France Commissions the First Floating Wind Farm in the Mediterranean

The Provence Grand Large, located off the Gulf of Fos (Bouches-du-Rhône) in the French Mediterranean has been fully commissioned. The unique floating wind farm is the first in France and across the entire Mediterranean basin and the companies believe it will be a model to advance the next phase of offshore wind energy.

The project has been under discussion since 2011 as they worked to involve all the key stakeholders and develop the pioneering technology. It was selected by the state in 2016 and also received support from the European Union. An independent committee was also established in 2022 to monitor the program and bring together scientific experts.

The resulting Provence Grand Large wind farm is a pilot project with three floating wind turbines installed 17 km (approximately 10.5 miles) off the coast of Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône. It has a capacity of 25 MW. It was developed through a partnership between EDF Renewables, Enbridge, and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments).

Bernard Fontana, Chairman and CEO of EDF, called it an important project for the country's energy sovereignty. He said the pilot farm is actively participating in France's energy transition while supporting the emergence of a cutting-edge industrial sector with innovative technologies.

The installation relies on a unique anchoring technology. Built by Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, the farm's three wind turbines are installed on floats with taut anchor lines inspired by a technology used to stabilize oil platforms. Developed by SBM Offshore and IFP Energies Nouvelles, they report the technology is suitable for deep-sea areas and provides excellent float stability. It however is the first adaptation for offshore wind turbine floats.

Built by Prysmian, the dynamic cables, which adapt to the movements of the floats, transport the electricity produced by the Provence Grand Large wind turbines. Connected to underwater and then onshore cables, they ensure the transmission of the generated electricity to the onshore connection station operated by RTE.

EDF says the experience from this project will be invaluable in carrying out the construction of its second floating offshore wind farm, Méditerranée Grand Large, for which it was awarded the contract in December 2024. This next project will be developed in partnership with Maple Power. The future Grand Large wind farm in the Mediterranean will be located 25 km (15.5 miles) off the Mediterranean coast with a capacity of approximately 250 MW.

The French government has set a target of a total capacity of 45 GW from offshore wind farms. Its plan aims to commission around 50 offshore wind farms by 2050.

EDF Renewables with Maple Power and its shareholders highlights it developed and commissioned France's first offshore wind farm with a capacity of 480 MW, the Fécamp offshore wind farm, off the coast of Saint Nazaire. They are also building the Calvados offshore wind farm (450 MW) and developing the Dunkirk (600 MW) and Manche Normandie (1 GW) offshore wind farms.