Eolink, new member of the Campus mondial de la mer

International expertise in the wind

Energy, entrepreneurship in transitions, and international openness: Vincent Perrot has been putting his expertise at the service of Eolink for two years. After a career at Engie, the energy specialist “stepped out of the cocoon” of the multinational to move into entrepreneurship support. In Strasbourg, “where his children were born,” he created in 2016 an incubator for impactful, locally rooted business projects. A rewarding experience that lasted five years.

The energy sector is changing, and this upheaval reignited his passion. “I had already met Alain Morry (Eolink’s Sales Director) in South Africa. My former Engie colleague’s project immediately won me over, as it stands at the crossroads of innovative entrepreneurship and industry, serving energy independence.”

At Eolink, Vincent manages finance and support functions: HR, insurance, communication… He also contributes to strategic thinking on the company’s structuring. “To develop our floating wind turbine technology, we need both public and private capital.”

credit: Ludys

For now based in Strasbourg, he emphasizes his Breton roots: “I have a Breton name. My grandfather worked in the merchant navy in Brest.” From east to west, distances shrink when innovation is at stake.

Eolink: 10 years of innovation

The project began in 2015. Marc Guyot designed a four-mast pyramidal floating wind turbine, as an alternative to the single tower of conventional turbines. An innovation that makes it possible “to distribute forces and reduce the steel mass by 40%, with an environmental and cost-reduction perspective.” The compact multi-mast floaters also allow for more cost-efficient quay assembly, requiring lighter infrastructure.

A first model was tested in Ifremer’s test basin in Brest. It then evolved into a 1:10 scale prototype installed off Sainte-Anne du Portzic, the first floating wind turbine connected to the grid.

Alain Morry, Eolink's Sales Director. Credit: Technopôle Brest-Iroise

And now: the pre-industrial demonstrator

The next step is being played out on a quay in the Port of Brest, with the development of a pre-industrial demonstrator. A collaborative project, named France Atlantique, which brings together around twenty people. Additional resources will be needed to assemble the 140-meter-high, 5 MW wind turbine—“enough to power 6,500 people.” In the long term, Eolink’s technology will be able to support turbines of over 15 MW, which represent the future of floating wind. “Unlike single-mast technologies that require greatly increasing mast rigidity to host heavier turbines, Eolink’s technology is perfectly suited to very high-power turbines thanks to its multi-mast architecture,” Vincent explains.

Credit: Technopôle Brest-Iroise

Below the waterline, a local anchoring

After several years focused on technology development, Eolink now asserts its local roots. “We want to strengthen our local visibility. Joining the Campus mondial de la mer community is a natural step.”

The company is tied to local authorities, Ifremer, France Énergies Marines, the Port of Brest… as many economic and scientific partners. Vincent also thanks Technopôle Brest-Iroise, which “welcomed the project from its very beginnings.”

The partnership with BrestPort is strategic. Eolink’s experience is helping to adapt infrastructures: strengthening of quays, acquisition of lifting equipment, etc.

Credit: Technopôle Brest-Iroise

Eolink, an international SME

A Spanish shareholder, international suppliers, European scientific collaborations… Eolink has had an international dimension from the outset. Vincent also embodies this vision, having worked on the development and financing of renewable power plants in Thailand, South Africa, Belgium…

On the market side, Eolink’s multi-mast design is intended to be deployed in France (a pioneer in floating wind), as well as in leading European markets such as the United Kingdom, and in Asia (Japan, South Korea, China, Southeast Asia).

See you in 2027

In spring 2027, the assembled demonstrator will leave Brest for the SEM-REV test site operated by the Open C Foundation. On a human scale, the structure will seem immense, but it will only be the beginning: expect to see giants over 300 meters high, true “Eiffel Towers.”

Technopôle Brest-Iroise thanks Eolink for the visit to its facilities during its team seminar. We took some great photos there.

Credit: Technopôle Brest-Iroise