France adjusts offshore wind target ‘to reflect industrial realities and grid needs’

PPE3, which sets out France’s energy strategy for 2026-2035 and charts a course towards carbon neutrality by 2050, is the government’s response to three imperatives: energy sovereignty, carbon neutrality and price competitiveness. The result of a lengthy consultation process initiated in 2022, PPE3 sets a course to decarbonise electricity production while reducing fossil fuel consumption.

In the new energy plan presented by Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, nuclear power is the big winner, with PPE3 including the construction of six EPR2s for initial commissioning as early as 2038, an option for eight additional EPR2s, the consolidation and extension of the 57 existing reactors and an optimisation of the fleet aiming for a production of 380 TWh as early as 2030.

The development of offshore wind capacity will be accelerated under PPE3, but the former target of 18 GW of capacity by 2035 has been reduced to 15 GW, "taking into account the industrial realities of the sector and infrastructure and grid connection needs."

Overall, targets for renewable electricity have been adjusted to take into account the outcome of parliamentary debate and the evolution of electricity consumption in recent years. PPE3 therefore sees a ‘measured development’ plan for solar photovoltaics, with a target of 48 GW in 2030 and 55-80 GW in 2035, compared with nearly 30 GW in 2025. The strategy for onshore wind set out in PPE3 favours the repowering of existing windfarms to increase their capacity and reduce landscape impact, with a target of 31 GW in 2030, 35-40 GW in 2035, compared with around 24 GW in 2025. To ensure the continuous adaptation of the trajectory to the country’s real needs, PPE3 also includes, for the first time, a review clause.

Responding to the publication of PPE3, the French Renewable Energy Trade Association (SER) said it was “a major step forward that must quickly produce results on the ground.

“These announcements mark a decisive turning point as they will relaunch the momentum of the energy transition in France,” the SER said. “By laying the foundations for a robust energy supply, it lends credibility to decarbonisation and energy sovereignty plans, and to electrification. It is now necessary to translate the PPE 3 into action by quickly relaunching renewable energy tenders that have been stalled for several months.”

The SER said it welcomed a commitment in PPE3 to quickly finalise the AO9 tender for offshore wind capacity, completion of which has been delayed for some time, and will rapidly launch the follow-up to AO09, AO10, both of which were part of PPE2. It said doing so “is essential to provide visibility to the industrial and port sectors.”

France Renewables said imminent announcements about AO09 and AO10 “will be an operational lever to enable the renewable energy sector to relaunch activity.” It said this is essential to restore the confidence of manufacturers and employees.