What is tidal stream energy?

These new forms of energy can provide a response to the drive for an energy transition that reduces the use of fossil fuels.

Marine renewable energy uses technologies that are still being researched and tested for innovation.

The energy is obtained from marine currents that turn the turbines of the tidal turbines during tidal phenomena.

The tidal turbine is a form of underwater wind turbine, the power of which depends on the diameter of its turbine or blades and the speed of the tidal current.

Although they are smaller than wind turbines for the same power output, tidal turbines take advantage of the density of water, which is 800 times greater than the density of air, for a current speed 3 to 4 times lower than that of wind.

A prototype demonstrator is immersed in the sea off the coast of Paimpol-Bréhat in Brittany.

The marine currents off the north-west coast of France have sufficient power to support the development of this energy.