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France Could Be Next Offshore Wind Powerhouse

By John Blau, Contributor
January 26, 2011 | 7 Comments

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Paris, France – A planned multi-billion euro tender could make France one of Europe's largest markets for offshore wind power.

The French government has announced plans to seek investors for a €10 billion ($13.6 billion) project to build the country’s first offshore wind-power facilities. The project calls for the installation of 600 wind turbines at a number of sites along France’s lengthy Atlantic coastline. The turbines will have a total capacity of 3 GW.

With its tender, the French governments hopes to kick-start a local wind-power industry that can not only supply technology to meet French domestic needs but also compete for contracts abroad, according to President Nicolas Sarkozy. “This new sector will represent around 10,000 jobs,” he said in a speech on Tuesday in the western port of Saint-Nazaire.

The wind farm tender, which will be organized by the French energy regulator, is scheduled to go out in April, with winners to be announced in early 2012. The turbines will be installed at five sites off the country’s Atlantic coast between Saint-Nazaire and Dieppel/Le Treport and connect to the grid by 2015.

France is targeting an offshore wind capacity of 6 GW by 2020. Wind power currently represents less than 2 percent of the country’s output capacity, with nuclear power plants claiming the lion’s share – nearly 75 percent.

To meet its goal of producing 23 percent of its power needs with renewable resources by 2020, the country aims to have a total wind-power capacity of 25 GW by that time, for an investment of €20 billion.

French utility EDF and equipment manufacturer Alstom recently announced plans to bid jointly on the tender. Another big French utility GDF Suez is also expected to enter the bidding fray, as are German manufacturer Siemens and Denmark’s Vestas.

Other big offshore wind farms are being developed in Belgium, Britain, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Sweden and the Netherlands.

According to a recent report by PricewaterhouseCoopers, one megawatt produced by offshore wind power costs €3.5 million, compared to €1.6 million by onshore wind power.

Wind Power

7 Reader Comments

Comment
1 of 7

Anne_van_der_Bom

January 27, 2011

That country's name is spelled 'Belgium'.

"According to a recent report by PricewaterhouseCoopers, one megawatt produced by offshore wind power costs €3.5 million, compared to €1.6 million by onshore wind power"

That is a useless statement, as offshore wind has almost twice the capacity factor of onshore. Price per kWh is more relevant, but still does not tell the entire story. Offshore wind has a more steady production with less variability, that is worth something. Another big advantage is that offshore wind encouters less resistance from local residents that think it spoils their view.

Comment
2 of 7

mortimer-shnerdlyfrump-47009

January 27, 2011

Avanderbom makes a good point. Also, as offshore development moves forward, turbine size is being pushed up to 10MW. This type of development will push down both the unit MW cost and the cost of servicing (because there will be less units per MW). In the end, offshore development will push down prices, and advance the field.

When authors write articles, they shouldn't just attempt to be truthful, they should also make sure that their truths are representing the full picture.

Comment
3 of 7

rolf-westgard-67277

January 28, 2011

>>>>That is a useless statement, as offshore wind has almost twice the capacity factor of onshore. Price per kWh is more relevant, but still does not tell the entire story. Offshore wind has a more steady production with less variability, that is worth something. Another big advantage is that offshore wind encouters less resistance from local residents that think it spoils their view.<<<<

The reason Denmark has quit all onshore wind is the NOISE, not the view. The noise drives residents up the walls that those low frequency sounds penetrate. As to offshore capacity factors, they aren't much. The UK has the best winds and off shore capacity factors are only slightly better than on shore at about 30%. Wind is a costly boondoggle no matter where you put those turbines - bring taxpayer money. See Cape Wind - $600 million up front and rates 2-3 times the going rate per kwh.

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4 of 7

aligatorhardt

January 28, 2011

It is a shame that people like Rolf try and spread lies about renewable energy, citing imaginary figures and misconceptions, in order to protect their vested interests. Not much of a "free market" attitude. The Cape wind project has sold half the projected output so far and it will raise the cost of customer electric bills by just under 2%. The turbines are more than 5 miles off shore, so noise is not a concern and even on a clear day they are not visible without binoculars. The long delays on that project were due to oil industry contrived resistance using just the kind of false fears that Rolf uses here.

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5 of 7

rolf-westgard-67277

January 28, 2011

That 50% sale by Cape Wind is rates above 20 cents/kwh, far above the going wholesale rate - plus the 30% cash handout. And nobody else is crazy enough to buy the other half. You don't need the oil industry to raise fears about off shore wind. Those fears arise quite naturally. The AWEA wants "predictable" government policies. Translation: consistent very large taxpayer subsidies.

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rolf-westgard-67277

January 28, 2011

We now have the 2010 numbers. Wind generated about 85 billion kwh. Name plate capacity averaged 37 GW. so capacity factor for U.S. wind was 27%, the same as 2009. Altho the turbines and technology are improving the capacity factor won't. As in all real estate, the best sites go first, so new wind farms will be on lesser wind sites. And the sites get closer to residences whose occupants are driven nuts by the noise. And as the % of wind on a grid rises, the tougher it gets to integrate into the delicately balanced grid. It's a scam foisted on energy ignorant politicians.

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7 of 7

DMMELLOW

January 28, 2011

Great News hoping France can cover all its electricity needs with nuclear ,hydro and wind power generation saving big on ever more expensive oil imports!

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John Blau

About: I'm based in Germany where I have accumulated more than 25 years of experience as a journalist focused on business, economics, technology and the environment. I... more »