France to open tender for 10 GW of offshore wind projects

PARIS, June 11 (Reuters) - France's energy ministry said it would open on Friday a long-awaited call for tenders to develop 10 gigawatts of offshore wind projects, mostly located on the country's west coast.

Offshore wind projects have faced challenges globally as rising costs and mounting political opposition in some countries, such as from the Trump administration in the United States, have caused some companies to scrap development plans.

The new projects would significantly expand France's offshore wind capacity, which the country aims to increase from less than 2 GW currently to 15 GW by 2035. It would also provide a boost to European capacity, which was at just under 40 GW at the end of 2025, according to industry group WindEurope.

The call of tenders, which was initially promised in 2024, will be split between 5 GW of fixed-bottom wind farms and 5 GW of floating wind farms.

Fixed-bottom wind farms use turbines installed on foundations attached to the seabed and are the more established and generally cheaper technology.

Floating wind farms place turbines on floating platforms anchored to the seabed, allowing projects to move into deeper waters but adding costs because the platforms, mooring systems and installation work are more complex.

Companies will have four months to submit their offers to develop the projects. The winners will be selected in February 2027.

Selecting the winners in early 2027 would allow French President Emmanuel Macron's government to finalise goals laid out in the Energy Planning Law released in late February before the next presidential election in April.

The far-right National Rally, which opposes offshore wind, is a favourite to reach the second round runoff in the presidential election.

The projects will sell electricity through contracts for difference, which guarantee operators an agreed price. The state pays the gap when market prices are lower, while operators pay back the difference when prices are higher.

The French state wants to incentivize maintenance works on the turbines when French electricity prices are low, to try and protect against negative pricing due to an excess of renewable supply, the ministry said.

The wind turbines will also be subject to European rules, meaning most or all of them must be manufactured in Europe, the ministry said. Parts that are built outside of Europe will also be subject to strict environmental regulations, the ministry said.

(Reporting by Forrest Crellin; Editing by Susan Fenton)