France: TotalEnergies has submitted an application to develop the 1.5-GW Centre Manche II offshore wind farm off the Normandy coast. With an estimated investment of $5.2 B (€4.5 B), the project is set to become the largest renewable energy scheme in France.
The application for Single Authorisation follows the company’s success in securing the government tender for the project eight months ago. Once operational in 2033, the wind farm is expected to generate enough electricity to supply more than one million households. It also represents TotalEnergies’ largest energy investment in France in more than three decades.
The original winning consortium included RWE, although the company has since withdrawn from the project. The bid price of $76 (€66) per megawatt-hour would make offshore wind one of the most competitive forms of electricity generation in France.
France currently has 1.6 GW of offshore wind capacity in operation and a further 1.5 GW under construction. The country aims to reach 45 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2050, equivalent to around 20 % of national electricity demand. As an interim target, France plans to install 15 GW by 2035.
According to Industrial Info Resources, 28 offshore wind projects are currently planned across France, representing nearly $73 B in investment. The government is also preparing its next offshore wind auctions, which will offer a combined 10 GW of capacity, including both fixed-bottom and floating wind projects.
Source: Industrial Info Resources
