A map of areas suitable for offshore wind power will be published in September

This mapping, resulting from debates completed at the end of April between communities, elected officials, NGOs, fishermen and citizens, will cover the four French maritime facades and must take into account the "concerns" raised during the discussions, in particular on biodiversity, fishing and tourism. .

Recognizing a "delay in ignition" in terms of offshore wind power in the country, Bruno Le Maire reaffirmed the government's support for the development of offshore wind power and repeated the objective set by the government: to move from a production of 1,5 GW in 2024 to 18 GW in 2035 and 45 GW in 2050 (i.e. around fifty parks).

"We already knew all this, but it's good to hear it again. It's a speech that feels good because it reinforces the State's commitments, after months of uncertainty around the energy programming law ", greeted Michel Gioria, general delegate of France Renewables, to AFP.

The minister also announced the upcoming simplification of call for tender procedures, which should help reduce the duration of development of an offshore wind farm from the current twelve years to six years.

From legal appeals to disputes and other administrative complications, France is lagging behind in offshore wind power compared to neighboring countries (United Kingdom, Scandinavia, Germany, etc.) but also to the objectives it had set for itself. since the end of the 2000s.

The first French park was connected in 2022, off the coast of Saint-Nazaire, ten years after the contract was awarded. With a power of 480 megawatts (MW), it is capable of supplying 700.000 people. Fécamp and Saint-Brieuc should in turn be fully commissioned in May and June, then three others in 2025 and 2026. In total, these six parks will represent a capacity of just under 3 GW.

Several calls for tenders are underway, particularly in floating wind power, a technology still in development which would make it possible to install sites further offshore.

Bruno Le Maire attended on Thursday the signing by RTE - managers of the high voltage network in France - and the Chantiers de l'Atlantique and Hitachi Energy consortium of a contract worth 4,5 billion euros, notably for the construction of three electric platforms intended to equip future offshore wind farms.