Infinite Energy Could Flow Through Normandy’s Rivers When The World’s Most Powerful Tidal Farm Is Completed

At the northwestern tip of Normandy, the cape of Raz Blanchard (also known as Roz Blanchard) is becoming the epicentre of a renewable energy revolution. This special place is known to have very strong tidal currents and will be the home of Flowatt, the most powerful tidal farm ever to be installed. Flowatt will pioneer a new era of commercial marine tidal energy in France, starting in 2026, providing 100% carbon-free electricity to the grid.

Qair, Hydroquest, and shipbuilding company CMN are developing Flowatt, and Artelia is providing essential engineering support. The project has been working since 2020 to install seven HQ 2.5 next-generation tidal turbines, which are fully submerged and anchored 3 km offshore at a depth of 35 meters. These huge 200-tonne machines are over 10 meters tall and are designed to work invisibly and silently under the sea, making no noise, no visual impact, and no interference with maritime activity or marine biodiversity.

With a government investment of 75 million euros in the France 2030 plan and a preferential tariff, Flowatt is not just a pilot; it is the take-off of a new industrial sector. The energy generated will serve the equivalent of 20,000 households, and its predictability makes it suitable for stabilising the electricity grid in France.

The major benefit of tidal energy compared to other renewables is that it is entirely predictable, as it is controlled by the gravitational pull of the Moon and the rotation of the Earth. Tidal farms such as Flowatt may soon provide base-load electricity to national and European grids, with short periods between tides and the possibility of energy storage.

France has already identified seven coastal locations with a total tidal energy potential of 4 GW, so tidal is a potential pillar in its low-carbon future. Flowatt is the key step towards the demonstration of industrial-scale deployment, and it is a world first in marine renewable energy. With zero emissions, minimal environmental impact, and full recyclability, the tides of Normandy can now drive the future infinitely and sustainably.