France risks missing offshore wind target

The IEEFA said the country urgently needs to streamline permitting and create a more favourable investment climate, if it is to meet ambitious targets that have been set for offshore wind energy.

Despite carrying out numerous tenders since 2011, France has just 1.5 GW of operational offshore wind. The technology provides 1% of the country’s electricity, far below its northwest European neighbours.

The study finds that unless it accelerates deployment, France might only have 3 GW of operational offshore wind by 2032, leaving it off track to achieve the government’s target of 18 GW by 2035. This means the technology would play a limited role in replacing nuclear reactors due to be decommissioned.

IEEFA power sector analyst Jonathan Bruegel said, “A combination of complex permitting, legal challenges and a focus on nuclear power have held back offshore wind development in France.

“There is a lack of political and financial support for offshore wind in France,” he claimed, “which has struggled to provide the same level of certainty for investors as many other European countries.

“Action must be taken to turn the tide on French offshore wind development so that the technology can effectively strengthen the country’s energy security and help replace its ageing fleet of nuclear power plants, most of which will reach the end of their planned operational lifetimes by 2030.”

The IEEFA has called on France to urgently streamline offshore wind licensing and shorten the timeframe for legal challenges to projects awarded in tenders.

The report finds that policy support for nuclear power has diverted financial resources away from renewables, potentially jeopardising the country’s energy security. 

To prevent nuclear power from hindering offshore wind development, IEEFA recommends that the country ‘develop a nuclear phase-down plan with offshore wind as a pillar.’ 

“When ageing nuclear plants are phased out, the government should create a structured transition plan that prioritises offshore wind and other renewables,” said IEEFA.

“It should invest in grid adaptation, France’s transmission system operator should develop a modernised, smarter and more flexible grid that can handle intermittent renewables.”

The IEFFA says France also needs to reform market regulations. It said nuclear “should cease to have priority access to the grid and should not be granted a preferential feed-in tariff,” and renewables should be made eligible for capacity mechanism payments.

It also recommends that France diversify energy investments. Offshore wind projects should be made more attractive to investors through stable policies and incentives, it said, and public investment should be redirected to offshore wind and renewables infrastructure.

“Unlocking the potential of France’s offshore wind resources will help the country succeed in its transition from a nuclear-dominated power mix to a more balanced system with significant levels of renewables,” Mr Bruegel concluded.