March 15 (Renewables Now) - France kicked off on Monday the competitive bidding procedure for the development of two 250-MW floating offshore wind projects in the Mediterranean, with plans to designate winners next year.

The first facility is planned to be built off Narbonne, while the second should be located off the Gulf of Fos. The new wind farms are supposed to be commissioned by the end of the decade and are planned to eventually be expanded by 500 MW each, according to the announcement.

During a trip to Port-la-Nouvelle, prime minister Jean Castex also announced the launch of calls for expressions of interest aimed at promoting the development of related port infrastructures. The purpose of these facilities will be to meet the needs of the floating wind industry, which will benefit from EUR 300 million (USD 330m) in financial support under the France 2030 plan.

The state estimates that there already are almost 5,000 jobs in marine renewables and plans to further increase this number.

(EUR 1.0 = USD 1.099)

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