In July 2026, energy company Ocean Winds announced that its floating offshore wind farm Éoliennes Flottantes du Golfe du Lion (EFGL) had reached full power generation capacity. It operates three 10 MW turbines approximately 16 km off the coast of Occitanie in France. Offshore wind farms often have unusual effects on marine life, and although the EGFL facility is anchored to the ocean floor, it is also home to a special addition aimed at revitalizing local fish populations. Ocean Winds, a joint venture between EDP Renewables and ENGIE, worked with ECOCEAN to install 32 Biohuts on one of the EFGL floats.
The add-ons are designed to reproduce the natural habitats of marine nurseries. They feature a steel cage filled with a substrate made from oyster shells which promotes the development of the underwater food chain. An empty outer cage provides protection for small fish from predators while they feed. According to Ocean Winds, this creation of a reef effect constitutes the first nature-friendly floating offshore wind farm in the world. And unlike traditional artificial reefs that house diverse collections of marine life, these “reefs” are not limited to the ocean floor.
Potential as deep as the ocean
If EFGL is France’s second offshore wind farm – the first being the 25 MW Provence Grand Large – its use of Biohuts arguably makes it more important. The floating design is also notable, as it is ideal for locations that are not suitable for traditional turbine designs, especially areas with deep coastal waters. According to Marc Hirt, Managing Director France of Ocean Winds, these floating wind turbines open up new possibilities and “confirm the strategic role that the Mediterranean can play in the next phase of the development of offshore wind power”.
Especially when you consider how these facilities can be equipped with magnetic chargers allowing electric ships to charge wirelessly at sea. This would be a complete game changer when it comes to clean energy, as you could not only install the farms in more locations, but also keep service ships running smoothly. Of course, don’t underestimate the potential benefits of Biohut. Depending on how successfully they operate on the EFGL wind farm, we could see more of what Ocean Winds calls “ecologically integrated practices” at future installations.
