The FloWatt tidal turbine farm, a pioneering renewable energy project located off the coast of Raz Blanchard in Normandy, has secured €20 million (approximately $23 million) in funding from the European Union’s Innovation Fund.
The project, developed by renewable energy firm Qair in partnership with French turbine manufacturer HydroQuest, also benefits from additional financial backing through French state aid programs. In a further boost to the project’s long-term viability, FloWatt will receive a guaranteed feed-in tariff for the electricity it generates, providing predictable revenue streams. The Department of Manche has also announced plans to take an equity stake in the venture.
Construction on the 17-megawatt pilot farm is expected to begin in 2026, with operations scheduled to commence in 2028. The facility will feature six vertical-axis tidal turbines, which will be manufactured locally at the Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie (CMN) shipyards in Cherbourg.
The turbines will be installed three kilometers offshore and fully submerged beneath the sea surface. Once operational, the tidal energy farm is projected to supply clean electricity equivalent to the annual consumption of 20,000 residents, with a planned lifespan of at least 20 years.
FloWatt represents a significant step forward in France’s transition to sustainable marine energy and is one of Europe’s most ambitious tidal power initiatives to date.
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