A consortium led by Iberdrola has submitted two bids for windfarm projects off the Brittany and Atlantic coasts as part of the French Government’s plans to install up to 3GW of offshore wind capacity.
The consortium, which comprises renewable energy project designer Eole Res, French turbine manufacturer Areva, engineering and construction company Technip, and the developer Neoen Marine, is bidding for two of five contracts in the first phase of the development.
This represents 980MW, divided between two areas: Saint-Brieuc, located in Côte d’Armor (Northern Brittany), which has a potential maximum capacity of 500MW, and Saint-Nazaire (Loire-Atlantique) on the Atlantic coast, with a potential capacity of 480MW.
Two French companies, EDF and GDF Suez, have also submitted bids for the 3,000MW project. GDF is partnering with German turbine manufacturer Siemens, while EDF will partner with either Areva or Alstom.
The results of the tender for the €10bn, 600 turbine development will be announced in April with the first wind farms due to be commissioned in 2015.