CISAF
The European Commission has approved a €63 billion French State aid scheme to support the construction and operation of 11 offshore wind farms with a combined capacity of up to 11.1 GW, under the Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework (CISAF).
The 25-year scheme will support offshore wind projects in the North Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea. The Commission expects the wind farms to generate up to 47.8 TWh of renewable electricity annually, equivalent to around 10.6% of France’s annual electricity consumption.
Support will be awarded through a transparent and non-discriminatory competitive bidding process.
The aid will be provided as a two-way contract for difference (CfD), under which payments will be based on the difference between the reference price established in the successful bid and the market price for electricity.
If the market price falls below the reference price, beneficiaries will receive the difference. Conversely, if market prices exceed the reference price, beneficiaries will repay the difference to the French authorities.
The Commission concluded that the scheme complies with the requirements of the Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework, finding that it is necessary, appropriate and proportionate to accelerate the transition towards a net-zero economy and support the development of offshore wind in France. The measure also includes safeguards to prevent compensation for electricity generation during periods of negative market prices.
The newly approved scheme replaces a previous State aid measure authorised by the Commission in August 2025 for three offshore wind farms.
The approval forms part of the Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework, adopted on 25 June 2025, which enables Member States to support strategic clean energy and industrial decarbonisation projects, including renewable energy, energy storage, hydrogen, clean technology manufacturing and related infrastructure.
