OREANDA-NEWS. The French government has selected a floating wind farm pilot project in the Mediterranean conducted by joint venture comprised of ENGIE, EDP Renewables, Caisse des Dépôts, Eiffage, Principle Power, and GE.

The partners are very pleased with this validation of their innovative technology choices and expertise as a joint venture that aims, alongside both national and local players who are already hard at work, to quickly put floating wind farms on the map as a competitive energy source and part of the overall energy mix for France.

For this proposal, ENGIE, EDP Renewables, and Caisse des Dépôts, which are already involved in offshore wind farm projects in Le Tréport, Iles d’Yeu-Noirmoutier, allied with top-notch industrial partners offering solid experience in major infrastructure projects and the most promising floater technology.

Located off the coast of Leucate / Le Barcarès, the largest source of offshore wind power in France, the pilot farm will include four GE Haliade 150-6MW turbines combined with semisubmersible floaters designed by Principle Power in Aix-en-Provence and built by Eiffage Métal in Fos-sur-Mer. All of the equipment will be assembled, stored, and shipped from Port-la-Nouvelle in the Aude department of France. Developed in close collaboration with local stakeholders, the project will particularly benefit the Occitania and Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur regions (by diversifying the Fos-sur-Mer plant to include renewable marine energy sources, for example).

After a detailed studies and consultation phase, the turbines will be built and then come online in 2020, giving a glimpse of the future for the French floating wind farm industry and its competitive position as an exporter.

Floating wind turbines are an up-and-coming technology that can be installed in deeper, very windy water far from the shore. France’s Mediterranean coast is particularly well suited to the development of this renewable offshore energy source and a perfect test platform for future international markets.

As a global energy player, ENGIE is heavily involved in marine renewable energy, ranging from offshore wind (winning two 500 MW projects, Dieppe-Le Tréport and Yeu-Noirmoutier, in France and the 450 MW Mermaid project in Belgium) to tidal power (with the Raz Blanchard pilot farm project in Normandy) and marine geothermal (such as the Thassalia plant in Marseille). It is also an offshore natural gas producer, with expertise in building and operating offshore installations.

ENGIE develops its businesses (power, natural gas, energy services) around a model based on responsible growth to take on the major challenges of energy’s transition to a low-carbon economy: access to sustainable energy, climate-change mitigation and adaptation and the rational use of resources. The Group provides individuals, cities and businesses with highly efficient and innovative solutions largely based on its expertise in four key sectors: renewable energy, energy efficiency, liquefied natural gas and digital technology. ENGIE employs 154,950 people worldwide and achieved revenues of €69.9 billion in 2015. The Group is listed on the Paris and Brussels stock exchanges (ENGI) and is represented in the main international indices: CAC 40, BEL 20, DJ Euro Stoxx 50, Euronext 100, FTSE Eurotop 100, MSCI Europe, DJSI World, DJSI Europe and Euronext Vigeo (World 120, Eurozone 120, Europe 120 and France 20). ).