nameplate capacity.
0.6 MW
Operational Start Year
March 2016
Project Start Year
2016
Energy Resource
- Tidal
Project Scale
Full-scale
Number of Devices
6
Grid Connectivity
Grid Connected
Waterbody
Bluemull Sound, Shetland
Site Characteristics
Geographic characterization for the project location:
- Open Ocean: Main body of ocean, not enclosed or partially enclosed by land
- Coastal: Open water near the coast, spanning between land and shelf boundary
- Enclosed Bay: water that is partially surrounded by land, with a mouth open to larger water
- Constricted Channel: A channel where water flows quickly due to narrowing by the land
- River: Water flowing from land towards a larger body of water
Constricted Channel
Country
United Kingdom
Environmental Details
Last Modified
6 June 2025
This Project has the following MRE Devices
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Citation Formats
“Bluemull Sound Shetland Tidal Array.” Marine Energy Projects Database: Projects, PRIMRE, United States Department of Energy, https://openei.org/wiki/PRIMRE/Databases/Projects_Database/Projects/Bluemull_Sound_Shetland_Tidal_Array. Accessed <day> <monthRoman> <year>.
Marine Energy Projects Database: Projects. <year>. "Bluemull Sound Shetland Tidal Array." Accessed <monthRoman> <day>, <year>. https://openei.org/wiki/PRIMRE/Databases/Projects_Database/Projects/Bluemull_Sound_Shetland_Tidal_Array.
