Chinese turbine giants turning screw on Western wind rivals: French regulator
France’s CRE in review of latest auction says bids increasingly mention models by Chinese players such as Dongfang, Mingyang, Goldwind and CSSC
Supersized turbines of a scale currently only offered by Chinese OEMs are increasingly exerting “competitive pressure” on their Western rivals, French power regulator CRE said in a review of the country’s latest floating wind tender.
Although bids in the AO6 tender for two 250MW floating wind farms in the Mediterranean Sea were made without a commitment to a turbine manufacturer, offers increasingly mentioned models by Asian companies, the CRE said.
Those included Chinese players Dongfang and Mingyang, who were already mentioned in the previous floating tender (AO5), and Goldwind and CSSC. Bidders also continued to consider the Western manufacturers already present in the European offshore market, Siemens Gamesa, Vestas and GE Vernova.
The CRE in its assessment noted that the consideration to use “high-power wind turbines is increasingly a significant factor in the competitiveness of bids” that “can generate savings in terms of the costs related to floats, anchors and inter-wind turbine cables, as well as operation and maintenance costs”.
“This situation illustrates the new competitive pressure exerted on the European offshore wind market by the arrival of high-power wind turbine models, currently mainly supported by non-European players,” the CRE said.
Both winning groups in their bid had suggested using wind turbines with a rating of 22.6MW, but the CRE in its evaluation said the offers "do not provide sufficient elements in their justifications to ensure the availability of such models of wind turbines for floating installations within a time horizon compatible with the project schedules" - meaning they may not be ready in time for the targeted commissioning date in 2031 and 2032.
The regulator added that winners of previous tenders could also be encouraged to turn to Asian alternative suppliers to improve the economic profitability of their projects.
The CRE added, however, that the entry into force of the EU’s Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA), which aims to increase the production of clean technologies in the EU, may be likely to affect the regulator’s assessment of the French tenders.
The CRE for an upcoming French auction (AO9) has already spoken out in favour of including the promotion of European content in the tendering criteria.