SIMEC Atlantis Energy, a developer of sustainable energy projects, confirmed November 21 that it has agreed on terms with the Normandy development agency and the regional agency for the purpose of developing a phased large-scale tidal power project in the Raz Blanchard, Normandy.
The new Joint Venture company, called “Normandie Hydrolienne” will now commence site development, permitting and consenting works to allow for the construction of a phased array of tidal energy projects, in this area of high tidal resource, at scale.
{mosimages) Normandie Hydrolienne will endeavour to energise the first array of tidal energy turbines in 2021 before rolling out larger projects from 2022 which, when potentially combined with projects in Alderney’s waters could create a 2GW, fully predictable energy source and the largest planned tidal project in Europe. The pipeline approach will allow the company to work closely with supply chain partners to facilitate energy cost reductions and the fit out of turbine manufacturing facilities in either Cherbourg or Le Havre.
Tim Cornelius, CEO of SIMEC Atlantis, commented, “Normandy has all of the attributes required to deliver large scale tidal power projects – excellent natural resource in close proximity to load, available grid capacity, a feed-in-tariff, an established offshore energy supply chain and port facilities in Cherbourg and Le Have and access to EU funding. We are honoured to be invited to partner with the Region of Normandy and we look forward to establishing France as a world leader in tidal power generation.”