Atlantis nets Channel Islands tidal tie-up

Edinburgh-based sustainable energy developer Simec Atlantis has inked a “landmark” deal to supply one of the Channel Islands with power from a proposed tidal power site, saying it hopes to spark imitation projects around the world.

Atlantis boss Tim Cornelius hopes the project 'will be a blueprint for other island nations around the world'. Picture: Jon Savage.

The Scottish firm, behind the MeyGen tidal energy project in the Pentland Firth, said that via its joint venture Normandie Hydroliennes, it is teaming up with Alderney Electricity to supply the island of Alderney from the proposed demonstration tidal array in Raz Blanchard off the coast of Normandy, France.

It added that access to new sources of energy supply for the island, such as the tidally generated power from the Normandie Hydroliennes array, is expected to help enable future economic growth without reliance on diesel.

Atlantis boss Tim Cornelius said the tie-up is “the first, important step in unlocking the vast economic potential of the tidal flows around the Channel Islands”.

He added: “We subscribe to [Alderney Electricity’s] vision of not only seeking to provide security of supply for the island, but also using this project as a model for other island communities seeking to decarbonise and provide new opportunities for economic resilience.

“Working with our project partners in France and making use of all of the experience garnered from operating the world’s largest tidal array in Scotland, we hope to make Alderney a flagship example of the ‘blue economy’ at work. We hope that this project will be a blueprint for other island nations around the world in due course.”