Current Wind Power Production in France
Installed Capacity
- As of mid-2025, France’s total wind power capacity (onshore + offshore) reached about 25.4 GW. This includes roughly 23.7 GW onshore and 1.7 GW offshore.
- Wind supplies roughly ~10 % of French electricity production, making it one of the country’s major renewable sources after nuclear and hydro.
Production
- In 2024, wind turbines in France produced around 47 TWh of electricity, covering about 10.5 % of national electricity consumption.
Scale of Deployment
- There are over 9,500 wind turbines operating across France, spread over thousands of wind farms.
Growth Targets & Plans
France has ambitious goals to significantly grow wind power as part of its energy transition:
Onshore Wind
- National planning frameworks aim to roughly double onshore capacity by the 2030s compared with 2023 levels.
Offshore Wind
- The government targets a major expansion of offshore wind — from current minimal levels to around 10+ GW by 2035 under long-term forecasts.
Renewable Energy Goals
- Wind is expected to be a key driver of France’s renewable expansion, helping the country reach ~40 % renewables in its overall energy mix by 2030–35.
Offshore Wind Developments
- France has begun awarding large offshore wind contracts, including a ~1.5 GW project off Normandy led by TotalEnergies/RWE — potentially the largest in the country and slated for operation in the early 2030s.
- Several other offshore parks (e.g., Saint-Nazaire, Fécamp, Saint-Brieuc) are in development but full deployment has been slower compared to neighbors like the UK or Germany.
Challenges & Bottlenecks
Despite strong targets, deployment has faced obstacles:
- Permitting delays and regulatory complexity have slowed many offshore projects, with some reports suggesting France might only reach ~3 GW of offshore capacity by 2032 unless reforms accelerate processes.
- The administrative and financial challenges for developers remain higher than in some competing European markets.
What It Means for France’s Energy System
- Wind power is now a significant contributor to France’s energy mix, complementing nuclear and hydropower, and helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- Expansion of both onshore and offshore wind is central to France’s climate and energy strategy through 2035 and beyond.