Ocean Winds has completed the installation of the third and final turbine at the 30 MW Éoliennes Flottantes du Golfe du Lion (EFGL) project in France.
Developed by Ocean Winds and Banque des Territoires, EFGL is now the first floating offshore wind farm in the Occitanie region to complete its offshore turbine installation phase.
“EFGL is not only a first for France but a global benchmark for floating offshore wind. It showcases the industrial maturity, precision, and collaboration needed to bring floating wind to commercial scale. For OW, this reflects our 15 years of leadership in floating technology,” said Marc Hirt , Country Manager for France for Ocean Winds.
“OW is eager to keep working in the Occitanie region, proud to be a first step and an example of the beneficial impacts such projects bring, not only in green energy production but also in local dynamism, job opportunities, and a shared sense of pride.”
Assembled at Port-La Nouvelle and towed 16 kilometres offshore, the Vestas 10 MW turbines stand ready for the final stage of cable and grid connection works. These works will be carried out by the French transmission system operator (TSO) Réseau de Transport d’Électricité (RTE) before the turbines begin delivering renewable energy to approximately 50,000 inhabitants each year.
The 30 MW EFGL floating wind farm consists of three Vestas V164-10.0 MW turbines mounted on Principle Power’s WindFloat semi-submersible floating foundations, which were delivered by Eiffage Métal, Smulders, and their subcontractor Geodis.
The project is the world’s first nature-inclusive floating wind farm, with artificial marine habitats (biohuts) installed at sea to enhance biodiversity, said Ocean Winds.
According to the company, the installation of EFGL paves the way for larger developments, including the Eoliennes Flottantes d’Occitanie (EFLO), a 250 MW floating offshore wind project awarded to Ocean Winds and Banque des Territoires in late 2024.