Valorem Joins Consortium to Compete in France’s AO9 Floating Wind Tender

June 12, 2025, by Adnan Memija

Valorem has joined the Astenn Avel consortium, formed by Elicio and Q Energy, to participate in the AO9 tender for a floating offshore wind farm in France.

With over 30 years of experience in renewable energy, Valorem strengthens the consortium’s solidity and complementarity, particularly in the areas of regional coordination, technical design, industrial planning, and socio-economic benefits, the consortium said.

“We are proud to join Elicio and Q ENERGY within Astenn Avel. Together, we share a common vision of responsible, ambitious and competitive floating wind energy that is integrated into the regions. This project is a major opportunity for French industry,” said Olivier Angoulevant, Director of Offshore Development at the VALOREM Group.

Together, Q Energy, Elicio, and Valorem are joining forces to respond to the AO9 tender for the extension of the floating wind farm off the coast of southern Brittany.

Located off the coast of Groix and Belle-Île-en-Mer, the project aims to add 500 MW of installed capacity to the South Brittany area, in the immediate vicinity of the Pennavel (AO5) site.

The floating offshore wind farm is expected to be commissioned in 2032-2033.

“With Q ENERGY and VALOREM, we share the desire to carry out a coordinated, robust and locally rooted project,” said Emmanuel Van Vyve, Development Director at Elicio.

In November 2024, the French government announced that twelve candidates, including Elicio and Q Energy, had pre-qualified for the AO9 tender, which offers four new sites for offshore wind development.

Through this tender, France is procuring a floating wind farm with an installed capacity of between 400 MW and 550 MW in South Brittany, two floating wind farms each with an installed capacity of between 450 MW and 550 MW in the Mediterranean, and an offshore wind farm with an installed capacity of between 1,000 MW and 1,250 MW in the South Atlantic.

12 Developers in Running for Four New Offshore Wind Sites in France

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Recently, the first floating offshore wind farm in France and the wider Mediterranean was fully commissioned. The 25 MW Provence Grand Large is a pilot project that features three Siemens Gamesa 8 MW turbines installed 17 kilometres off the coast of Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône.