A pair of floating wind farms off the coast of France have won support from the Paris government in the country’s first auction for the technology.
The winners are an up to 24MW project led by Quadran near Gruissan in the Mediterranean and a four-turbine facility in the Groix area of Brittany planned by Eolfi and CGN, the energy ministry said.
Senvion said it is adapting its 6.2M152 wind turbine for the floating offshore foundation developed by the Quadran-led EolMed consortium.
The German manufacturer said the project, which will consist of three or four of the turbines, is scheduled to be installed and commissioned in 2020.
Ideol and Bouygues Travaux Publics are also involved with the Gruissan project.
The commissioning of the wind farm is expected by 2020, creating an estimated 300 local jobs throughout the development, construction and offshore installation phases.
GE will supply the turbines for the Eolfi/CGN project, Eolfi said.
The ministry is examining other bids and expects to announce more winners in September, according to energy minister Segolene Royal.
“These projects are a first in France, I congratulate them,” she said. “They contribute to the development of the industrial fabric of the host regions. They receive support for investment in the future investment program and a guaranteed purchase price for electricity.”
Royal said the ministry set ambitious targets for the renewables offshore industry in April.
These include having 100MW of marine energy plants – including tidal and floating wind – operating by 2023 and 2GW of additional projects awarded.
France also aims to have 3GW of offshore wind farms operating by that year, as well as 6GW of awarded projects. This includes the launch of a third tender in the Dunkirk area, Royal said.
Image: Demowfloat