EDF has announced the development of a pilot farm comprising two tidal turbines at Paimpol-Bréhat in Brittany (France). OpenHydro, a DCNS company and leader in tidal energy, will supply two new turbines which will be operational from 2015.
From prototype to pilot phase
This new project is a fundamental step in the development of tidal energy in France. It follows on from the successful testing of the tidal turbine L’Arcouest in real conditions between December 2013 and April 2014 at the Paimpol-Bréhat site. These conclusive tests demonstrated the performance of the tidal turbine developed by OpenHydro and validated the principle of the 16-metre diameter prototype, an essential step before the deployment of pilot farms.
The two turbines to be installed on the Paimpol-Bréhat site from 2015 will benefit from the feedback of studies conducted on components of the prototype L’Arcouest. These second-generation turbines, with optimised design and performance, will then be adapted for series production to support future calls for tenders for commercial farms.
The pilot farm, essential step before commercial deployment
The development of the Paimpol-Bréhat pilot farm, together with other pilot farm projects which OpenHydro is progressing in France and Canada, are intended to demonstrate the technical, economic and environmental feasibility of tidal energy sector.
At Paimpol-Bréhat, OpenHydro and EDF are going to test the operation of two turbines connected to the grid. The two partners will demonstrate the long-term reliability of a totally innovative technology under real conditions. This pilot phase will pave the way for the deployment from 2016 of pre-commercial farms and the development of a tidal energy industrial sector in France.
Thierry Kalanquin, executive chairman of OpenHydro and director of DCNS Marine Energy and Infrastructure Division said: “We are pleased with this announcement, which confirms the performance of the innovative tidal turbine technology developed by OpenHydro. We are eager to begin this new phase of our collaboration with EDF in order to contribute to the development of the tidal energy industry.