Six developers, including oil majors, green energy giants and investment firms have been pre-qualified to advance to the next phase in the French government’s tender for an up to 1050 MW offshore wind project off Normandy.
The next-stage bidders are Shell, Total and RWE consortium, Iberdrola, Ocean Winds (joint venture of Engie and EDPR), Eoliennes en Mer Manche Normandie (project company of EDF Renouvelables and Maple Power – Enbridge and CPPIB JV), and a consortium formed by Vattenfall, WPD and Banque des Territoires.
In January this year, the French government opened the pre-qualification process for this project, which is located some 32 km off the coast of Barfleur, with a 500 sq km zone which will be further reduced. Fixed foundation technology will be used, given the water depths.
The shortlisted candidates will now enter a competitive dialogue phase, during which the details of the project will be discussed with the French government before preparing and submitting the bids.
According to Spain’s Iberdrola, the final award decision is expected to be made public in February 2022.
“Normandy represents a major milestone for France’s energy transition, as it is the first project within the Multiannual Energy Plan which states the French Government’s commitment to award 1GW of offshore wind per year,” said Javier García Pérez, Iberdrola’s offshore wind business director.
The wind farm project off the Cotentin peninsula should be commissioned in 2028.
