The Paimpol-Bréhat test site now hosts new environmental measurement stations, useful for improving the characterization of this exceptional site dedicated to the testing and optimization of tidal turbine demonstrators.
This Monday, September 19, 2022, thanks to the presence of the ship Inyanga Entsha, the partners of the test site of Paimpol-Bréhat, SEENEOH, EDF, BDI associated for the occasion with the company ENERGIE DE LA LUNE have been able to deploy many stations of environmental data measurements. This operation was organized within the framework of the Interreg TIGER France Manche England project.
A measuring station dedicated to currentology
One of these bottom measurement stations, dedicated to Acoustic Doppler Current Profile (ADCP) was deployed to record the tides, currents, turbulences for 90 days. These data will feed a large scale numerical model of the University of Caen and will improve the knowledge and characterization of this exceptional site dedicated to the testing and optimization of tidal turbine prototypes.
Acoustic measurement stations
Two other measuring stations have also been launched to measure the ambient noise and to record the presence of marine mammals in the area. The teams from Energie de la Lune’s research department will be able to use the data acquired over several months to characterize the noise level in the environment and the origin of these emissions: physical, biological or anthropogenic. These measurements will allow to improve the knowledge of the site and to establish its initial state. Passive underwater acoustics is increasingly used in the field of Marine Renewable Energies. This instrumentation, associated with such a scientific protocol is a first for the tidal stream industry in France.
Raising of a study station of composite materials
Finally, a sample station was raised from the bottom of the EDF concession of the test site in order to study structural assemblies of composite materials. These assemblies have been immersed for 15 months, the objective is to assess the effects of aging and the behavior of these materials in the ocean environment with very high current velocity. These materials are expected to be the main component of tidal turbine blades in the coming years. The site of Paimpol Bréhat thus allows to test in natural environment various solutions of bonding of composite materials as well as their recyclability. This research program (Interreg France Channel-Manche England TIGER) is carried out with a French partner: the laboratory of waves and complex environments/materials (Laboratoire des Ondes et Milieux Complexes,CNRS UMR 6294) of the University of Le Havre Normandy.
–> More information: Paimpol-Bréhat test site
