Under the agreement, the companies will set up various technical parameters to tap the marine currents at the raz Blanchard site, which will host the said pilot farms, as well as propose an operation and maintenance strategy for the pilot farm.
In addition, the companies will also prepare a roadmap to exploit the positive socio-economic benefits of the new activity throughout the region and the country.
Alstom has reached full nominal power of 1MW for its tidal turbine being tested under European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) waters, off Scotland’s Orkney Islands, and has generated over 10MWh of electricity to the grid.
Once trial testing is completed, the company will test the performance of the turbine under real operating conditions.
In addition, Alstom will enter into an agreement with Ports Normands Associes (PNA) that would allow the project partners to carry out the final assembly of the turbines, the erection of the foundations and all maintenance operations from Cherbourg, should it awarded the pilot farms.
Alstom renewable power president Jerome Pecresse said that the company has partnered with GDF Suez to develop the raz Blanchard tidal power pilot farm.
"We will provide a reliable, environmentally-friendly and efficient technology which will help to deliver power at an optimal cost.
Moreover, signing today an agreement with PNA to reserve spaces on the port of Cherbourg, we could thus be in a position to develop synergies with our two future offshore wind plants," added Pecresse.
