TotalEnergies claims France is becoming a less appealing destination for renewable investments

France is setting ambitious goals for its offshore wind energy production in a bid to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The country hopes to have 45 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind in operation by that time, but faces challenges in attracting renewable investments.

According to Isabelle Patrier, the director of TotalEnergies France, sluggish project approvals and the practice of selling wind power to the government rather than directly to customers make France less attractive for renewable investments compared to other countries. Patrier made these comments ahead of TotalEnergies’ inauguration of a 63-megawatt wind farm in northeast France.

Currently, France has two offshore wind farms totaling 0.97 GW that are fully operational. However, the bidding process for new projects lasts an average of 2.5 to 3 years, slowing down the deployment of offshore wind capacity.

Patrier highlighted the importance of speeding up the deployment of renewable energy in France, citing the country’s energy planning law that called for 3.7 gigawatts of wind tenders between 2019 and 2023, a target that was not achieved.

TotalEnergies, as France’s third-largest green electricity provider, aims to triple its renewable electricity production globally to exceed 100 terawatt-hours by 2030. The company sees offshore wind as a key area for growth, particularly in countries where they can sell electricity directly to customers to help them decarbonize.

Despite the challenges, TotalEnergies remains committed to investing in offshore wind in France and other key markets to support the transition to a more sustainable energy future.