Big firms weigh in as France looks to revive offshore wind
A French wind power tender has attracted interest from a slew of international energy heavyweights, signalling that France's offshore wind industry could finally be taking off after years of missteps.
While Britain and Germany have already built 8,200 and 6,400 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind capacity - enough to power millions of homes - France does not have a single turbine in the water.
In two previous French tenders, in 2012 and 2014, a bumper 3,000 MW of capacity worth 11 billion euros ($12.4 billion) was awarded, but the projects have not materialised because of public opposition and contract wrangles.
Now, France is making a new start, auctioning a modest 600 MW in the northern town of Dunkirk in a tender it hopes will finally exploit some of the best offshore wind potential in Europe.
Energy world