Skip to main content

EU Commission approves €11bn French aid scheme for offshore wind

The European Commission has approved a €10.82bn French scheme to support the deployment of offshore wind to transition towards a net-zero economy, under the State aid Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework. The scheme is expected to run for 20 years to support the construction and operation of two bottom-fixed offshore wind parks through bidding processes organised to select one beneficiary per project.  The scheme should operate as a monthly variable premium under a two-way contract for difference (CfD), which will be calculated by comparing a reference price, determined in the tender offer of the beneficiary (pay as bid), to the market price for electricity. The projects are the South Atlantic wind project with an expected capacity of up to 1-1.2 GW planned to generate at least 3.9 TWh/year, and the Normandy wind project with an expected capacity of up to 1.4-1.6 GW that once operational is estimated to generate at least 6.1 TWh/year of renewable energy. The aid will be granted before 31 December 2025. 

The State aid Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework (TCTF) was adopted by the Commission on  March 2023 to support measures in sectors which are key to accelerate the green transition and reduce fuel dependencies.