Innovation Fund backs 29 MW tidal power expansion in Normandy with €51M

French tidal energy company HydroQuest and tidal energy developer Normandie Hydroliennes have secured €51 million in Innovation Fund grants to advance two tidal energy projects in France’s Raz Blanchard. 

The funding, awarded under the Innovation Fund’s 2023 call, emphasizes the role of European support in scaling ocean energy solutions, Ocean Energy Europe (OEE) noted.

The two projects add 29 MW to Europe’s projected 179 MW of publicly supported ocean energy projects over the next five years, advancing both technology and energy security.

HydroQuest, in collaboration with Qair, will develop the 17 MW FloWatt tidal farm, aiming for completion by 2026. According to OEE, this installation will bring six tidal turbines to the waters of Normandy, with the capacity to power 20,000 homes. The FloWatt project is further bolstered by financial support from the French government.

Meanwhile, Normandie Hydroliennes will deploy four 3 MW turbines in its NH1 tidal farm. Scheduled for 2028, NH1 will deliver 33.9 GWh annually. Both projects aim to bring technological advancements in tidal power while strengthening Europe’s competitive edge in renewable energy.

“These 2 awards are another proof that tidal has reached technological maturity and is on its way to commercialisation,” said Ocean Energy Europe CEO, Rémi Gruet. 

“These 2 farms will be the largest in the world by the time they hit the water. This is further evidence that the French Government demonstrated great foresight by supporting tidal energy – and that tidal can become the next French industrial success story.”

HydroQuest unveiled plans to develop a 17.5 MW tidal energy farm at the Raz Blanchard site in May 2021, following the takeover of the concession for the site from its former operator EDF Renewables. In December 2023, ABL France completed a marine technical study for Normandie Hydroliennes and HydroQuest to support the safe development of tidal turbine pilot projects.

In May, France’s HydroQuest secured support to expand its operations through the EU Blue Champions scheme established by the European Commission and the European Investment Bank (EIB).

The Raz Blanchard site, a strait that runs between Alderney and Cap de la Hague, is one of the most energetic tidal stream sites in the world, with a potential for extraction of 3 GW of energy, out of the 3.5 GW of total potential available in France.

The Normandy Region is aiming for 1,400 GWh of annual electricity production from ocean energy from 2030. This means the region would need around 500 MW of installed capacity in service in order to produce electricity for around 300,000 households.