MAP: Offshore sites identified for new wind farms in France
President Macron has made the expansion of wind generated energy a priority
France has been lagging behind its European neighbours in developing wind farms, which account for only 8.5% of its electricity productionTeun van den Dries / Shutterstock
France is expanding its offshore wind farms under plans announced by President Macron to boost the country’s renewable energy production.
Three offshore wind farms are currently under construction, with another six at various stages of the planning process under Mr Macron’s plan to have “40 gigawatts in service by 2050”.
It follows a 2023 report by the Cour des comptes - the supreme court for auditing the use of public funds - that France was the only country to have missed its European targets for wind power, as outlined in the 2018 Renewable Energy Directive.
This EU Directive stipulates that renewable energy must reach 42.5% of the electricity generated by member states by 2030.
French renewable energy accounts for around 26.1% of its electricity production according to 2022 data from the International Energy Agency.
The Cour des comptes stated that failure to meet the objective set by the EU could mean that France will “incur financial penalties”.
