First French Floating Wind Farm Fully Commissioned

France's first floating wind farm, the 25 MW Provence Grand Large, located in the Gulf of Fos in the Mediterranean Sea.

The Provence Grand Large wind farm is a pilot project with three floating wind turbines installed 17 km off the coast of Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône.

It has been developed by the EDF Group, through its subsidiary EDF Renewables, and Enbridge Éolien France 2, a subsidiary of Enbridge and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments).

The wind farm will supply the equivalent of the electricity consumption of 45,000 people each year.

Built by Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, the farm's three wind turbines are installed on floats with taut anchor lines inspired by a technology used to stabilize oil platforms.

Developed by SBM Offshore and IFP Energies Nouvelles, this technology is suitable for deep-sea areas and provides excellent float stability. Its adaptation for offshore wind turbine floats is a world first.

Built by Prysmian, the dynamic cables, which adapt to the movements of the floats, transport the electricity produced by the Provence Grand Large wind turbines.

Connected to underwater and then onshore cables, they ensure the transmission of the generated electricity to the onshore connection station operated by RTE.

"We are proud to commission France's first floating offshore wind farm, an important project for our country's energy sovereignty. By helping to diversify our renewable energy sources, this pilot farm is actively participating in France's energy transition, while supporting the emergence of a cutting-edge industrial sector in these innovative technologies,” added Bernard Fontana, Chairman and CEO of EDF.

"Enbridge is proud to be a partner in France's first floating offshore wind farm. This innovative project contributes to the development and opens new perspectives for the development of the offshore wind sector and the production of low-carbon energy. 

"We are pleased to have Provence Grand Large in the Enbridge portfolio and to support the region's energy transition,” added Matthew Akman, Executive Vice President of Strategy and President of Energy at Enbridge.