Development of offshore wind energy in Poland is the path to green, cheap energy, which will help greatly to ensure energy security and reduce the risk of energy poverty. Such a process requires long-term strategies, partnerships with the local community and collaboration with trusted partners. We have seen great examples of such collaboration in France. The country’s first offshore wind farm in Saint-Nazaire was recently completed and the energy produced there is already flowing to French consumers.

We asked the Ambassador of France to Poland, Mr Frédéric Billet, about what the French path to offshore wind energy looks like, and what are the key success elements in building the offshore sector.

BalticWind.EU: What is the French vision for offshore wind energy?

Frédéric Billet: Launching offshore wind projects is a big challenge for the country and its economy as a whole. Although the first considerations were undertaken in France more than a decade ago, it is only now that the first results are becoming noticeable.

France’s first offshore wind farm, located off the coast of Saint-Nazaire, with a capacity of 480 MW, was opened by President Macron on September 22 and will be fully operational by December 2022. This is the first such farm for
a long list to come, as several wind farms will be operational by 2024 – this will include wind farms near Saint-Brieuc, Fécamp and Courseulles-sur-Mer. In addition, France aims to reach 40 GW of offshore capacity by 2050. It’s an ambitious goal that will provide us with access to competitive, low-emission, independent energy to comple-ment our energy mix, which continues to undergo decarbonization.

To continue and accelerate the pace of offshore wind development, it is necessary to be able to rely not only on a consolidated and efficient industrial structure, but also on sound marine planning and procedures. It’s an ambitious goal that will provide us with access to competitive, low-emission, independent energy to complement our energy mix, which continues to undergo decarbonization. Today, the French portfolio in the wind power sector is well established. France has a third of Europe’s production lines for offshore wind turbines: manufacturing nacelles, blades, electrical substations, survey buoys and LIDARs. These factories supply international offshore wind projects.

To continue and accelerate the pace of offshore wind development, it is necessary to be able to rely not only on a consolidated and efficient industrial structure, but also on sound marine planning and procedures.

You can read the full commentary  in BalticWind.EU Quarterly Country Report Poland Q3 2022.