France targets 45 GW of offshore wind by 2050, with half produced in the EU

France has raised its target for installed offshore wind capacity in 2050 from the original 40 GW to 45 GW. At least half of the technology for new wind farms is to be manufactured in the European Union. The international news site Euractiv reported.

Plans to raise the original target for developing France's offshore wind sector were signalled as early as June last year by the then minister for energy transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher. The ambition has now been confirmed by Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire.

According to Le Maire, the path to reaching the target of 45 GW of installed offshore wind capacity should run through 4 GW in 2030 and 18 GW in 2035.

"Fifteen projects are in preparation to meet the 2035 target: three are already at the grid connection stage, three are planned to come online by 2031, and nine are at the tendering stage. In addition, we are preparing auctions for another 10 GW," Le Maire said.

Protecting European industry

To ensure the protection of European industry, Le Maire said so-called carbon criteria should be tightened for wind farms commissioned after 2030. These criteria should give European wind turbine suppliers an advantage by taking into account not only price, but also other factors such as the level of innovation and contribution to social objectives.

According to Le Maire, the involvement of European industry should also be an important criterion in the construction of offshore wind farms. France plans to go even further than the Net-Zero Industry Act, proposing that European technologies account for at least 50 % of supply.