Total buys into French floating offshore wind farm

French oil and gas major Total has bought a 20% share in the 30MW EolMed (Le Gruissan) EolMed (Le Gruissan) (30MW) Offshoreoff Gruissan, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, Europe Click to see full details floating wind pilot project in the Mediterranean Sea, off the south coast of France.

It joins Qair – formerly Quadran Energies Marines – in the floating offshore wind project, saying it brings its experience of “conception, deployment and exploitation” to offshore installations.

Julien Pouget, Total’s director for renewables said floating offshore wind was a “very promising segment”, and added that the partnership with Qair means the project will get the backing it needs to overcome any “technological and financial challenges”.

Louis Blanchard, CEO of Qair said: “The EolMed project is at the heart of the Occitanie Region’s strategy for the development of renewable energies, actively supported by local partners.”

Blanchard added that by working with Total, Qair would strengthen its technical expertise for EolMed and future floating wind projects.

Qair recently selected MHI Vestas to supply three 10MW turbines for the project. They will be installed on Ideol’s damping pool foundations. 

The project is due online in 2023.

Total is developing a 2.3GW floating offshore wind portfolio in South Korea alongside Macquarie’s Green Investment Group and holds an 80% stake in the 96MW Erebus project in the UK, for which it has been granted exclusive development rights.

The oil and gas major recently raised its renewable energy target to 35GW gross capacity by 2025, and reaffirmed its intention to reach net zero emissions across its global operations by 2050.