Marine renewables: Your chance to invest in tidal energy in Scotland – from as little as £500
Free stream tidal energy could provide over 11 per cent of the UK’s energy needs, and a significant portion of that is in Scotland.
Proteus Marine Renewables is a new company with decades of experience at its helm – and is poised to install the world’s largest tidal turbine into multiple countries commencing as early as 2025.
The company is led by a dynamic group of people, experienced and passionate about this type of technology and dedicated to ensuring this becomes one of the mainstays of sustainable, renewable energy. It has ambitions to become the leading provider of marine renewables products and services globally, starting by commercialising tidal energy.
Proteus says that much of the discovery phase (About £0.5 – £1bn of testing and developing work) has been done on tidal turbines and related technology and now, as production and installation costs are coming down, the time is ripe to roll out the technology in a commercial way in Scotland and across the world as it works on projects in the UK, Europe and Japan.
Be part of the future
And it is offering an opportunity for the smaller investor* to be part of its success, with a 11% return on investment of a minimum of £500*
Proteus CEO Drew Blaxland, has worked in the industry since 2007, but in 2022 he led a management buyout of the technology behind these tidal turbines. Alongside others with similar expertise, they set up a company which delivers a complete end-to-end solution for harnessing tidal power including consultancy and design to testing, production, installation, operations and maintenance.
With around 20 permanent employees this is a lean company, he explained, which buys in commoditised services when needed – eg chartering vessels to install a tidal turbine system.
Drew explained that as the company grows, it is looking for working capital to complete some final design work and to establish a new larger head office commercial centre of excellence in Edinburgh.
It is offering the opportunity to invest from £500 – but typically £1,000 to £5,000. After 12-15 months the investor can withdraw their invested money (plus the 11% accrued interest bonus) and walk away, or they will be offered the chance to become a shareholder and will be able to take advantage of a 20% discount on shares for being an early investor.
Who would invest?
Anyone who cares about the environment and wants to support technology which moves away from gas and fossil fuels, people looking to dip their toe in the waters of investing in emerging companies and technology, and those that want to support the growth of this industry and creating jobs in Scotland.
The UK government has awarded contracts for 130MW of tidal energy since 2022, with exponentially more to come, Proteus says. And as Scotland has some of the strongest tides in the world, and has been responsible for the majority of the world’s free stream tidal generation, it is well placed to expand and grow from here.
“This technology is in the water now,” Drew explained. “The testing has been done. Now is the time for us to take this forward on a commercial scale. And with the pledge from the British Government to put money in renewables and to make the UK a green energy superpower, there has never been a better time to invest in this technology.”
Of course it’s an emerging industry, but it is an industry backed by the Government, with a stated commitment to tidal energy growth. And, the waters around Scotland have such strong tides, and have already invested so much into tidal energy, it is set to become a major hub for tidal energy in the world. Once each AR3000 turbine is operating it can provide power for up to 1,500 homes.
Proteus CEO Drew BlaxlandThis is new, but it has been a long road to get here, and the costly developmental stage is behind us. Scotland has some of the strongest tides in the world, and has been responsible for the majority of the world’s free stream tidal generation to date. We rely on local enablement in each country that our technology is deployed, and the Scottish supply chain is well placed to grow with us.
Why tidal energy?
Tidal energy is both reliable and predictable (if the tides stop turning, the world probably has bigger things to worry about!) Tide times can be charted decades ahead and these turbines- which work just like wind turbines but underneath the water –are designed to make the most of capturing energy generated by that strong movement of water. Although the turbines stand tall on their foundations – the equivalent of a five-story building – they are out of sight, completely submerged, so do not spoil the seascape or landscape, no long duration construction work is needed, they can be installed quickly, in only 20 minutes, requiring few maintenance events, thus protecting the marine environment with minimal disruption. Designed to operate for a minimum 25 years – the first planned servicing is scheduled at quarter life, after six years.
Who are Proteus?
Its 20 global employees are all seasoned professionals from the marine renewables industry. They are pioneers, innovators and passionate about their business. Find out more on the website here and about the crowdfunding investment opportunity here.
Disclaimer
*All investments carry a risk and the value can go down as well as up. As with all investments, you should seek professional advice, which is specific to your personal circumstances and appetite for investment risk before making any financial investment.