Government publishes offshore wind deployment map by 2035 and 2050

This publication reaffirms the production target of 18 gigawatts (GW) in 2035 and 45 GW in 2050, compared to 1,5 GW today.

It also paves the way for the launch at the beginning of 2025 of a call for tenders number 10, known as "AO10", of 9,2 GW, or around 150% of the parks already awarded and six times the power of the parks already in service.

Highly anticipated by the sector, the "AO10" should make it possible to achieve the production target of 18 GW in service in 2035.

"Offshore wind power is a key part of our energy strategy, which should provide 20% of our electricity production by 2050," declared Olga Givernet, the Minister Delegate for Energy.

"The identified areas will make it possible to launch, in the coming months, a new call for tenders for offshore wind power, affecting all French maritime facades," she added. "These initiatives offer valuable visibility for the renewable energy sector and the entire industry that supports it, thus generating many local jobs."

The "AO10", the award of which is expected in the fall of 2026, provides for two projects of approximately 2 GW each of fixed wind power in the English Channel, a floating wind turbine project of approximately 2 GW in north-west Brittany, another of approximately 1,2 GW in the Bay of Biscay and finally, a last one of approximately 2 GW in the Gulf of Lion.

This mapping was established following a public debate, entitled "The sea in debate", which took place simultaneously on the four maritime facades between November 20, 2023 and April 26, 2024. It resulted in more than 20.000 written contributions, according to the ministry.

This work was intended to "specify the areas suitable for offshore wind power, in order to reconcile decarbonized energy production, fishing and transport activities, and respect for the landscapes and biodiversity of coastal areas and the sea", according to Agnès Pannier-Runacher, the Minister for Ecological Transition.

The Renewable Energy Union (SER) welcomed "the government's desire to make offshore wind power, a competitive and renewable energy, a major pillar of the energy transition", recalling that this technology currently represents more than 8.300 jobs in France and should represent more than 20.000 jobs by 2035.

The League for the Protection of Birds (LPO) expressed concern about "the insufficient consideration of potential ecological impacts" on marine protected areas. "Renewable energies, including offshore wind, are part of the range of solutions for our imperative energy transition, but their deployment cannot be done hastily to the detriment of biodiversity," declared Allain Bougrain Dubourg.

For the time being, three offshore wind farms are in service in France, three are under construction, two have been awarded and four procedures are in progress, the ministry recalls.