Nova Innovation to Install Floating Solar Farm for Bathgate Silica Sand in Cheshire

Scottish firm Nova Innovation has been awarded a contract to install 650 floating solar panels on North Arclid Lake for Bathgate Silica Sand in Cheshire. This project, equivalent to two Olympic-sized swimming pools, aims to decarbonise Bathgate's operations and reduce energy costs.

The EPC contract follows a feasibility study conducted by AquaGen365, a joint venture between Nova and RSK, which also secured necessary permissions from Cheshire East Council. The UK's Solar Roadmap aims to increase solar capacity to 75GW by 2035, recognizing floating solar as a key technology for rapid deployment. The project is expected to become operational in the summer, contributing to net zero targets and supporting job creation in the renewable energy sector.