France is preparing to launch tenders for two fixed and three floating offshore wind farms, totalling 9.2GW, in the autumn and winter of 2024/25.
The French Energy Ministry has identified key locations for these projects, including offshore areas near Fecamp in northwest France, Brittany, the western Gascogne Gulf, and the southern Mediterranean coast.
French Energy Minister Olga Givernet, during a visit to Fecamp, emphasized that the installations align with France’s strategy to reach 45 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2050. Givernet highlighted the importance of maintaining and strengthening the local industrial value chain, urging companies to focus on building and installing wind turbines domestically.
In addition to its offshore plans, France is also advancing its solar capacity. In April 2024, French authorities announced plans to install 240MW of solar power capacity along highways, with the Regional Highways Division (DIR) identifying 140 parking areas and 100 highway interchanges as potential sites.
In September 2024, Iberdrola inaugurated the 496MW Saint-Brieuc offshore wind farm, located 16km off Brittany’s coast. The project, developed at an investment of €2.4 billion, is now operational, producing 2,000 gigawatt hours of renewable energy annually. Equipped with 62 turbines, each with an 8MW capacity, Saint-Brieuc is one of the most powerful offshore wind farms in France.