At the National Wind Energy Conference in Kalmar of 22-23 May Jean-Yves Grandidier, Secretary-General of FEE (French Wind Power Association), presented the French program for offshore wind power.
Under the theme “Offshore Wind Power Creates regional growth in France” Jean-Yves Grandidier presented the ambitious French program to introduce large-scale offshore wind power off the coast of Normandy and Brittany. The first phase of the program which includes 2,000 MW was negotiated in a “reverse auction” by the French government during 2011-2012 where the lowest price for electricity produced was decisive. The consortia that participated in the bidding were thus both power companies and wind power producers.
Alstom participated in a consortium with Electricité de France (EdF), Dong Energy and project development companies WPD and Nass & Wind. It was also this consortium that won three of the four sites that were included in the contract for the first phase. Alstom has started to build factories to manufacture wind turbines, the new 6MW type “Haliade” locally, creating about 1,000 jobs in the region. It is planned that the first wind turbines will be operational in 2017.
The presentation at the conference in Kalmar was well attended as there already are concessions for the development of about 8 TWh of offshore wind power plants in Sweden.
National Wind Power Conference is a meeting place and arena for the public and private sectors in the wind industry.
[mappress]
Press release, May 28, 2013; Image: alstom