Institute for Infrastructure, Environment and Innovation
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Okeanos Phase II - First international meeting PDF Print

Okeanos project phase II

 
First international meeting
 
Mont saint Michel barrage & La Rance power plant

The first OKEANOS phase II meeting took place on the 29th and 30th of June under the bright sun of French Brittany. An international audience attended the starting point of the new version of the project, which has been established to match relevant aspects of tidal energy project management. The workshop gathered regional authority representatives, experts and technology developers of tidal energy projects. The participants discovered the innovative integrated initiative of the Mont Saint Michel Bay Area. A specially designed barrage releases calculated ammount of water to wipe the sediments caused by human activity to restaure the maritime landscape.

On day two, the EDF team of La Rance barrage took the participants on an outstanding technical visit inside the world famous tidal energy installation. A local association (COEUR Emeraude) dealing with La Rance estuary management presented the morphological impact of a tidal structure on a protected area.

The Okeanos partners had the occasion to exchange and share technical specifications about tidal energy generation, tidal energy project planning, morphology and sediment management in relation with a tidal energy infrastructure.

 

The Okeanos group after the Barrage of La Rance visit

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On the first day of the seminar, the participants visited the barrage of the Mont Saint Michel.

This site is not used for tidal energy but for sediment management and habitat restauration. The "Syndicat mixte of the Mont Saint Michel" which is the competent authority for land management is in charge of this project.

The barrage uses its specially designed sluices to retain the water from the river "Couesnon" and also from the sea at high tide. At low tide, the water is released at controled speed in order to wipe the exess of sediments and to restaure the maritime landscape that existed in the 18th century.

This initiative presents a great interest in terms of  "building with nature" and integrated spatial planning. The Okeanos participants could get the answers to their questions thanks to the presence of representatives from Syndicat mixte and Veolia Eau.


Okeanos participants on the Mont Saint Michel Barrage

 

 
 
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