The French government last July launched a competition to build 3GW of offshore wind, with the aim of generating first power in 2015. There are five zones in total during this first round, with the government targeting a further 3GW by 2020.
The consortium bidding with Iberdrola for the 500MW Saint-Brieuc Bay zone and the 480MW Saint-Nazaire area includes Eole Res, the French wind farm developer which joined the consortium in October; engineering and construction firm Technip which joined two months earlier, and the offshore wind developer Neoen Marine, which joined on 19 December. Areva will supply the turbines.