Italian marine contractor Saipem has been awarded a €460m contract to design, build and install the 64 turbine Courseulles-sur-Mer Offshore Wind Farm 16km off the shore of Normandy, France.
The 50 sq km farm will have a total capacity of 500MW, enough to supply electricity to 630,000 people, or 90% of the population of Calvados.
Each turbine will be placed over a kilometre apart to diminish marine disruption.
The project’s website estimates that 200 jobs will be created during installation and 100 will be generated during the farm’s 25-year operational period.
Stefano Porcari, chief operating officer for Saipem Engineering’s offshore division, said: "The award of this contract further confirms Saipem’s commitment in the scenario of energy evolution and, in particular, the construction of offshore green energy hubs.
"It also recognises Saipem’s ability to add value in the execution of projects of extraordinary complexity."
Image: A wind farm in Germany (Björkdahl Per/Dreamstime)
