Aqua Power to test new wave energy device at Scottish salmon farm.
Aqua Power Technologies will trial its second-generation MANTA wave energy device at a salmon farm off Uig Bay, Isle of Skye, in summer 2026, in-Cumbria reports.
The Kendal-based company, founded by engineer Sam Etherington in 2014, has scaled up the prototype to a nominal 25kW capacity, compared with 4.5kW for the first version. The machine, partially funded through the UK government’s Seafood Innovation Fund, has been redesigned to increase efficiency and power output.
Wave energy has long been seen as a potential alternative to diesel generators in aquaculture, where farms often require continuous power for feeding, lighting and aeration systems. Developers have faced challenges in scaling technology, but Aqua Power is positioning its MANTA device as a simple, durable solution suited to exposed farm sites.
While development of the MANTA continues, Aqua Power has rolled out a range of spin-off products aimed at reducing fuel use. Six hybrid battery systems are now in operation across Scotland, collectively offsetting an estimated 1.3 million kg of COâ‚‚ in under two years. The company says its products are deployed on around 10 percent of Scottish salmon farms operated by the five largest producers.
Scotland accounts for roughly 5 percent of global farmed salmon output, and Aqua Power believes the technology has wider potential across international aquaculture markets.
