Tidal developer Simec Atlantis Energy has agreed to supply power to the Channel Island of Alderney via a proposed array in the Raz Blanchard off the coast of Normandy in France.
Under a heads of terms agreement with Simec Atlantis’ Normandie Hydroliennes joint venture, Alderney Electricity will enter into a 25-year power purchase agreement to buy five gigawatt-hours per year at a fixed, undisclosed price.
Simec Atlantis has previously proposed building a 7-20MW pilot array in the Raz Blanchard by 2021.
The developer said the volume of power to be supplied from the Raz Blachard site would meet the entire demand of the island, which is currently met by diesel generation.
Simec Atlantis is also assessing options to ensure that the island’s electricity needs are met during slack tided when tidal turbines will not be generating power.
The tidal developer said there are no seabed development rights associated with the power supply agreement but the deal could be “a precursor to a larger scale array that the island of Alderney can develop in its territorial waters to export power to both the UK and Europe.”
“This is the first, important step in unlocking the vast economic potential of the tidal flows around the Channel Islands,” added Simec Atlantis chief executive Tim Cornelius.
Alderney Electricity managing director James Lancaster said: “Simec Atlantis and their partners have gone above and beyond to understand what makes Alderney tick and getting to this point of common interest and aspiration has been easy.”