Sabella D03

SABELLA “D03”: 1st French submarine tidal turbine to be immersed

“SABELLA D03” (diameter of 3 m) is an experimental project conducted by the SABELLA Consortium, with support from the Region of Brittany, the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME), as well as the Conseil Général du Finistère and the Community of Communes of Brest and Quimper, and with technical support from IFREMER. This project consisted of designing, building and testing at sea with onboard equipment, a pilot tidal turbine made to a 1:3 scale, a homothetic model of future industrial machines. During the two batteries of trials which spread over a year, a series of submarine measurements and observations was regularly carried out.

The aims were :

to characterise the behaviour and performance of this turbine in a marine flow

to assess its environmental impact

to ensure its structural integrity

to validate its construction methods and operating processes

to identify progress strategies

to model the production of industrial machines.

The engineering of the “SABELLA D03” project began in May 2007, and the building of the turbine was completed in March 2008 for immersion on 2 April 2008 in the estuary of Bénodet.

“SABELLA D03”, the first French submarine tidal stream turbine immersed off the country’s coastline.

 

 

After two batteries of onsite trials and measurements, “SABELLA D03” was brought up in April 2009. This experiment helped to consolidate experience feedback and to recognise the environmental neutrality and relevance of the solution, giving it a clear competitive edge.

 

 

 


Sabella D03 photo gallery
(The use of these photos without prior written authorisation from SABELLA is prohibited. Unauthorised users will be prosecuted)


Digital image of concept

Geotechnical site characterisation

Current measurements

Assembly in Bénodet



Inauguration in Bénodet

Immersion of the base
on site

Immersion of the turbine on site

Surveying by divers



Surveying by fauna

D03 in situ

Anti-fouling

Shoal of pouting



Surveying by divers

Retrieval 1st trials

Absence of disturbance to fauna

A biologist sampling fouling



Survey 2nd trial


Retrieval at end of trials

Retrieval at end of trials


 

Transit

Presentation at SEATECHWEEK 2008

NEWS

  • SABELLA is to take part in ICOE 2010 in Bilbao (Spain) in October 2010.
  • "Sabella D03" is temporarily on show at the ADEME Innovation Forum at the Cité des Sciences, Vilette - Paris on 23 June 2010.
  • SABELLA ENERGIE INC. was created in January 2010 in Canada to implement the development of tidal turbine technologies on the American continents.
  • SABELLA SAS responded to the AMI tender launched by ADEME to construct its demonstrator "D10". Response due in June 2010.

REFERENCES

  • SABELLA SAS received the award “Durable – ACTINE STRATEGIES” at INNOVACT 2009 in Reims.
140 bd. de Creac'h Gwenn - 29000 Quimper