Global Wind Workforce Outlook 2025-2030
France
France is the fourth-largest wind market in Europe, with total installed wind energy capacity of 24.5 GW by the end of 2024. Wind power made up 11% of France’s electricity mix in 2024, making it a strategic pillar to support the country to achieve its energy transition while strengthening the country’s energy sovereignty. As the country advances its offshore wind ambitions and seeks to stabilise onshore deployment, workforce needs across construction, installation, and operations and maintenance (O&M) are expected to rise. However, project development continues to face delays due to lengthy permitting processes, supply-chain challenges, and competition for skilled labour. Ensuring the timely scale-up of training capacity will be critical to avoiding bottlenecks during peak installation years.
In 2024, France connected 658 MW of offshore wind, including its first commercial-scale floating project, bringing total offshore capacity to 1.5 GW, while a further 1.5 GW is under construction across five projects. Onshore wind added 1.1 GW of new capacity in 2024, which is 22% less than the capacity added in the previous year. Development remains constrained by stringent turbine height restrictions linked to aviation and military requirements, as well as permitting and legal challenges, despite political instability and regional resistance in grid-constrained areas.
France has made progress in auctions in 2024. France’s offshore wind auction programme awarded three fixed-bottom and three floating projects totalling 4.5 GW before 2023, followed by awards for the 250 MW AO5 in May 2024 and the two 250 MW AO6 floating projects in December 2024. Results for the 1.0 GW AO7 and 1.5 GW AO8 fixed- bottom projects were announced this year, while the 2.5 GW AO9 tender launched recently includes one floating project in South Brittany, two in the Mediterranean, and one fixed-bottom project in the South Atlantic, with commissioning scheduled for 2032-2034.
Cap Fréhel, France
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Chapter 6: Country Commentaries – France
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