Three turbines could supply between 50% and 70% of the electricity needs of the island
Ouessant is the first municipality of France to have been fueled by a machine producing energy from a marine current. Since November 5th, at 23 pm, the first kilowatts of electricity were gradually injected into the network ErDF the island.
With its 10 m blades, the D10 is being tested for one year and will produce only a quarter of its power to be limited to 250 kW / h. According to Jean-François Daviau, CEO of Sabella, investments would have been too expensive for one year in the central Ouessant. Last June, the tidal turbine D10, a power of 1 MW, had been submerged 50 meters deep into the powerful current of Fromveur. In this passage between the island of Ouessant and Molène, the current can reach a speed of 7 to 9 knots (13 km/h to 16 km/h) with bright tides. If everything goes well, it could be joined by two other machines, bigger, with 15 m blades of 15 m, with a unit capacity of 2.5 MW. With, these three turbines could supply between 50% and 70% of the electricity needs of the island which is powered by a diesel plant.
