France needs to take action to ‘surf offshore wind wave’

Highlighting major announcements at the end of January 2026 at the North Seas Summit in Hamburg, France renouvelables said progress on offshore wind in France is being held back by the slow pace of development of the framework for the A09 and AO10 auctions. It also highlighted delays to PPE3, France’s third Multiannual Energy Programming Plan, which is meant to guide the country’s energy strategy to 2035 and beyond and play a vital role in the development of the offshore wind sector.

At the Hamburg summit, European countries – including France – reaffirmed their ambition to turn Northern Seas into an offshore energy hub, targeting 300 GW of offshore wind by 2050, including 100 GW of co-operative projects. 300 GW is enough offshore wind capacity to meet around a third of the EU’s electricity needs, enough to reduce Europe’s fossil fuel imports by €70Bn (US$83Bn) and carbon emissions by -15% a year, while reducing electricity prices.

“France would be wise to surf this wave,” said France renouvelables, but noted that although the ‘competitive dialogue’ for the country’s 9th offshore call for tenders (AO9) began in July 2024, the framework for the auction has yet to be communicated. “And AO10 – initially scheduled for the end of 2023, then announced for the end of 2024 – is still awaited,” the association said.

“Europe is relying on offshore wind to achieve energy security and decarbonisation targets and enhance its competitiveness,” said France renouvelables. “In the current geopolitical context, the investment pact outlined in Hamburg secures carbon-free energy and allows us to move away from our dependence on imported gas. It is an essential lever for our sovereignty.

“To contribute to this European commitment, the French government must urgently publish the new PPE and the specifications for AO9 and AO10. The preservation of France’s position as an energy power and its credibility are at stake.”

France renouvelables’ call for action echoes that of France Offshore Renewables, an inter-cluster body that represents regional clean energy associations, which said problems are ‘piling up’ in the French offshore wind sector, warning that without change, projects and future investment could be at risk.

In a 31 October statement, France Offshore Renewables – which brings together several regional clusters in the country, including Normandie Maritime, Bretagne Ocean Power, Neopolia, Aquitaine Blue énergie, Wind’Occ, and SudEole – said it wanted to draw attention to what it described as “inconsistent decision-making” and the government’s failure to take decisions on matters that are of the utmost importance to the wind, wave energy and tidal energy sectors. It also highlighted the fact that PPE3 still had not been published.