- Ocean Winds begins electricity production at its 30MW floating offshore wind farm in France, marking its first such project in the country.
- The pilot project supports energy supply, local jobs, and biodiversity, while paving the way for larger offshore wind developments in the region.
Ocean Winds has started electricity production at the Éoliennes Flottantes du Golfe du Lion (EFGL) floating offshore wind farm off Port-La Nouvelle. The project is the company’s second operational floating wind farm and its first in France.
Ocean Winds developed the 30MW project in partnership with Banque des Territoires. The wind farm features three 10MW turbines installed on floating foundations located 16 kilometres offshore.
The facility is expected to generate about 110,000MWh of electricity annually, enough to power approximately 50,000 people over the long term. In addition, the project relies heavily on local and regional supply chains, with around 85% of direct suppliers based in France and more than 60% classified as small and medium-sized enterprises.
The company said the project supports over 20 jobs during operations and contributes to the local economy in the Occitanie region. It also integrates environmental features, including artificial marine habitats designed by Ecocean to enhance biodiversity.
Ocean Winds described EFGL as a pilot project that will support the scale-up of floating offshore wind technology. The company plans to build on this foundation with larger developments such as the 250MW Éoliennes Flottantes d’Occitanie project.
By delivering electricity from deep-water floating turbines, Ocean Winds is demonstrating the viability of offshore wind in challenging environments and strengthening the role of renewable energy in France’s energy transition.