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A half-day session on offshore wind prospects for La Réunion was organized by Akuo, BlueFloat Energy, La Réunion Maritime Cluster, and Temergie. The event featured discussions on the island’s industrial challenges, development approaches, and potential contributions to the territory’s growth. Akuo and BlueFloat Energy, partners in developing floating offshore wind projects in the French Mediterranean, are now collaborating on a 200 MW project in La Réunion. Offshore wind offers a sustainable energy solution with minimal environmental impact. In mainland France, wind energy accounted for 7.4% of electricity consumption in the first three quarters of 2022.
The introduction of a floating wind project in La Réunion promises a substantial boost in renewable energy capacity, vital for the island’s energy independence strategy. Given the limitations of onshore renewable energy production, particularly in island settings, this 200 MW floating wind project could supply approximately 25% of the island’s electricity needs. As outlined in the Multi-Year Energy Programming (PPE), the island faces rising energy production costs, partly attributed to increased biomass imports replacing fossil fuels. However, the wind project is anticipated to mitigate this, curbing emissions by 210,000 tons of CO2eq annually while maintaining a stable and reasonable electricity purchase price for residents.
La Réunion’s insular setting necessitates the development of a local floating wind sector, poised to create numerous job opportunities during construction and operation phases. Floating offshore wind, tailored to the island’s geography and weather patterns, capitalizes on its deep offshore waters. Anchored floaters, designed to withstand extreme weather conditions like cyclones, pose fewer risks to marine ecosystems compared to traditional fixed turbine foundations. The proven resilience of floating wind turbines, evidenced by their endurance in super typhoons in Japan, underscores their suitability for regions with similar climatic challenges. Various territories worldwide, including Asia and the United States, are embracing offshore wind projects amid comparable environmental and site conditions to La Réunion.
For over two years, Akuo and BlueFloat Energy, with their complementary knowledge, have been assessing the viability of a floating wind project off La Réunion. Positioned off Sainte-Marie/Sainte-Suzanne, approximately 5 to 10 kilometers from the coastline, this project aims for realization by 2030.
Eric Scotto, President and Co-founder of Akuo, said, “Floating wind is one of the technologies that will enable us to achieve energy autonomy for the island, and it is especially the only one that will guarantee a controlled cost of electricity given La Réunion’s unlimited and stable wind resource. Floating wind is called to become the new guiding light for La Réunion.”
Clément Mochet, Country Manager, France at BlueFloat Energy, commented, “La Réunion presents a number of strong technical challenges to consider, including cyclones. Properly integrated into studies, these parameters are not limiting the project’s realization. On the contrary. This is why we find floating wind projects, for example, in places like Taiwan or California. The integration of the project into the electrical grid is also a real challenge, which highlights the urgent need for evolution of the island’s electrical system to integrate clean and decentralized energy production sources.”
