EU Approves €11 Billion French Program to Aid Offshore Wind Energy
The European Commission approved a €11 billion (US$12.7 billion) French program designed to support offshore wind energy and accelerate the transition to clean energy. While the EU has strict rules for government aid programs, the review found that this program will contribute to the transition towards a net-zero economy and reach the renewable energy target set at the EU level for 2030.
The program will support the construction and operation of three floating offshore wind farms. One will be in the sea off the coast of Southern Brittany, and two others in the Mediterranean Sea. Each wind farm is expected to have a capacity of around 500 MW and to generate around 2.2 TWh, equivalent to the annual consumption of 450,000 French households.
The aid will be granted as part of a bidding process, which will be organized to select one beneficiary per offshore zone. According to the European Commission, in the approval of the aid package, resilience has been included as a tender prequalification and award criterion in order to diversify wind turbine and main specific components supply chains to reduce dependency on imports from China.
Under this scheme, the aid will take the form of 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 to the market price for electricity. When the market price is below the reference price, the beneficiaries will be entitled to receive payments equal to the difference between the two prices. When the market price is above the reference price, the beneficiary will have to pay the difference between the two prices to the French authorities.
The Commission found that the French scheme meets its conditions as it provides direct price support through a two-way CfD, awarded via a competitive bidding process. It includes safeguards to ensure markets function properly and avoid compensating producers when market prices are negative.
The Commission concluded that the French scheme is necessary, appropriate, and proportionate to accelerate the transition towards a net-zero economy and facilitate the development of certain economic activities.
Glamox Wins Contracts to Light Taiwan’s Fengmiao Offshore Wind Farm
[By: Glamox]
Glamox, a world leader in lighting, has won contracts to light the wind turbine foundation transition pieces for the Fengmiao wind farm, to be located offshore near Taichung, Taiwan. The company will provide approximately 920 marine-certified LED luminaires to illuminate the jacket foundation transition pieces for 33 turbines, which will generate a combined 495 MW of clean electricity. Glamox’s contracts are with the two companies building the foundation jackets: SK OceanPlant of South Korea and Taiwan’s Century Wind Power, in collaboration with ProCon Taiwan.
The transition piece is the cylindrical steel structure that connects the wind turbine to its foundation. It serves as the primary access point to the turbine tower of the V236-15.0 MW turbines supplied by Vestas. It includes boat landing systems, platforms, and ladders. It is vital that the area is well-lit for inspection and maintenance teams and that the luminaires function flawlessly in an emergency.
“This is the third Taiwanese wind farm project we have recently secured. It follows the Hai Long Wind Farm 2 and 3 and the Greater Changhua 2b and 4 projects that we announced in March 2024,” said Tommy Stranden, Chief Sales & Commercial Officer of Glamox’s Marine, Offshore & Wind business. “When people’s safety and security are concerned, you choose the best you can. Our offshore customers know they can depend on our marine-grade lighting, which is designed to withstand extreme weather conditions, vibrations, and the corrosive saltwater environment,” added Stranden.
Glamox is providing 35 RLX C floodlights and 884 MIR G2 WOF luminaires. The energy-efficient LED lighting has a designed lifespan of 100,000 hours at 45°C. Both types of light are also equipped with a three-hour battery pack in case of a power outage.
The lighting will be delivered in the summer of 2025. It will be installed by SK OceanPlant at its yard in Goseong County, South Korea, and by ProCon Taiwan at Century Wind Power’s yard in New Taipei City, Taiwan. Fengmiao is scheduled for completion by the end of 2027, providing green energy to large corporate users.
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) oversees the overall development and management of Fengmiao, including securing financing, supervising construction, and ensuring the project meets its operational targets.
The products and services herein described in this press release are not endorsed by The Maritime Executive.
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