Guinard Energies to power French oyster farm with tidal turbine

French start-up Guinard Energies is preparing to redeploy its P154 tidal turbine in southern Brittany in France, which will be coupled with a photovoltaic installation to provide power for an electric barge servicing an oyster farm.

The deployment is part of an ERSEO project, launched in late 2020 by marine services and engineering provider Chantier Bretagne Sud in collaboration with Regional Shellfish Committee (CRC), and the oyster farmers association of the Etel estuary.

The turbine will be redeployed at Guinard Energies’ site at Ria d’Etel, following the initial installation that took place in 2019.

The objective will again be to test the tidal turbine for a period of one year. It will once more be coupled to a photovoltaic installation with storage.

The energy produced will be used to power an electric oyster barge, while the surplus production will be fed into the national grid via the electricity supplier Enercoop.

The barge is currently being designed by Chantier Bretagne Sud, and the construction is expected to start at the end of summer.

The tidal turbine that will provide power for the barge is also being overhauled in Brest at the moment, in order to be prepare it for redployment planned for September 2021, according to Guinard Energies.

No major modifications to the turbine were necessary following the satisfying performance observed in 2019, Guinard Energies said, adding that only certain algorithms will be streamlined.

The project has received funding support from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), granted specifically for the development of new solutions for the production of renewable energies and carbon-free mobility solutions for fishing professionals.