The World’s Most Powerful Underwater Turbines
- Editor OGN Daily
- 5 days ago
- 1 min read
A tidal farm featuring the world’s most powerful underwater turbines is being built off the coast of Normandy in France.
The NH1 tidal project from Normandie Hydroliennes will use underwater turbines to turn the powerful Raz Blanchard tidal flow - Europe’s strongest tidal stream - into an important source of renewable energy, reports EuroNews.
It is one of dozens of decarbonisation projects that have received a total €4.8 billion in the EU’s Innovation Fund’s latest round of grants. This coffer for clean technologies is filled by revenues from the EU Emissions Trading System, which requires polluters to pay for their greenhouse gas emissions.
Currently under construction in the port town of Cherbourg, the four underwater turbines in this first pilot phase will have a rotor diameter of 24 metres and a capacity of 3 megawatts (MW) each - enough to meet the needs of 15,000 local residents. However, the really promising news is that the sea current of Raz Blanchard is one of the most powerful in the world and has the potential of supplying electricity to 8 million people.
There are other benefits for locals too. 80 percent of the construction value of the project will be produced in France, where NH promises it will create some 400 direct and indirect jobs. The reminder will come from Europe, in order to guarantee energy sovereignty.
Assuming that the NH1 tidal turbine pilot farm is a success, future projects will deploy as many as 85 turbines a year, multiplying job creation to boost France’s blue economy and power millions of homes with clean energy.