Wind Energy – France
The French government is expected to announce on Friday that floating projects will comprise 60% of its 10 GW offshore wind tender to be launched in early 2025, a French renewable energy lobby has said.
However, Michel Gioria, head of France Renouvelables, said that the lobby had called on the government to structure the tender with 70% for classical offshore wind turbines – ie fixed to the seabed – and just 30% for floating wind turbines.
This was because floating wind technology was still an emerging sector and presented significant industrial and financial challenges for the industry, he added.
“Floating technology necessarily means riskier projects because it is less mature,” said Gioria, noting that France currently only operates pilot farms.
To achieve its offshore wind targets of 18 GW by 2035 and 40 GW by 2050, France is banking on floating turbines, which rest on floats connected to the seabed.
The water depths on the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts prevent the development of fixed offshore wind farms, like those operated on the Normandy coast.
Candidates have until next summer to submit their bids and the winners should be chosen before the summer of 2026, with a view to commissioning between 2032 and 2035.
On Friday, the government will also unveil the map of priority zones for the development of offshore wind power up to 2050, following a national debate involving all stakeholders that ended in April.
