French tidal developer HydroQuest is to next year install a 1MW turbine off the Brittany coast after securing support from a national R&D programme.
HydroQuest will install by the end of 2017 the twin vertical axis device off Paimpol-Brehat, as part of an agreement with EDF.
The device was a winner of the French environment and energy management agency’s (ADEME) marine renewable energy and pilot river turbine farms programme, part of its Investments in the Future scheme.
The HydroQuest Ocean device will be built at French shipyard CMN’s workshops in Cherbourg before ocean testing for several months.
The demonstrator’s goal is to validate the device’s performance under real operating conditions, with plans for commercialisation on an international scale by 2019.
HydroQuest chief executive Jean-François Simon said: “Being selected by ADEME demonstrates real recognition by the state of our hydrokinetic turbine technology, which has already proven its effectiveness in river scenarios.
“Following the validation of our demonstrator’s operation, our goal will be to implement pilot farms with a few turbines in France and around the world.”
Image: Model HydroQuest turbine (reNews)
