The French government has identified new areas for offshore wind through an updated maritime spatial plan, revealing plans towards 2035 and to 2050. Details on the upcoming AO10 round are also revealed, and aiming to award an additional 9 GW, nearly double the capacity allocated to developers as of day.

The plans show a serious commitment to building up the pipeline of projects in France towards their 2035 18 GW targets, and provides long term visibility to both developers and the supply chain for future opportunities.

The AO10 lease round is planned to be opened in the coming months, aiming to contribute to the target of 18 GW within 2035. Five project have been identified for AO10, including:

– Two 2 GW projects in the Manche Est-Mer du Nord zone, fixed projects
– One 1.2 – 2 GW project in the North Atlantic-Manche Quest zone , floating project
– One 1.2 GW project in the South Atlantic zone, fixed project
– One 2 GW project in the Mediterranean zone, floating project

In addition, approximately 6.3 GW has been identified for future AO rounds, with CODs expected around 2040, including:

– 2 GW in the Manche Est-Mer du Nord zone
– 2 GW in the North Atlantic-Manche Quest zone
– Around 1.2 GW in the South Atlantic zone
– Around 1.1 GW in the Mediterranean zone

Towards 2050, 19000 square kilometers has been identified as potential areas, in all of the four zones. The updated maritime spatial plan is a significant step for offshore wind development in France, putting forward long term ambitions and providing the supply chain and developers with much needed long term visibility.