Paris, September 18, 2023 – EDF Renewables and Enbridge Éolien France 2 S.à.rl, a subsidiary of Enbridge Inc. and CPP Investments, have successfully carried out the towing and installation of the first floating offshore wind turbine in Provence Grand Large, 17 km from the coast from Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône (Bouches-du-Rhône). A major step for floating offshore wind power in France.
After assembling the turbine and its float, the first wind turbine in Provence Grand Large left Quai Graveleau in Fos-sur-Mer to be towed 17 km from the coast to its installation site. It was then secured to its anchoring system which ensures the stability of the float.
This complex operation, which requires careful coordination of all partners, is a collective success. It will be reproduced to install the two other wind turbines in the pilot park. The electrical cables will then be laid to transport the electricity to the Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône station. A period of testing will follow before commissioning of the park planned for early 2024.
Provence Grand Large is the first project in the world to use an innovative system of floats known as "tensioned anchor lines," developed by SBM Offshore and IFP Energies Nouvelles. This technological innovation, inspired by oil platforms, can be deployed even in areas of great depth and provides great stability for the 3,000-ton float that carries the turbine. The three floating offshore wind turbines, each with a capacity of 8.4 MW, were manufactured by Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy and will produce the equivalent of the annual electricity consumption of 45,000 inhabitants. They are the most powerful offshore wind turbines in France to date.
Selected by the State in 2016 and supported by the European Union (NER 300 and Feder programs), the Future Investment Program (PIA) operated by the Ecological Transition Agency (ADEME), and the South Region , the project benefits from the support of the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis and all the communities of the Gulf of Fos.
Provence Grand Large allows EDF Renewables, Enbridge Inc. and CPP Investments to acquire a solid knowledge base to help advance the offshore wind industry.