At the Seanergy event on Offshore Renewable Energy, that was held recently in the Pays de la Loire region, the Marine Energy Observatory published its annual ranking of French regions. The Pays de la Loire region emerged as number one in the marine renewable energy (MRE) sector in terms of jobs and revenue and secured second place for investments. With France’s first offshore wind farm operational, a second under construction and more than 120 companies spanning the entire value chain, the Pays de la Loire is ahead of the pack!
Jobs, business and investments
According to the 2023 figures published by the Marine Energy Observatory for the MRE sector in the Pays de la Loire:
- The Pays de la Loire created 242 jobs in the MRE sector, totalling 2,498 jobs, making it the leading region for MRE employment.
- The Pays de la Loire region accounts for more than one third of MRE jobs within research and training organisations, positioning it as the top French region in this category.
- Training is still a major asset for the region, with nearly half (46%) of all MRE-specific training courses concentrated in the Pays de la Loire, maintaining its national lead.
- Turnover in the MRE sector increased by 605 million euros (+70%), bringing the total turnover generated by the sector in the Pays de la Loire to nearly 1.5 billion euros, making it the leading French region.
- With an increase of over 193 million euros (+23%) in MRE investments, the Pays de la Loire region reached more than one billion euros in total investments in the sector, climbing from third to second place.
France’s first offshore wind farm with a second on the way
The first offshore wind farm on the French coast was inaugurated in September 2022 off the coast of Saint-Nazaire in Loire-Atlantique. Its 80 wind turbines, with a total capacity of 480 MW, supply the equivalent of the annual electricity consumption for 700,000 people and provide up to 20% of the electricity consumption in Loire-Atlantique. In 2023, the Saint-Nazaire wind farm produced approximately 1.5 TWh of electricity, completing its first full year of operation since it came online.
The construction of the second offshore wind farm in the Pays de la Loire region began between the islands of Yeu and Noirmoutier in Vendée in summer 2023. With a total output of 496 MW, its 62 wind turbines will be able to meet the annual electricity consumption of nearly 800,000 people, which is more than the total population of the Vendée. The wind farm is scheduled to be operational in the second half of 2025.
An industrial sector bringing together over 120 companies
These two projects have led to the formation of a regional MRE industrial sector comprising more than 120 companies. These companies span a significant portion of the value chain and include major players such as Atlantique Offshore Energy, a subsidiary of Chantiers de l’Atlantique (manufacturer of offshore wind power substations) and GE Renewable Energy (manufacturer of offshore wind turbines), along with a dense network of SMEs. The Neopolia EMR business cluster supports these companies, helping them to respond to tenders and secure contracts.
The region also boasts port, research and testing infrastructures, as well as the technical and scientific skills to develop the MRE sector further.
Bolstered by a dynamic, diversified maritime economy, the Pays de la Loire region has all the assets to be the driving force behind the blue economy.
Source: Marine Energy Observatory (Report #8 – June 2024)
For more information see the Marine Energy Observatory’s report featuring a focus on the Pays de la Loire on page 64: click here
