The French government has selected 21 new onshore wind projects (150 wind turbines) totalling 516 MW in the third onshore wind tender. One third of the projects will be developed in the Hauts-de-France region in the north of the country, adding 215 MW of capacity, while 72 MW will be built in Grand Est and 61 MW in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The 21 projects are expected to generate 1.3 TWh/year of renewable electricity. This bidding round is part of a series of 500 MW auctions launched in May 2017 and planned every six months, so as to deploy 3,000 MW of onshore wind capacity in three years. A fourth one is expected on 1 August 2019 and will offer 500 MW of onshore wind. These tenders will help France achieve a 32% renewables share by 2030.
In addition, the French government has announced plans to accelerate the development of offshore wind projects, from around 500 MW per year to 1 GW per year, thanks to falling costs. The long-term energy plan presented in late 2018 envisioned 2.4 GW of offshore wind in 2023 (from 0 today) and 5 GW in 2028, thanks to the addition of around 500 MW per year. The volume offered in future tenders could be raised to 1 GW per year.
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