This key achievement for the EMYN project, one of Ocean Winds’ three offshore wind farms currently under construction in France, marks the beginning of the final construction phase for the project, which is scheduled to be fully operational by the end of 2025.
Ocean Winds celebrates a major milestone in the construction of the Îles d’Yeu et de Noirmoutier (EMYN) offshore wind farm with the successful installation of its first wind turbine. In total, 61 Siemens Gamesa turbines (8MW/unit) - with blades and nacelles manufactured in Le Havre, France - will be installed between May and September 2025. Located of the coast of the islands of Yeu and Noirmoutier in France, this bottom-fixed offshore wind farm will deliver clean, renewable electricity equivalent to the annual consumption of nearly 800,000 people.
Marc Hirt, Ocean Winds’ Country Manager for France, commented: 'The installation of EMYN’s first turbine is a powerful demonstration of Ocean Winds’ commitment to France’s energy transition and our contribution to offshore wind development in the country and in the region. A remarkable feature of EMYN is its strong European and French industrial footprint for the construction phase: 95% of the project’s Tier 1 suppliers are European, with over 50% sourced in France. It is a proud moment for our teams and partners who have worked with determination and precision to reach this key moment.'
After pre-assembly of the turbine towers at the Port of Saint-Nazaire, installation at sea has been carried out by JAN DE NUL. The first turbine was installed following an offshore operation, mobilizing teams from the EMYN project, its contractors, and partners.
Frédéric Flaus, Project Director for EMYN, added: 'We are proud to have successfully installed the first wind turbine on the EMYN project, a symbol of the excellent collaboration between all contractors and the EMYN project team. With this milestone, we have entered the final months of construction before commissioning at the end of the year.'
Yara Chakhtoura, Managing Director for Siemens Energy and Siemens Gamesa France, mentioned: 'The installation of the first offshore turbine at Yeu-Noirmoutier marks an important milestone towards achieving the ambitious targets of offshore wind in France. Our Le Havre factory is central to achieving these targets and, once its expansion is completed, it will become an essential link in our European offshore wind production network. We are proud to manufacture and install the turbines for this offshore wind farm and thereby contributing to the energy transition and decarbonization in France.'
Peter De Pooter; Manager Offshore Energy Structures at Jan De Nul: 'We are proud to support the installation of 61 turbines for EMYN, carried out by the highly skilled crew of our vessel Vole au vent. This project represents another meaningful step toward accelerating the shift to renewable energy, and it strengthens our track record in delivering offshore wind projects in France and across Europe.'
During EMYN’s entire construction phase, more than 1,500 direct and indirect jobs have been mobilized, including around 1,000 at the Siemens Gamesa factories in Le Havre to produce nacelles and blades. Once operational, the project will generate 85 long-term direct jobs, with around 60 positions based on the island of Yeu for operations and maintenance activities.
France is a strategic market for Ocean Winds, with four offshore wind farms, including EMYN, currently in construction or development, representing a total capacity of 1.3 GW — enough to supply over 2 million French households with clean, renewable electricity each year.
Source: Ocean Winds
