Nova to Build Floating Solar Array at Cheshire Quarry
Nova Innovation has secured a contract to deliver a 400kW floating solar array for Bathgate Silica Sand's quarry lake in Cheshire, operating through its AquaGen365 partnership.
Scottish clean energy firm Nova Innovation has been awarded a contract to install a floating solar farm at a quarry lake in Cheshire, UK. The project is being undertaken through its AquaGen365 partnership with RSK.
The installation will comprise a 400-kilowatt (kW) array of 650 floating solar panels on North Arclid Lake, a body of water used for industrial sand quarrying for over a century. The array is expected to help Bathgate Silica Sand decarbonise its operations and reduce energy costs.
David Robinson, Managing Director at Bathgate Silica Sand, stated the project's significance, allowing for on-site renewable energy generation while preserving land for quarrying activities. He added, "The beauty of it is that it allows us to generate renewable energy on site, whilst preserving land for our day-to-day quarrying operations."
The AquaGen365 joint venture provides a comprehensive service for floating solar installations, including feasibility studies, design, consenting, and construction. Following a feasibility assessment and securing planning permission from Cheshire East Council, Bathgate Silica Sand awarded the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract to Nova.
Simon Forrest, CEO of Nova Innovation, highlighted the role of floating solar in meeting the UK's broader energy targets, including the goal of achieving 75GW of solar capacity by 2035. He noted the technology's scalability and suitability for deployment on water bodies, supporting businesses' clean energy ambitions and contributing to national net-zero goals.