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Projects
Big wins for Yeu-Noirmoutier this June: First power, O&M Hub opened, and foundations complete!
June was a busy month for our 500 MW Yeu-Noirmoutier offshore wind farm, as the project marked three key milestones in quick succession—setting the stage for full commissioning by the end of the year.
We kicked things off with first power, a notable moment for both the project and Ocean Winds in France. It marks the very first green electrons delivered to the French grid by OW.
“This defining moment delivers not just technical progress — but our very first electrons to the French grid. A powerful signal of what we’re achieving together,” shared Marc Hirt, our Country Manager for France.
Shortly after, the team celebrated the official inauguration of the operations and maintenance (O&M) base on the island of Yeu. Fully operational, the 66 new team members of the base will support the long-term performance of the project for the next 25 to 30 years, ensuring reliable energy for nearly 800,000 people — roughly the population of the Vendée region. The 16-month construction of the base mobilized 23 regional companies, 18 of which were from Vendée, underscoring our long-term investment in local jobs and the regional economy.
And to round out the month, the 61st and final XL-monopile foundation was successfully installed by our suppliers DEME Group, completing the offshore foundation phase in full.
A huge congratulations to all the dedicated colleagues behind these incredible achievements. We’re proud to see the project come to life — powering France’s energy future and reinforcing OW’s leadership in offshore wind.
EFGL makes history as the world’s first nature-inclusive offshore wind farm!
Important strides at EFGL this month, with the arrival of the floaters at the dedicated offshore wind terminal in Port-La Nouvelle and the full assembly of the project’s first 10 MW turbine—all completed within the same month.
This achievement not only showcases advanced engineering, but also signals real progress for floating wind in the Mediterranean, with EFGL laying the groundwork for our upcoming 250 MW EFLO project, awarded end of last year and currently in early development phase.
To share the journey with local communities and explain why 186-meter-high turbines are now visible from the beach, the team has opened an on-site information point, already welcoming more than 1,000 visitors. The dedicated space invites the public to learn more about the assembly of EFGL’s three floating turbines and explore what’s ahead with EFLO. It will be open until the end of July once the turbines will be getting ready to be towed offshore!
Bravo to all the teams involved—this is floating wind in action, and we’re proud to be leading the charge!
Two terminals secured for BC-Wind in Poland!
Great news from Poland this month as our BC-Wind project locked in not one—but two—strategic installation ports to support our 390 MW offshore wind farm. These developments are key as we reach the final stages of the development phase and gear up for what’s next.
On June 10, the team signed a lease agreement with Orlen Neptun II for the Port of Świnoujście—Poland’s first dedicated offshore wind terminal. Starting in 2027, this port will be used year-round to store and load BC-Wind’s monopile foundations. Located just 228 km from the site, Świnoujście is one of the most advanced terminals in Europe and a major asset for the project.
Just two weeks later, another step forward: a reservation agreement with PGE and Ørsted’s Baltica 2 JV to secure space at the new T5 terminal in the Port of Gdańsk.
“We are glad that both installation ports we will be using are located in Poland – this choice was a conscious priority for us,” shared Kacper Kostrzewa, our Country Manager for Poland.
These successes underscore how critical ports are to making offshore wind happen—from assembling components to enabling safe, efficient offshore delivery.
Huge congratulations to our colleagues in Poland and across OW who supported these agreements. Each signed contract brings us closer to delivering clean energy to the equivalent of nearly 488,000 Polish homes.
In the Spotlight!
For centuries, humankind has chased the wind to explore, trade, and connect — and today, the wind still guides us as we deliver clean, reliable energy…
Check the video to discover the story!
Picture of the month
Foundations complete at Yeu-Noirmoutier! All 61 XL-monopiles now installed!
Huge thanks to the teams involved!
OW’s Global Presence
June kept us busy with industry events worldwide!
We kicked off June in Brazil at the ABEEólica Offshore Wind Summit! Our Chief Business Development Officer, Rafael Munilla Muñoz, helped open the event alongside key industry leaders, setting the tone for discussions on Brazil’s offshore wind future. Rafael Palhares Simoncelli joined a panel on Wind Talks, exploring opportunities and challenges in the Brazilian offshore wind market. Meanwhile, Guilherme Grossi contributed the developer’s perspective during a session on supply chain and port logistics.
Then we followed to PSEW2025 in Poland! As Content Partner, OW helped shape key conversations on the future of renewable energy in the region. It was during the opening session when our Managing Director for Poland, Kacper Kostrzewa, signed the lease agreement with ORLEN Neptun!
To close such a special event, Kacper was honoured with a special award for his contribution to offshore wind in Poland — a proud moment for all of us at OW!
In France, our team was active at Seanergy 2025, marking key milestones for OW! We signed two O&M contracts with TSM Windcat for our Yeu-Noirmoutier and Dieppe Le Tréport projects. At our stand, the team presented project updates, shared lessons learned, and introduced new O&M partnerships, engaging with key industry players. Thanks to everyone who stopped by!
Lastly, OW was proud to be present at RenewableUK’s Global Offshore Wind 2025 Conference in London! Our team welcomed many visitors at the stand, having the opportunity to showcase our +6GW portfolio and our global footprint!
We were also very well represented in key panels by Peter Haughie, who discussed building a supply chain for the net zero era, Núria Abad Oliva Abad who had the opportunity to present the Moray West marine mammal study during XXL monopile installation, and lastly James Munro-Brian, who spoke on financing the energy transition.
Thanks to everyone who helped make our presence a success!
What’s new in offshore?
New EU regulation set to reshape offshore wind auctions: The Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA)
The Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA), officially adopted in March 2024, marks a significant step in strengthening Europe’s clean energy manufacturing base — and it’s set to notably impact offshore wind auctions across the continent.
This regulation introduces binding provisions on manufacturing targets, permitting, and auction design. Though EU-wide in scope, the implementation will vary by country, making national-level rules critical to determining the true impact on project development.
Key changes include:
Developers will face prequalification requirements, proving responsible business conduct, cybersecurity, and capacity to deliver.
At least 15% of project scoring in auctions must be based on non-price criteria like resilience and environmental sustainability.
No more than 30% of overall scoring can be tied to non-price criteria (NPC) under EU State Aid rules.
“Resilience” criteria limit the number of key components sourced from non-EU countries — a maximum of 4 components from China per project, for example.
OW’s perspective? We welcome the NZIA’s ambition to enhance Europe’s clean energy supply chain, but stress the importance of practical national implementation. Auctions must remain competitive and bankable, and reflect real-world supply chain constraints. Poorly designed rules could cause unintended barriers or delays.
The NZIA is expected to apply to 30% of auctioned volumes annually from 2026, but Member States may move faster. OW will continue monitoring how this unfolds and advocate for balanced national frameworks that support successful offshore wind delivery. Stay tuned!
Ireland maps out offshore wind zones with huge growth potential
Regulatory developments are accelerating in Ireland! A new government-commissioned report has identified substantial technical potential for offshore wind development—well beyond the volumes required to meet Ireland’s net-zero targets.
The report, prepared for the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC), will guide the development of Designated Maritime Area Plans (DMAPs), supporting spatial planning and future tenders.
Key insights include:
Up to 50 GW of fixed-bottom and 70 GW of floating wind potential in Irish waters
Near-term development zones for fixed-bottom identified on the South and East Coasts
Floating wind potential highlighted along the West, North-West, and South-West Coasts
Recommendations for strengthening port infrastructure and electricity grid capacity
OW’s take? Ireland’s offshore wind ambition is aligned with our strategic strengths. With our expertise in both fixed-bottom and floating technologies, Ocean Winds is well-positioned to support Ireland’s growing market—particularly along the East Coast, where early development is expected.
As Ireland moves forward with DMAPs and further planning rounds, OW will continue to monitor regulatory signals and explore potential opportunities in this emerging market.
European Commission assesses 2030 National Energy and Climate Plans
The EU continues to fine-tune its pathway to 2030. This month, the European Commission released its latest assessment of the updated National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) submitted by Member States—evaluating progress toward the EU’s 2030 climate targets.
Here’s where things stand:
GHG Emissions: A projected 54% reduction—just 1% shy of the -55% target.
Renewables: Forecasted share of 41%, falling short of the 45% aspiration.
Energy Efficiency: 8.1% improvement, leaving a 3.6 percentage point gap.
Infrastructure: A 32 GW cross-border capacity gap remains, signaling urgent grid development needs.
Investment: €570 billion in annual investment is needed—but most NECPs lack a clear financing strategy.
For OW, the assessment underscores offshore wind’s pivotal role in closing the EU’s ambition gap. We welcome initiatives like the European Grid Package and “Accele-RES” to streamline permitting and unlock investment—and we’re ready to contribute at scale, provided the right enabling conditions are in place.
Looking ahead, the Commission is expected to release the European Grid Package and updated lists of Projects of Common and Mutual Interest by the end of 2025. These actions will be key to tackling infrastructure and market integration barriers.
We’ll keep monitoring developments closely—offshore wind has a critical role to play, and OW is proud to be part of the solution.
People
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IT
OW Concur is now live!
We’re excited to share that OW Concur, our new business expense management platform, is now live as of 17th June!
What is OW Concur?
OW Concur makes it easy to create, submit and track expense reports for business trips, all while ensuring compliance with our internal policies and speeding up the reimbursement process.
If you couldn’t attend the training sessions, don’t worry, you can find all the guidance and instructions on how to use OW Concur here!
Prefer using the app? You can download the OW Concur app from the Company Portal on your work phone. If you already had the app installed, make sure to log out and log back in using your Ocean Winds email address.
If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out to the Finance or IT Team.
Communications & CSR
OW Sports: Active team worldwide!
This month, OW teams across Europe got involved in a variety of sports activities!
In Spain, our team gathered once again for the fifth edition of the OW Padel Open – an event that’s becoming a true tradition! With over 50 participants from different departments, the day was filled with exciting matches and great team spirit. Congratulations to the winners of this edition: Alessandro Olcese, Pedro Collado, Antonio Merillas, Diego Tarno, Ana Rodriguez and Fátima Vellisco!
In France, colleagues proudly wore the OW yellow kit and joined a corporate football tournament in Paris, competing alongside other local companies. The team gave it their all, showing real teamwork and energy on the pitch. And those cheering from the sidelines? They found the perfect shade under the OW umbrella! 😉
In Portugal, the team took part in the annual APDL Open Day & Race in Viana do Castelo. In the morning, they welcomed members of the local community to our O&M base, offering a closer look at our WindFloat Atlantic project. Later in the afternoon, they put on their special OW running shirts and set off on a 10K race around the port, a fun and energising way to see the area from a new perspective!
Thanks to everyone who took part and embraced the yellOW spirit!
LinkedIn post of the month
Why engineering? On the International Women in Engineering we asked some members of our team! Click here!
#TogetherWeEngineer
