France’s first commercial offshore wind farm finally operational

The project, co-owned by EDF Renewables, EIH Sarl, and CPP Investments, was beset by permitting issues and legal challenges from fishing and tourism groups, which took ten years to overcome.

France’s first commercial-scale offshore wind farm was finally granted approval in 2019 and took an additional three years to build.

The wind farm, comprised of 80 turbines, is between 10 and 20 km off the coast of southwest France.

It will produce the equivalent of 20% of the Loire-Atlantique’s annual electricity consumption, its owners said.

After visiting the project in September, French President Emmanuel Macron pledged to cut the permitting times for renewable energy projects.

In February, Macron set out his vision for 40GW offshore wind in the country by 2050.