French Offshore/Floating Wind – Delegation Tour 2023

France has a unique offshore potential: 11 mio. km2 coast and a growing offshore market. Although the development of the first offshore wind farm took more than 10 years to complete, with the inauguration of the Saint Nazaire project (480 MW) in November 2022, a milestone has been achieved. To this day, approx. 3 GW have been awarded through tenders (in 2012 and 2014).

In the coming years, France aims to allocate at least 2 GW of offshore wind per year starting in 2025, in order to reach an operating capacity of 18 GW by 2035. In order to attain such goals, Siemens Gamesa and GE have opened their production facilities in France. Furthermore, LM Wind Power has been producing the blades of the wind turbines installed in Saint Nazaire, while the substation was manufactured at the site of les Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint Nazaire.

According to the French government’s recent announcements, floating offshore wind could represent up to three quarts of the total installed capacity in 2050, hence about 30 GW. In that regards, France could be a European leader of the technology.

In February 2022, Macron announced that France will build 50 offshore wind farm by 2050, which is equivalent to 40 GW of installed capacity.

Join DWEA and the Danish Embassy in Paris, investigate the new opportunities on the upcoming offshore wind market, and meet the most important players in the field.

During 3 days, you will have the opportunity to take a deep dive into the French market and discuss directly with the major developers’ procurement services, you will get a better understanding of the latest developments, as well as meet the players working in the field and explore business opportunities in the South of France.

Tentative Program and more specific update will follow

Day 1 – Meetings with big players in Paris

• Meetings with developers and OEMs, for instance: CIP/Siemens Gamesa/ TOTALEnergies, etc.
• Reception with FEE members & dinner in Paris

Day 2 - Site visits in Occitanie

• Early morning train to Montpellier from Paris
• Visit of Port La Nouvelle
  • Eolmed: pilot farm project with Qair and Ideol that will be commissioned end of 2023
  • EFGL: pilot farm project with Engie and Ocean Winds that will be commissioned in 2024
• Networking Dinner in Narbonne

Day 3 – Meeting with Schlumberger and departure

• Transport to Beziers from Narbonne (35min)
• Schlumberger visit Beziers and presentations
• Transport to Montpellier airport (1h) and Montpellier train station

With the ambition of becoming the first positive energy region (producing more energy than is consumed) in Europe by 2050, the Occitanie Region is relying on the development of floating offshore wind power. The region is currently in the tender process for two floating offshore wind farms (250 MW each); the projects will be awarded in 2024. At the heart of the regional project is the port of Port-La-Nouvelle (Aude), ideally situated at the crossroads of the windiest areas of the Gulf of Lion. The Region, which owns the port, is investing more than €230 million to expand the port and equip it with the necessary port infrastructure to enable the construction, assembly, operation and maintenance of floating wind turbines. Two pilot floating offshore wind farms, EFGL (Leucate) and EolMed (Gruissan and Port-la-Nouvelle), will be operational from 2023, and will each employ around forty people for maintenance and maritime logistics operations.

Why participate in this  Danish delegation?

• Fantastic opportunity to get direct info about the French market for OSW including the development of Floating OSW and all this with assistance from DWEA and the Danish Embassy in Paris
• Discussions with developers of OSW projects in France such as EDF REN, TotalEnergies, CIP/COP and OEM’s such as SIEMENS GAMESA Renewables
• Site visit at Port la Nouvelle and networking with local French companies seek for partnership within upcoming floating wind projects
• Diverse opportunities to network with major sector players and create contacts for partnering with French companies tailor made for the Danish group
• Discuss with Danish sector players from the delegation on their projects and experiences on the French Market

For more information please contact

Ana Elena Kelly

Advisor Energy & Enviroment

anakel@um.dk

+33 1 44 31 21 09

Dorota Knudsen

Project Manager

qx@raretlrkcbeg.qx

+45 6020 8566