France allocated slightly more than 1GW of onshore wind capacity in its latest tender, maintaining stable prices from previous rounds. Initially aiming to award contracts for 925MW, the country’s energy transition ministry received proposals for 85 projects totaling 1,564.2MW. Ultimately, 58 projects were selected, totaling 1,058.1MW.
The average price for successful projects was €87.80/MWh, consistent with the previous tender’s average of €87.23/MWh, amid inflationary pressures in the sector.
Approximately half of the newly allocated capacity (1.05GW) went to the north-east, with 252MW distributed across 15 projects in Hauts de France and 249MW across eight projects in Grande Este. These regions, along with Nouvelle Aquitaine in the south-west (197MW, nine projects), accounted for two-thirds of the awarded capacity.
The tender saw participation from 26 successful bidders and consortia. TTR, a French renewables investment firm, secured the largest share with 210.6MW, around 20% of the total. EnBW and its subsidiary Valeco followed with 117.4MW, with Axpo and Volkswind’s joint venture at 75.6MW, and RWE alone at 57.3MW.
Envinergy, a French renewables consultancy, highlighted that firms like EnBW, Valeco, Axpo, Volkswind, and RWE, along with Romande from Switzerland, accounted for nearly half of the awarded capacity.
Notably, three new entrants won projects: Spain’s Iberdrola, Dio Energie from France, and Windstrom from Germany.