Wedoany.com Report-May 25, Qair, a renewable energy company, and Italy’s Plenitude have formed the Eolbleu consortium to participate in France’s AO9 offshore wind tender, aimed at advancing the nation’s energy transition. The tender involves developing four offshore wind farms, comprising both floating and fixed-bottom projects across key French maritime regions.

The projects include a 450–550 MW floating wind farm off Occitanie, another 450–550 MW floating wind farm off Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, a 400–550 MW floating wind farm south of Brittany, and a 1–1.25 GW floating or fixed wind farm off Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Qair has been pre-qualified to compete for these developments, which mark a significant step in expanding France’s renewable energy capacity.

As of early 2025, France’s offshore wind tenders have allocated approximately 5.34 GW of capacity. With the inclusion of the AO9 and AO10 tenders, this figure could increase to 15.34 GW by 2026, supporting France’s goals of 18 GW of operational offshore wind by 2035 and 45 GW by 2050.

Qair brings its expertise in floating offshore wind to the consortium, drawing from its experience with the 30 MW Eolmed floating wind pilot in France, the country’s largest of its kind. Additionally, Qair secured the 1 GW Ayre floating offshore wind project in Scotland through the Thistle Wind Partners consortium, strengthening its global portfolio. The company is also developing over 2 GW of offshore wind projects in Spain and has partnered with Etermar Energia in Portugal to pursue floating offshore wind opportunities, aligning with Portugal’s targets of 2 GW by 2030 and potential growth to 10 GW.

The Eolbleu consortium’s participation in the AO9 tender underscores a commitment to advancing sustainable energy solutions, enhancing France’s renewable energy infrastructure, and supporting regional economic and environmental goals through innovative offshore wind projects.