Three floating wind turbines have now been installed in the Gulf of Lion in the French Occitanie region, where high-wind areas that were ‘previously out of reach’ can now be tapped.
Assembled at the Port-La Nouvelle and towed 16 kilometres offshore, the turbines make up the Éoliennes Flottantes du Golfe du Lion (EFGL) project, which comprises three 10MW turbines.
Project owner Ocean Winds has developed the site in partnership with funding from Banque des Territoires, and they say it is a ‘nature-inclusive’ wind farm with artificial marine habitats installed at sea.
The installation follows five years Ocean Winds’ 25MW WindFloat Atlantic project in Portugal.
Jeremy de Barbarin, EFGL Project director, said: “Every phase of EFGL, from design to offshore installation, has been a collective achievement involving local partners, maritime experts and global innovators. With the turbines now installed, we are looking forward to delivering clean energy and setting a precedent for the next generation of floating wind projects.”
Floating wind is becoming more popular in many countries because it can be installed in very deep waters. Spain, for example, has no fixed-bottom offshore wind farms because of the steep drop off its continental shelf, and the country is investigating floating options.
France’s first one was the Provence Grand Large, which also comprises three turbines, set 900 metres apart so that most marine traffic can navigate through.
“The success of EFGL demonstrates floating wind’s readiness to scale, both in France and internationally, contributing to the global acceleration of offshore wind energy,” said Jérémy de Barbarin.
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