Ocean Winds and Banque des Territoires are jointly bidding for the rights to build a 1GW offshore wind farm off France’s central Atlantic coast.
The pair hope to build the wind farm using fixed-bottom foundations in the designated maritime zone, 40km from the coast of Oléron island in France’s Bay of Biscay.
They will face competition for the project, with partnerships of RWE and Valorem and Corio and Qair also bidding in the ongoing auction.
Ocean Winds and Banque des Territoires – a subsidiary of French public finance institution Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations – are already developing three French offshore wind farms together and are also jointly bidding for floating wind capacity in the French Mediterranean.
Marc Hirt, Ocean Winds’ country manager in France, said the joint venture partners would focus on engaging with the local fishing industry during project development off Oléron. The French fishing industry has opposed earlier projects, bringing lengthy legal challenges against developments, and staging protests during construction.
French energy regulator CRE is expected to choose a winning bid in 2024.
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