Turbines Installed for France’s Pilot Deep Water Floating Wind Project

 

Ocean Winds reports it has successfully completed the third and final turbine installation of its Éoliennes Flottantes du Golfe du Lion (EFGL) project located in southeast France along the Mediterranean. Developed as a pilot project in partnership with Banque des Territoires, EFGL is now the first floating offshore wind farm in the Occitanie region to complete its offshore turbine installation phase.

The company highlights that the project marks a major step for floating wind on a global scale. With three 10 MW turbines installed on floating foundations, EFGL demonstrates the viability of floating offshore wind in deeper waters, unlocking high-wind areas previously out of reach. 

The success of EFGL, the company says, demonstrates floating wind’s readiness to scale, both in France and internationally, contributing to the global acceleration of offshore wind energy. 

Assembled at Port-La Nouvelle, the turbines were towed 16 km (10 miles) offshore. The turbines are now ready for the final stage of cable and grid connection works done by RTE, before starting to deliver clean energy to approximately 50,000 inhabitants each year. The water depth ranges between 68 and 70 meters (220 to 230 feet).

“EFGL is not only a first for France but a global benchmark for floating offshore wind,” said Marc Hirt, Country Manager France for Ocean Winds. “It showcases the industrial maturity, precision, and collaboration needed to bring floating wind to commercial scale.”

Ocean Winds, an international offshore wind energy company created by EDP Renewables and ENGIE, is at the forefront of the development of floating wind turbines. The company has five years of operating its 25 MW WindFloat Atlantic project in Portugal. It said the successful installation of EFGL paves the way for larger developments, including the Eoliennes Flottantes d’Occitanie (EFLO), a 250 MW floating offshore wind project awarded to OW and Banque des Territoires in late 2024.