An Irish firm has just lowered a two-storey tall energy turbine into the French ocean
Dublin-based OpenHydro is hoping the test device can help prove the viability of tidal power.
IRISH RENEWABLE COMPANY OpenHydro has just successfully deployed the second of two prototype tidal turbines in France.
The two-storey high turbine, which will operate 40m below the surface of the water, was lowered into the seabed off the coast of Brittany last week.
The 16m-high device is the second to be installed at the site after the company deployed a first turbine at the Paimpol-Brehat demonstration farm at the start of the year.
The turbines have a combined capacity of one megawatt (MW) and together could power about 700 homes per year. They are due to be connected to the main French electricity grid over the summer. If it meets this deadline, the project will be the world’s first grid-connected tidal array.
If the test is successful, OpenHydro hopes to deploy turbines with a total capacity of 14 MW at the site by 2018. The project is a joint venture with giant French utility EDF, which supplies electricity to more than 38 million customers.
OpenHydro chief executive James Ives said that the venture is a “global first”.
“(This gives) us key insights into the operation of our turbines at array scale,” he said.
“This historic achievement is also an essential step on the path to commercialisation and in ensuring OpenHydro is well positioned to benefit from the global tidal energy market.”
OpenHydro is also planning to build a purpose-built turbine facility in Cherbourg to act as the industrial hub for the project.
One of the OpenHydro test turbines
Discussions are ongoing between OpenHydro, the Ports of Normandy Authority and the French government agency, SHEMA, to finalise plans for the facility.
Commercialisation
Earlier this year the firm tapped shareholders for €47 million as it aims to commercialise its technology.
OpenHydro is majority owned by French naval systems designer DCNS, which provided the majority of the capital during the shareholder cash call.
As well as major projects in France and Canada, the company plans to develop a huge tidal array in Northern Ireland.
The 100 MW scheme, set to be constructed off the north Antrim coast, has the potential to generate enough power for 70,000 homes. Work on the venture is expected to start in 2018.
