Ocean Winds (OW), the international offshore wind energy company created by EDP Renewables and ENGIE, reached full power at its 30 MW Éoliennes Flottantes du Golfe du Lion (EFGL) floating offshore wind farm.
With three 10 MW turbines located 16 km off the Occitanie coast and installed on semi-submersible floaters, this pilot wind farm developed in partnership with Banque des Territoires reinforces the viability of floating offshore wind technology. EFGL is setting high standards and best-practices for commercial floating offshore wind in deeper waters, such as the North-Western Mediterranean Sea.
As majority shareholder, OW has actively contributed to building a robust and sustainable local supply chain to support all project phases and future commercial developments, with 99% direct European suppliers, 85% of which are French or France-based companies and 60% small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Craig Windram, CEO at OW, stated: “Floating offshore wind will play a critical role in the future energy mix, particularly in countries with deep coastal waters such as France. EFGL reaching full power reflects OW’s long-term vision and our ability to deliver complex floating projects safely and efficiently, in close collaboration with national, regional, and local stakeholders across the entire value chain.”
The project is now in its full operational phase, supporting more than 20 local workers from the dedicated O&M base built by OW to monitor energy production and maintenance activities, firmly establishing long-term economic activity in the local port city of Port-La Nouvelle.
As of today, the EFGL wind farm will generate around 110 000 MWh/y of clean energy to power the equivalent of approximately 50 000 inhabitants annually for the next 20 years.
Marc Hirt, Country Manager for France at OW, added: “EFGL is a concrete demonstration that floating offshore wind is no longer a future concept, but an operational reality in France. This project showcases the expertise developed across the French and European supply chain and confirms the strategic role the Mediterranean can play in the next phase of offshore wind development.”
In addition, the offshore wind farm is also combining several advanced engineering innovations to protect and enhance marine biodiversity such as artificial marine habitats (Biohut®) designed by local SME company, Ecocean, thus being world’s first nature-inclusive floating wind farm to ever operate worldwide.
The EFGL pilot wind directly contributes to OW’s operational excellence, setting further production and optimisation standards for the commercial scale deployment of floating wind power in France and worldwide.
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