Two men in suits sit in front of several screens with a sign above reading Tidal Turbine Control Centre.
Credit: Scottish Government/Flickr

France’s new tidal turbines aim to power thousands of homes with clean energy

A tidal farm featuring some of the world’s most powerful underwater turbines is set to generate clean electricity off the coast of Normandy, marking a major step in Europe’s push for renewable energy.

Lottie Limb reports for Euronews.


In short:

  • The NH1 tidal project from Normandie Hydroliennes will use four turbines to harness the Raz Blanchard tidal flow, one of Europe’s strongest, generating enough power for 15,000 homes.
  • The project received €31.3 million from the EU Innovation Fund, part of a broader €4.8 billion push for clean technologies funded by emissions trading revenues.
  • Developers claim the turbines will have minimal environmental impact, with studies suggesting they could even create habitat spaces for marine life.

Key quote:

“Being selected by the Innovation Fund is a major recognition of our work and the impact that our technological system... can have on decarbonisation and the energy mix.”

— Katia Gautier, director of Normandie Hydroliennes

Why this matters:

Tidal energy has long been the underdog in the renewables race, lagging behind wind and solar due to high costs and technical challenges. But projects like this could change the game, helping Europe cut emissions while ensuring energy security. Unlike wind or solar, tides are relentless — predictable, clockwork forces that don’t fade when the weather shifts. That kind of reliability makes them an enticing option for a stable, low-carbon energy future.

Read more: We don’t have time for another fossil fuel bridge

A piece of wood with green leaves in the shape of the world's continents on it.

Trump administration’s shutdown of USAID devastates global conservation efforts

After a sweeping dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development, conservation projects protecting wildlife, forests, and ecosystems across dozens of countries are collapsing due to funding cuts.

Adam Welz reports for Yale Environment 360.

Keep reading...Show less
Sunrise in the woods

Get our Good News newsletter

Get the best positive, solutions-oriented stories we've seen on the intersection of our health and environment, FREE every Tuesday in your inbox. Subscribe here today. Keep the change tomorrow.

Two nuclear towers in the distance with smoke emitting from them

Trump’s nuclear revival plan faces obstacles at Tennessee Valley Authority

The Trump administration's push for a nuclear energy renaissance faces internal turbulence at the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), with leadership shake-ups and tariff policies threatening to slow progress rather than speed it up.

Gautama Mehta and Katie Myers report for Grist.

Keep reading...Show less
A woman looks at a handmade journal that includes pressed flowers and leaves.

Independent bookshops are helping people fight climate despair with the right stories

In the UK, three indie bookstores are blending climate action and storytelling to help readers find hope, connection, and purpose in the face of planetary crisis.

Lottie Limb reports for Euronews.

Keep reading...Show less
A river runs between hills covered with trees displaying fall foliage colors.
Credit: Photo by Liz Guertin/Unsplash

Maryland’s conservation streak shows how far a small state can go

Maryland just became the first U.S. state to meet the “30 by 30” conservation goal — six years early — and it's already aiming for 40% by 2040.

Cara Buckley reports for The New York Times.

Keep reading...Show less
A woman stands in front of a garbage dump next to an abandoned building holding a poster that says "there is no planet b."

Environmental groups brace for a new era of fear and federal targeting

As the Trump administration sharpens its attacks on environmental nonprofits, Earthjustice president Abigail Dillen warns the movement is under threat like never before.

Sharon Lerner reports for ProPublica.

Keep reading...Show less
A copy of Pope Francis' Laudato Si encyclical propped against a wooden pew in a church with the pope's photo on the cover.
Credit: Johan Bergström-Allen / www.carmelite.org/FlickrCreative Commons Attribution 2.0 no restrictions

Pope Francis made climate change a moral crisis. Following his death, the world needs a new voice

Pope Francis turned the climate crisis into a global moral reckoning, but as the planet warms, his loss leaves a gaping hole in the fight for climate justice.

Chico Harlan reports for The Washington Post.

Keep reading...Show less
blue and white solar panels on green grass.

Clean energy tech is outpacing politics and reshaping the global power landscape

Even as the Trump administration moves to expand fossil fuels and slash climate regulations, clean energy industries are accelerating beyond the reach of political backlash.

The Vox climate team sets out to analyze the clean energy transition in a special, multi-story project.

Keep reading...Show less
From our Newsroom
Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

People  sitting in an outdoors table working on a big sign.

Op-ed: Why funding for the environmental justice movement must be anti-racist

We must prioritize minority-serving institutions, BIPOC-led organizations and researchers to lead environmental justice efforts.

joe biden

Biden finalizes long-awaited hydrogen tax credits ahead of Trump presidency

Responses to the new rules have been mixed, and environmental advocates worry that Trump could undermine them.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.