Tidal stream steps up a gear in France

29.11.2023

French President Emmanuel Macron announced commercial tenders for tidal stream as part of the ‘PPE’ — the French energy strategy update — after saying ‘we have to be at the top of our game in tidal stream’.

This follows a recent announcement from the Minister of the Energy Transition of at least €65 million of funding, plus dedicated revenue support, for the pioneering tidal energy pilot farm project FloWatt. Both announcements demonstrate that France is ready to make the most out of the industrial opportunities associated with the commercialisation of the technology and recognises its key role in the energy transition.

Ocean Energy Europe’s CEO, Rémi Gruet, said : ”This is excellent news for tidal stream and for France. It will enable large projects to attract private investments and French technology – among the world’s best – to industrialise. It brings long-awaited market visibility to the sector, and it is a great step toward commercialisation. It also reflects a growing momentum for tidal stream in Europe. After the UK, which has contracted 93 MW of tidal stream capacity via its Contract for Difference scheme, France is the second country to deliver strong support and market visibility to boost tidal development. We look forward to working with/alongside the French Government to make this new sector a reality.”