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Since 2022, France’s first offshore wind farm has been operating off the coast of Saint-Nazaire and Pornichet. This milestone has opened up significant opportunities for Nantes & Saint-Nazaire to develop industrial units and high-level R&D capabilities, supported by unique large-scale infrastructure in France, spanning the full range of marine renewable energy (MRE) technologies.
France’s first offshore wind farm
Inaugurated in 2022, the first offshore wind farm in France consists of 80 offshore wind turbines off the coast of Saint-Nazaire. Nearly 200 companies were involved in this massive project, creating 1,000 jobs during construction and around 100 jobs for ongoing maintenance. The wind farm produces the equivalent of 20% of Loire-Atlantique’s electricity consumption.
To facilitate pre-assembly of turbines, the Grand Port Maritime de Nantes-Saint-Nazaire established a XXL logistics hub. Turbine components, including Haliade models, transit through this hub before assembly by Saint-Nazaire’s offshore wind industry.
Setting up a dedicated team for marine renewable energies in Nantes was an obvious choice given the region’s potential.
Doris Group
Key figures
2 500
jobs in Pays de la Loire
1st
France’s leading MRE industrial hub
5 000
students in relevant fields
The Éole project led by the Grand Port of Nantes Saint-Nazaire
The Éole Project, scheduled by 2030, aims to develop new industrial-port infrastructure for marine renewable energy (MRE) at the Grand Port Maritime de Nantes-Saint-Nazaire:
- a 780-metre quay for assembling floating wind turbines
- onshore storage areas
- offshore storage platforms
- and a ponton for service vessels
In Saint-Nazaire, Éole will help achieve ambitious European and national energy transition goals, targeting the construction of 50 offshore wind farms by 2050.
Offshore wind: Saint-Nazaire as a hub for major industrial players
Nantes & Saint-Nazaire are at the forefront of offshore wind power. The Pays de la Loire Region has long supported a strong industrial ecosystem around these new energies. With the construction of two offshore wind farms off Saint-Nazaire and Noirmoutier, industrial and academic stakeholders have become increasingly mobilised. Major players like Chantiers de l’Atlantique and DCNS have expanded their R&D activities. Others have also set up locally, such as Alstom, now owned by General Electric (GE), which inaugurated two plants in Montoir, near Saint-Nazaire, in 2014 to assemble turbine nacelles and produce alternators. Meanwhile, Chantiers de l’Atlantique opened its Anemos plant for the production of wind turbine foundations and electrical substations for offshore fields.
15 new companies in offshore wind
To complete the offshore wind value chain, Nantes Saint-Nazaire Développement has supported the establishment of 15 companies to meet the offshore wind farm’s needs, including: Doris Group, Alka Marine, EOLFI, Kopadia, Endiprev, YS Energies, One Sixone, WPD Windmanager, RWE, Creadis, Q Energy, Global Wind Service, Mareal, Maguin, Fairmat, Axiscades. For example, Alka Marine built two vessels to transport personnel near offshore wind turbines. Engineering and consulting firms like Creadis, WPD Manager, and Q Energy took advantage of the project to establish a French presence. Overall, 30 new energy sector companies have been established since 2019, creating 580 jobs.
SEM-REV: Full-scale offshore testing
All MRE technologies—fixed-bottom and floating wind, tidal, wave, and thermal energy—are being developed in Nantes and Saint-Nazaire, supported by significant investments and studies. The SEM-REV offshore testing site, operated by Centrale Nantes, located off Le Croisic, is one of four sites included in the European Foresea project. With €11 million in funding, it supports calls for projects to test emerging technologies at sea. The stakes are high: an offshore wind turbine can produce up to twice as much energy as an onshore turbine.
1,000 researchers working on MRE
From the Jules Verne climatic wind tunnel to Technocampus platforms, along with top engineering schools (Centrale Nantes) and Nantes University (12 laboratories), technological research drives MRE development across topics like materials durability, energy storage and transport, and marine spatial planning.
At least 1,000 researchers are dedicated to MRE in the region.
In addition to thousands of jobs, this represents enormous industrial know-how in offshore renewable energy. The Pays de la Loire region has also developed a tailored training offer, addressing the needs of the MRE value chain, from engineering, construction, mechanics and materials, to installation, connection, operation, and maintenance.
Key sub-sectors:
Fixed-bottom offshore wind
Initially inspired by onshore models, offshore wind turbines have been adapted to marine environments, resistant to corrosion, storms, and marine forces. In Nantes Saint-Nazaire, these technologies are now fully mature.
Floating offshore wind
France’s first floating wind turbine, Floatgen, was installed in 2018 at SEM-REV, led by Centrale Nantes with seven European partners. Floating turbines offer an alternative to fixed-bottom wind, enabling offshore wind farms further from the coast, reducing coastal impacts.
Tidal energy
Harnessing marine and river currents to generate electricity, tidal energy complements offshore wind. Nantes Saint-Nazaire hosts ongoing R&D projects in this area. France is preparing 2 GW of tidal and floating wind tenders by the end of the decade.
Wave and ocean thermal energy
Wave energy is being explored by Geps Techno, a Saint-Nazaire startup, developing pilot devices to capture energy from ocean swells. A 500 kW, 25-meter diameter demonstrator is being tested at SEM-REV. Ocean thermal energy, still emerging, holds promise, particularly for islands. Naval Group has made it a strategic priority and is a pioneer in this field.