The second turbine bound for EDF’s Paimpol-Bréhat tidal array has been successfully deployed by OpenHydro, a DCNS company. When the turbines are connected to the grid over the summer the project will be the world’s first grid-connected tidal array, says DCNS.
After leaving the port of Brest on 26 May, the turbine reached its site off the coast of Brittany on Friday 27 and was lowered on to the seabed on the 29th, in under an hour, by OpenHydro’s deployment barge.
The second 16m turbine will operate at a depth of 40m below the surface – close to the first device which was deployed in January.
Over the summer, the array will be connected to a submarine converter, developed by GE. A single cable will make landfall – exporting 1MW of energy to the French electrical grid.
James Ives, OpenHydro Chief Executive, said: “OpenHydro, DCNS and EDF have worked hand-in-hand to deliver this milestone for the tidal energy industry. Paimpol-Bréhat is a global industry first; giving us key insights into the operation of our turbines at array scale.
“On a technical and industrial level, it will help us prepare for delivery of EDF Energies Nouvelles’ Normandie Hydro project – a 14 MW array set to be deployed in 2018. This historic achievement is also an essential step on the path to the commercialization and in ensuring OpenHydro is well positioned to benefit from the €200 billion tidal energy market which exists world-wide.”
The successful deployment comes as OpenHydro announced plans for a purpose-built turbine facility in Cherbourg to act as the industrial hub for the delivery of the Normandie Hydro project.
Discussions are ongoing between DCNS/OpenHydro, the Ports of Normandy Authority and the French government agency, SHEMA, to finalize plans for the ambitious facility.