DCNS Sets Up Marine Renewable Energy Unit Following OpenHydro Acquisiton

DCNS is now the majority shareholder in the Irish start-up OpenHydro, specialised in marine turbines, with a 59.7% holding. Thus DCNS confirms its ambition in the field of renewable marine energy, hoping to achieve a turnover of 1 billion euros in this sector by 2025 with this union. 

OpenHydro in the past has developed marine turbines in the commercial and well advanced technological levels, generating electricity to the utmost possibilities. Their alliances with other major energy players has opened the first marine turbine farms locating its operations in places like France, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Alderney (Channel Islands), Canada and the United States. 

By increase in its share of OpenHydro’s capital, DCNS mainly focuses on the industrial phase in its renewable marine energy activities, where the initial challenge posed by the innovative solution designs by OpenHydro lies. Hence, a Marine Renewable Energy Business Unit has been set up grouping together the OpenHydro activity and DCNS’s own marine energy activities currently undergoing development (floating wind turbines, ocean thermal energy, wave energy).

To meet the challenges raised by these developments, Thierry Kalanquin, while remaining head of the DCNS’s Services Division, will take on the leadership of the Marine Renewable Energy Business Unit, assisted in this task by Frédéric Le Lidec. Thierry Kalanquin also takes over the chairmanship of OpenHydro, replacing Brendan Gilmore who had been the OpenHydro Chairman since the company was founded in 2004.