The SEM-REV site hosts Floatgen, the first French offshore wind turbine

After two years of construction in the port of Saint-Nazaire, the wind turbine was towed out to, then moored, at the Centrale Nantes' SEM-REV site, France's first multi-technology offshore test site, located 20 km off the coast from Le Croisic.

on December 31, 2018

SEM REV Floatgen
SEM REV Floatgen

The project is led by a consortium comprising the start-up Ideol, Bouygues Construction and Centrale Nantes.

Floatgen is a showcase of innovation:

  • A 5,000-ton floating platform whose design makes it very stable. It is made from hollow concrete, which is very cost effective.
  • Nylon anchoring lines on a mooring system which is designed to withstand the strongest storms in the area. 
  • A connection to the power grid via an submarine hub which is linked to an onshore electrical substation via an 8-MW cable.

After a gradual ramp-up, Floatgen went into production on 18 September 2018, supplying electricity to the equivalent of 5,000 inhabitants, the size of the town of Le Croisic and its surroundings. This date marked the starting point for the deployment of offshore wind turbines, a unique opportunity for France to become the world leader in floating wind energy.


FLOATGEN is co-financed by the European Commission's 7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Innovation.
 

Published on January 20, 2020 Updated on November 24, 2020