OpenHydro Stations Second Paimpol-Bréhat Turbine to Seabed

OpenHydro, a DCNS company has deployed the second turbine bound for EDF’s Paimpol-Bréhat tidal array.

When the turbines are connected to the grid over the summer, the project will be the world’s first grid-connected tidal array.

After leaving the port of Brest on May 26, the turbine reached its site off the coast of Brittany on Friday 27, and was lowered on to the seabed on the 29, in under an hour, by OpenHydro’s deployment barge.

The second 16 metre turbine will operate at a depth of 40 metres 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 General Electric. 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 commercialisation and in ensuring OpenHydro is well positioned to benefit from the €200 billion tidal energy market which exists world-wide.”