The 3,000 MW total wind power capacity of the new project is the equivalent of two nuclear power stations. France has set itself the goal of producing 23 per cent of its power needs from renewable resources by 2020, with 6,000 MW from wind power. The new offshore wind farms should start generating power in 2015.
Ecology minister Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet’s department has welcomed the news, saying it has given new life to environmental projects. She had won an internal cabinet battle with industry minister Eric Besson, who had wanted the project scaled back to 2,000MW.
Now companies are being asked to tender for the giant contract, with the average cost of each installation being €3.5m per megawatt, twice the cost of land-based wind turbines.
GDF Suez subsidiary Compagnie du Vent already has plans in place for 141 5MW wind turbines 14km off the coast at Le Tréport; that would be enough to meet the electricity needs of 990,000 people.
EDF Energies Nouvelles (Paris:EEN) and Alstom announced the signature of an exclusive agreement to respond jointly to a call for tenders that the French government is planning to launch for offshore wind power projects. The agreement covers the future construction of offshore wind farm plants developed by EDF Energies Nouvelles and its partners and that will be equipped with offshore wind turbines manufactured by Alstom.
This alliance is intended to help meet the French government’s objectives of installing 6,000 MW in offshore wind energy capacity in France by 2020. It illustrates both groups determination to foster the emergence of a French competitive industry creating jobs.
Under the agreement between the two groups, Alstom is the exclusive supplier of 6 MW offshore wind turbines, based on leading technologies available on the market from 2013 onwards. The industrial plan might lead to the creation of several plants in France to handle component production and assembly. It is also intended to involve other French companies active in R&D activities for equipment and construction engineering. Through this project, Alstom aims to become a major industrial force in the French offshore wind energy segment and one of the leaders in this promising global market.
Leveraging its market-leading expertise in wind energy development, EDF Energies Nouvelles brings the experience acquired over several years in offshore wind energy, notably through two major projects, namely C Power, a 325MW wind farm under construction off the coast of Belgium, of which 30MW are already in service, and the 67MW Teesside project developed in the United Kingdom, construction of which is currently starting up. The offshore wind projects that should be part of this alliance with Alstom are those being developed by EDF EN and its partners within a consortium. Alstom will be the exclusive manufacturer for all these projects.
Philippe Cochet, Senior Vice-President of Alstom Hydro & Wind, stated: ?We have gained experience in wind energy and possess an offshore technology that will enable generating electricity cost-effectively. Alstom is ready to develop an industry based in France generating jobs and exports.?
Yvon André, Chief Operating Officer of EDF Energies Nouvelles in charge of operations in France, emphasised: ?This partnership illustrates our determination, whichever the segment, to participate in the emergence of new industries in France and to harness our leadership position in renewable electricity generation as part of long-term industrial dynamics.?
Alstom is a global leader in the world of power generation, power transmission and rail infrastructure and sets the benchmark for innovative and environmentally friendly technologies. Alstom builds the fastest train and the highest capacity automated metro in the world, provides turnkey integrated power plant solutions and associated services for a wide variety of energy sources, including hydro, nuclear, gas, coal and wind, and it offers a wide range of solutions for power transmission, with a focus on smart grids. The Group employs 95,000 people in more than 70 countries, and had sales of over €23 billion in 2009/10 (pro forma figures).
With operations in Europe and North America, EDF Energies Nouvelles is a market leader in green electricity production. With a development focused on wind energy for several years and more recently on solar photovoltaic, the Group is also present in other segments of the renewable energies market: small hydro, marine energy, biomass, biofuel and biogas. In addition, the Group is expanding in the distributed renewable energies sector. EDF Energies Nouvelles, 50 %-owned by the EDF Group, is listed in Euronext Paris since November 2006 (code "EEN", ISIN code: FR0010400143).
www.edf-energies-nouvelles.com
