At the beginning of August, the European Commission authorised a 20-year French scheme in the amount of €11 billion to support the development of offshore wind energy, in accordance with the ‘CISAF’ state aid scheme for the development of clean technologies (see EUROPE 13667/26).
The measure will support the construction and operation of three floating offshore wind farms, one off the coast of Brittany and the other two in the Mediterranean. Each wind farm is expected to have a capacity of around 500 MW and generate 2.2 TWh, equivalent to the annual consumption of 450,000 households.
The beneficiaries, one for each offshore zone, will be chosen following tendering procedures that include diversification of supply chains as one of the selection criteria in order to reduce dependence on China.
Public aid will take the form of direct price support. A variable monthly premium will be paid under a two-way contract for difference. The premium will be calculated by comparing a reference price, determined in the beneficiary’s offer (‘pay-as-bid’), and the market price of electricity. According to the Commission, the support includes safeguards to ensure that the markets function properly. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)