EDF and its partners have fully commissioned Provence Grand Large, the first floating offshore wind farm in France and the wider Mediterranean.
Located 17km off Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône, the 25MW installation comprises three Siemens Gamesa turbines mounted on tension leg platforms developed by SBM Offshore and IFP Energies Nouvelles.
The platforms use deep-water anchoring technology adapted from oil and gas operations, the developers said.
EDF Renewables led the project alongside joint shareholders Enbridge Éolien France 2, a subsidiary of Enbridge and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments).
Electricity is transmitted to shore via dynamic cables developed by Prysmian, which adapt to wave movements and link to the onshore substation operated by RTE.
EDF chief executive Bernard Fontana said the project was a “major” step for national energy sovereignty.
“This pilot farm plays an active role in France’s energy transition, while also supporting the emergence of a cutting-edge industrial sector around these innovative technologies,” he said.
Enbridge vice president Matthew Akman said the project opened “new perspectives” for low-carbon energy in the offshore sector.
CPP Investments head of sustainable energies Bill Rogers added that the project “aligns with our approach to investing in opportunities that contribute to a lower-carbon future while delivering long-term value.”
Selected by the French government in 2016, Provence Grand Large received funding from EU NER300 and Feder schemes, as well as support from the national Investment for the Future programme and the South Region.
Dialogue with local authorities, residents, and fishers has taken place since 2011, and an independent scientific committee has overseen environmental monitoring since 2022.
Features include bird detection systems with acoustic deterrents and radar-based environmental data collection.
EDF is already preparing its next project, Méditerranée Grand Large, which was awarded in December 2024.