France is moving forward with investments to upgrade port infrastructure, with the aim of developing offshore wind energy, at a time when this sector as a whole is gaining momentum. In the same context, the European Commission approved in July a French state aid scheme worth 63 billion euros for offshore wind energy projects.
According to a statement from the Commission’s EU Blue Economy Observatory published on Tuesday, the French scheme approved by the Commission provides support through 25-year Contracts for Difference and covers eleven offshore wind farms with a total capacity of up to 11,1 GW.
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At the same time, the French government allocated nearly 260 million euros to five ports to upgrade their infrastructure so they can support the construction, assembly, and installation of floating offshore wind turbines, according to the Observatory.
The funding covers the ports of Cherbourg, Brest, Nantes-Saint-Nazaire, Port-la-Nouvelle, and Marseille-Fos, and, according to the report, is expected to mobilize total investments approaching 1 billion euros.
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It is noted that the funds are managed by the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME) as part of the France 2030 investment program. The funding was awarded through a call for projects issued in 2024, with the aim of creating a coordinated industrial network of ports along the Atlantic, English Channel, and Mediterranean coasts.
According to the EU Observatory, the investments will include, among other things, the construction or reinforcement of piers, the creation of storage areas for heavy cargo and assembly facilities, as well as the upgrading of access roads to accommodate the large-scale components required for floating offshore wind farms.
The infrastructure will be used for the construction and assembly of the floating foundations, as well as for the installation of the wind turbines on the structures before they are towed out to sea. The ports of Cherbourg, Brest, and Nantes-Saint-Nazaire are intended to serve projects in the Atlantic and the English Channel, while Port-la-Nouvelle and Marseille-Fos will cover projects in the Mediterranean.
It should be noted that in Cherbourg, the planned upgrade project represents an investment of 30 million euros. Of this amount, 10.5 million euros will come from ADEME funding, €18.1 million from revenues generated by offshore renewable energy activities, and €1.4 million from the Cotentin Urban Community.
France has set a target of having nearly 6 GW of operational floating offshore wind capacity by 2040, with ports playing a key role in the plan to establish a domestic supply and industrial chain.
At the same time, according to the Observatory, the AO10 tender is currently underway, covering just over 10 GW of capacity across seven floating and four fixed-bottom offshore wind farms.
The Observatory notes that investments in port infrastructure are being made as floating offshore wind energy transitions from demonstration projects to larger-scale commercial facilities, increasing the need for infrastructure for construction, assembly, maintenance, and logistical support.
Source: KYPE
