First work at sea for floating wind turbines in the Mediterranean

The work at sea intended to install in the Mediterranean a first experimental farm of three floating wind turbines began on Sunday in Barcarès (Pyrénées-Orientales). This pilot farm of floating wind turbines in the Gulf of Lion is to be installed 18 km off the seaside resorts of Leucate (Aude) and Barcarès (Pyrénées-Orientales) for commissioning scheduled for “end of 2023/beginning of 2024”.

On Sunday, the manager of the electricity transmission network RTE launched a “sheath”: a tube intended to accommodate and protect part of the submarine electric cable which will connect the wind farm to the land cable. It was set up to avoid work on the beach, in a protected area.

Three experimental farms in the Mediterranean

The submarine cable intended to provide a 63,000 volt connection must be installed “during the second half of 2023”, said RTE. The cost of the connection is estimated at 40 million euros. Unlike “standing” wind turbines, whose mast is planted in the seabed, floating wind turbines can be installed in deep areas, further from the coast and in windier areas.

In addition to Barcarès, two other pilot farms are planned in the Mediterranean, off Port-la-Nouvelle (Aude) and in the Gulf of Fos (Bouches-du-Rhône). In particular, they must make it possible to carry out research on the consequences on marine fauna and flora of the installation of commercial floating wind turbines.

Concerns of environmental activists

However, without waiting for the results of this research, the government also announced last year the future construction in the Mediterranean of two commercial floating wind farms, much more powerful than these experimental farms (250 MW each, with a possible extension to 500 MW, compared to 25 to 30 MW for the pilot farms). The first will be located off Narbonne in Aude. The location of the second park remains to be defined between a preferential zone off the Gulf of Fos and a second zone in the Pyrénées-Orientales. “This location will be chosen following technical and environmental studies and further consultation”, specifies RTE.

Defenders of the environment, fishermen, scientists and local elected officials had spoken out in favor of postponing the construction of commercial parks in order to be able to benefit from the research carried out thanks to the pilot farms. “Our concerns are always the same in terms of impacts on wildlife and marine areas,” says Kevin Jeanroy, of the Sites and Monuments association, saying he is opposed to “this industrial, giant, overpowered wind turbine” and supporter of the installation of “small wind or photovoltaic generators” “adapted to local needs”.

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