Following reports on Naval Energies (former DCNS Energies) cutting 100 jobs , the company issued a statement saying it is now at a decisive crossroad, with challenges in the marine renewables market leading it to focus its financial and human resources on the highest-priority projects in tidal, floating wind and ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC).
Naval Energies said that personnel reduction will take place over the first half of 2018 and that it expects it to be evenly split between France and Ireland. “In France some people have already come back to Naval Group. At this stage, we cannot give any further details as we are starting discussions with the staff representatives on this subject,” the company stated.
According to the company, its new strategy to refocus its resources on high-priority projects is a result of the slow progress of the marine renewable energy market which, among other challenges, faces a lack of visibility and political will in certain countries, including France.
The objective of the new strategy is to secure the development of the company, consolidate its growth and support the teams towards industrial leadership in the tidal energy, floating wind and OTEC sectors, Naval Energies said.
For floating wind turbines, we have positioned ourselves as a sub-system engineering leader and first-tier partner of turbine producers. We are pursuing the development of the floating wind turbine project for Groix and Belle-Île and are currently finalising a design for a float that is able to respond to the needs of our clients in different geographical zones.” – Naval Energies
In the past few years, Naval Energies has taken part in the US Aqua Ventus project in Maine and partnered with GE on developing a floating offshore wind system featuring the 6MW Haliade wind turbine on a Naval Energies floating platform.
DCNS and a fund managed by Bpifrance formed DCNS Energies at the beginning of 2017, and DCNS Energies changed its name to Naval Energies in June, as DCNS Group renamed to Naval Group.
Offshore WIND Staff