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Renewable energies are key to sustainability policies, and Atlantic France is positioned as a leader in this area. The region focuses on innovation and offers many opportunities with significant public investments, world-class players, and cutting-edge technological equipment.
A leading French region in terms of marine renewables jobs, investments, and sales, Atlantic France boasts a combination of strategic advantages. With an ambitious national strategy and a robust ecosystem of market leaders and innovative players, the region stands out as a beacon of excellence, providing a perfect base for operations and exports within Europe and beyond.
Atlantic France is a pioneer in the development of offshore renewable energy. Its location is excellent, as it benefits from the strong winds of the Atlantic Ocean. Home to the first French offshore wind farm and the first French offshore floating turbine, these factors combined make the region an attractive location for companies in the sector.
Strategic infrastructure for offshore wind
Nantes Saint-Nazaire Port is the main port on the Atlantic coast of France and the fourth largest in the country. Thanks to the adaptation of its infrastructure, it served as an assembly site for the first offshore wind farm in France, and the operation was a great success. The facilities will also be used for the Yeu-Noirmoutier offshore wind farm, which will be the third in France.
A major project called Eole, representing over €200 million in investments, was launched by Nantes Saint-Nazaire Port. This project is designed to enhance the port’s capabilities in supporting the construction and operation of offshore wind farms. According to its forecasts, the region is expected to host 20 to 30 GW of fixed or floating wind power.
Atlantic France is also home to innovative testing facilities for marine renewables professionals, starting with the Sem-Rev test site. This site hosts the demonstrator Floatgen and has partnered with Lhyfe to produce sustainable hydrogen offshore. Recently, the research centre received new investments to improve the platform’s capacity.
Upcoming projects: many new wind farms on the horizon
The French government is increasing its investments in marine renewables, with plans to deploy offshore wind farms and a target of 50 future facilities. These investments include significant resources for infrastructure and technology development in the offshore renewable energy sector.
Atlantic France will soon be home to a second offshore wind farm. Located off the islands of Yeu and Noirmoutier, it will be operational by the end of 2025. This farm will feature 62 Siemens Gamesa 8 MW wind turbines and will provide electricity for 800,000 people. The region’s potential is substantial as three wind farms will be under construction in or around the area by 2030, and an additional two dozen are set to be worked on by 2050.
Atlantic France offers development prospects that promise to integrate marine renewable energy players into a dynamic business environment. Are you an MRE player looking to set up in the region? We’d love to hear from you!
Farra Marine: an Irish success story in Atlantic France
Atlantic France offers major opportunities to international companies in the marine renewables sector. They can rely on qualified partners and benefit from the proximity of tier 1 players such as GE, Chantiers de l’Atlantique, and Rollix, obtain public subsidies for innovation, and enjoy significant growth prospects.
These advantages convinced Farra Marine to recently set up a subsidiary in the region. Founded in 2019 by engineers Martin Rice and Jason Parker, the company specialises in both crew transfer and cargo vessels for offshore wind farms.
In just a few years, Farra Marine has built a fleet of eight next-generation crew transfer vessels (CTVs), each capable of accommodating up to 24 passengers. Establishing a presencein Atlantic France is a strategic move for the Irish maritime company, enhancing its position in the European market.
Want more information?
Schedule an appointment to meet us at Seanergy in Nantes from the 26th to the 28th of June 2024 and download our latest guide to marine renewables in Atlantic France for valuable insights.
