France will launch its First Tidal Power Tender by the end the year, Energy and Environment Minister Segolene Royal said. Two development zones will be drawn in the waters off the regions of Normandy and Brittany with the ambition to launch the competitive dialogue procedure for 50 MW to 100 MW by the end of the current year.

Several prototypes of tidal power devices are currently being tested in France, including the D10 tidal turbine of French Sabella and OpenHydro`s 1 MW turbine off the coast of Brittany. France`s multiyear programme for energy investments calls for at least 70 GW of renewables capacity by 2023. Marine energies, including floating wind and tidal power are supposed to contribute at least 100 MW