France steps up its tidal power game

French president Emmanuel Macron has announced commercial tenders for tidal stream as part of the French energy strategy update (PPE), saying ‘we have to be at the top of our game in tidal stream’.

The news follows a recent announcement by the French minister of the energy transition of at least €65 million of funding, plus dedicated revenue support, for the pioneering tidal energy pilot farm project FloWatt.

Both announcements demonstrate that France is ready to make the most out of the industrial opportunities associated with the commercialization of the technology and recognizes its key role in the energy transition, according to Ocean Energy Europe, a Brussels-based organization dedicated to marine renewable energies.

“This is excellent news for tidal stream and for France. It will enable large projects attract private investments and French technology – among the world’s best – to industrialize.

“It brings long-awaited market visibility to the sector, and it is a great step toward commercialization. It also reflects a growing momentum for tidal stream in Europe.

“After the UK, which has contracted 93MW of tidal stream capacity via its contract for difference (CfD) scheme, France is the second country to deliver strong support and market visibility to boost tidal development. We look forward to working with/alongside the French government to make this new sector a reality,” said Rémi Gruet, CEO of Ocean Energy Europe.

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