OpenHydro has been in business ten years. Company employees stand in front of a test turbine that was deployed at EMEC in Orkney, Scotland (please click image to expand – image courtesy of OpenHydro)
OpenHydro, a tidal energy company owned by DCNS, celebrates a decade in business this week.
The Irish headquartered business is planning delivery of two of the world’s first grid connected tidal arrays in France and Canada in 2015.
OpenHydro is working with Emera in the Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia to deploy and grid connect two 16 metre turbines (2 MW each), tapping into one of the most powerful tidal environments on Earth.
OpenHydro will also install two grid-connected, 16 metre turbines at EDF’s Paimpol–Bréhat site off the Brittany coast.
The company has almost one gigawatt of projects under development – equivalent to 25% of Ireland’s electricity demand.
OpenHydro’s commercial portfolio comprises projects in Scotland, the Channel Islands, Canada, Northern Ireland and France, with utility partners including SSE Renewables, Alderney Renewable Energy (ARE), Emera, Brookfield Renewable Energy Group and EDF.
OpenHydro employs 125 staff across three sites: a technical centre in Carlingford, Co Louth; offices in Dublin, and a Canadian branch in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
By the end of 2015, it plans to grow its workforce by a further 25%.
James Ives, OpenHydro Chief Executive, said “this is a milestone year for OpenHydro as we celebrate 10 years in business.”
“Over this period we’ve achieved a number of industry firsts, including being the first to deploy a tidal turbine at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), the first to generate electricity from tidal streams onto the UK grid, and the first to deploy commercial scale turbines in Canada and France.”
“During 2015 we plan delivery of two of the world’s first grid connected tidal arrays which will showcase our technology at commercial scale.”
French industrial group, DCNS, acquired a controlling interest in OpenHydro in 2013 and is focused on supporting OpenHydro’s transition from R&D to industrial supply and delivery of economic, commercial tidal arrays.
With support from DCNS, OpenHydro has established itself as the market leader in tidal energy – an industry estimated to be worth over €200 billion.
Thierry Kalanquin, Senior Vice President, Energy and Marine Infrastructure in DCNS and Chairman of OpenHydro, said “DCNS is proud of its association with OpenHydro.”
Thierry Kalanquin (left) of DCNS with Nick Horler of Alderney Renewable Energy during the Thetis renewable energy conference in Cherbourg, France in April 2014 (click image to expand – ©RLLord)
“The success of OpenHydro’s innovation has helped forge a strong, customer focused company preparing for commercial delivery.”
“We are committed to using our expertise and global network to support OpenHydro and expand its opportunities in new markets.”
