Offshore wind: Qair and Corio Generation join forces to bid in South Atlantic (AO7) and Center Manche 2 (AO8) calls for tenders

Offshore wind: Qair and Corio Generation join forces to bid in South Atlantic (AO7) and Center Manche 2 (AO8) calls for tenders

Port-la Nouvelle, March 27th, 2023 - Qair, a major player in renewable energies, and Corio Generation, a specialist offshore wind developer, are pleased to announce their partnership to submit an offer to develop the offshore wind projects "Sud Atlantique" and "Centre Manche 2". The General Directorate for Energy and Climate (DGEC) announced today the pre-selection of the consortium to take part in the competitive dialogue procedure. The purpose of these projects is the construction and operation of offshore wind farms, with an installed power of 900 MW to 1,050 MW for "Sud Atlantique" and 1,400 MW to 1,600 MW for "Centre Manche 2".

Named Energies of the Meridian, the consortium is convinced of the potential of the French offshore wind sector and intends to participate in its development. These calls for tenders are a key step towards achieving the France's objective of 40 GW of offshore wind power by 2050 and thus contributing to the diversification of the French energy mix.

An opportunity to strengthen the structuring of the sector in the New Aquitaine/Pays de la Loire and Normandy regions

Qair and Corio Generation have started involving regional players in a project development approach aiming at both strengthening the local economy and allowing the regions to fully benefit from the positive spin-offs of these floating wind farms. These projects will also enable the consolidation of the existing industrial foundations built through previous calls for tenders on the Atlantic and Channel coasts.

A duo with complementary expertise

The consortium intends to leverage Qair's experience in the development and management of renewable energy projects and the proficiency of Corio Generation in developing and financing green energy projects. This strategic partnership builds on the combined experience of its members in the offshore wind sector:

• Qair, a French independent renewable energy producer that develops, finances, builds and operates a 30 GW portfolio made of mature technologies such as on- and offshore wind and solar, combined with innovative technologies such as floating wind, hydrogen, energy from waste and hydroelectricity.
• Corio Generation, an international developer specializing in offshore wind power. With 20 GW of capacity under development worldwide, Corio Generation is one of the world's leading players in offshore wind power.

A renewed alliance

This joint application is based on the already proven collaboration between the two partners in:

• The 250 MW floating wind call for tenders in the South Brittany region (AO5)
• The call for tenders for 2×250 MW floating wind in the Mediterranean (AO6)

"We are delighted to collaborate once again with Corio Generation for these two calls for tenders. This partnership continues to demonstrate the complementarity of our skills and our shared commitment to the energy transition in France,"said Guirec Dufour, CEO of Qair France. "This selection confirms Qair group's offshore strategy initiated in 2016 around our pilot project Eolmed, and already recognized in its commercial deployment with the award of 2 GW in Scotland. We are confident that the competitive offer of Energies du Meridien that we are carrying will be able to contribute to the emerging structure of a French industrial subsidiary in offshore wind."

Mark Giulianotti, Head of Europe of Corio Generation adds: "We're proud to be selected by the French government to compete in these two important fixed-bottom offshore wind tenders. These projects, once built, will play a vital role in helping France meet its net zero commitments, including a goal of delivering 40 GW from offshore wind by 2050.

"Energies du Méridien combines Corio's unmatched global offshore wind expertise and access to capital with Qair's longstanding experience in renewable energy development and roots in the French market. Together, we have the world-class capabilities to ensure that France can take full advantage of the green industrial revolution and deploy next-generation offshore wind at scale."

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About Qair

Qair is an independent renewable energy producer developing, financing, building, and operating solar, onshore and offshore wind, hydroelectric, tidal energy, waste-to-energy and green hydrogen production and storage projects.

With more than 1 GW of capacity in operation or under construction, the group's 550 employees are developing a portfolio pipeline of 30 GW in 20 countries across Europe, Latin America and Africa. Our ambition is to become an independent leader in responsible energy.

Qair and Renewable Marine Energies

Qair is a frontrunner in the floating wind energy sector with Eolmed, a 30 MW floating offshore wind pilot farm off Gruissan (Aude) and in the tidal energy technology with FloWatt, the first pilot tidal turbine farm in France and the most powerful in the world. Qair also managed the maintenance and operation of FloatGen, the first French floating wind turbine.

Find out more on qair.energy

About Corio
Corio Generation is a specialist offshore wind business, dedicated to harnessing renewable energy worldwide. With a unique blend of sector-leading expertise and deep access to long-term capital, we work closely with our partners in the creation and management of projects from origination, development and construction, and into operations.

Our 20+ GW offshore wind development portfolio is one of the largest in the world, spanning established and emerging markets, as well as floating and traditional fixed-bottom technologies. These next generation offshore wind projects will help form the backbone of the net-zero global energy system while meeting the energy needs of communities and corporate offtakers sustainably, reliably, safely and responsibly.

Corio Generation is a Green Investment Group (GIG) portfolio company, operating on a standalone basis. GIG is a specialist green investor within Macquarie Asset Management, part of Macquarie Group.

For more information visit coriogeneration.com and follow us on Twitter @CorioGeneration

Qair contact : Communication : [email protected]

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