French vision towards renewable energy
The French State has a clear vision towards renewable energy, which is aimed at reducing the country’s dependence on fossil fuels and promoting a transition to a low-carbon economy. The State’s vision towards renewable energy is centered around three key pillars: energy security, environmental sustainability, and economic development.
Energy Security:
The French State recognizes the importance of energy security and aims to ensure that the country has a diversified and secure energy supply. The development of renewable energy is seen as a way to reduce the country’s dependence on imported fossil fuels, thereby increasing energy security.
Environmental Sustainability:
The French State is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating the impacts of climate change. Renewable energy is seen as a key tool to achieve this goal, as it produces electricity with lower carbon emissions compared to fossil fuels. In addition, renewable energy can help reduce other environmental impacts associated with fossil fuel extraction and combustion, such as air and water pollution.
Economic Development:
The French State recognizes the economic potential of renewable energy and aims to support the development of a domestic renewable energy industry. The growth of renewable energy is seen as a way to create new jobs and promote economic development in regions where renewable energy resources are abundant.
To achieve its vision towards renewable energy, the French State has set ambitious targets for the deployment of renewable energy. These include a target of 33% renewable energy in the overall energy mix by 2030, and a target of 40% renewable energy in the electricity mix by 2030. The State has also put in place various policy measures to support the development of renewable energy, including feed-in tariffs, tax incentives, and regulatory support.
The French State’s vision towards renewable energy is focused on promoting a sustainable, secure, and prosperous energy future for the country. The State’s commitment to renewable energy is expected to continue, with a continued emphasis on policy measures and investment to support the growth of the renewable energy sector.
The composition of energy consumption in France
The composition of energy consumption in France is diverse, with the country relying on a mix of different energy sources to meet its energy needs.
Here is a breakdown of the main sources of energy consumption in France:
Nuclear power: Nuclear power is the largest source of electricity generation in France, accounting for around 70% of the country’s electricity production. France has 56 nuclear reactors, which are operated by state-owned utility company EDF.
Fossil fuels: Despite the country’s reliance on nuclear power, fossil fuels still account for a significant share of energy consumption in France. Natural gas is the most commonly used fossil fuel, accounting for around 20% of primary energy consumption, while oil accounts for around 31%.
Renewables: France has been increasing its use of renewable energy sources in recent years, with a focus on wind and solar power. In 2020, renewables accounted for around 19% of the country’s electricity production, with wind and solar power contributing around 8% and 3% respectively.
Hydroelectric power: Hydroelectric power is another significant source of renewable energy in France, accounting for around 10% of electricity production. The country has a number of hydroelectric dams and power plants, particularly in mountainous regions.
Bioenergy: Bioenergy, including biomass and biogas, also contributes to France’s energy mix, accounting for around 4% of primary energy consumption.
France’s energy mix is dominated by nuclear power, but the country is taking steps to diversify its energy sources and increase its use of renewables. The French government has set a target of achieving 40% renewable energy in its energy mix by 2030, which will require significant investment and policy support.
France’s Net Zero Carbon Target
France has set a target of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. This means that the country aims to balance the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases it emits with the amount it removes from the atmosphere, effectively achieving a state of carbon neutrality.
To achieve this goal, France has set out a range of policies and initiatives aimed at reducing its greenhouse gas emissions across various sectors, including energy, transport, agriculture, and buildings.
Some of the key measures that the country has taken to date include:
Promoting renewable energy: France has set a target of achieving 40% renewable energy in its energy mix by 2030, with a focus on increasing the share of wind and solar power.
Investing in public transport: France is investing heavily in public transport, with plans to make it more affordable and accessible in cities and rural areas. The country is also encouraging the use of electric and hybrid vehicles.
Improving energy efficiency: France has implemented various measures to improve the energy efficiency of buildings, including stricter building codes and financial incentives for energy-efficient renovations.
Supporting sustainable agriculture: France is promoting sustainable agriculture practices, such as reducing the use of pesticides and fertilizers, and encouraging the adoption of organic farming.
Phasing out fossil fuels: France has committed to phasing out the use of coal for electricity generation by 2022, and has also announced plans to ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2040.
France’s net-zero carbon target reflects its commitment to addressing the global climate crisis and transitioning to a low-carbon economy. While achieving this goal will require significant efforts and investments, France is taking ambitious steps to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and promote sustainable development.
French Regulation for Renewable Energy
France has implemented a number of regulations to support the development of renewable energy sources and promote a transition to a more sustainable energy system.
Here are some examples French Regulation for Renewable Energy
Feed-in tariffs: France has implemented feed-in tariffs, which provide financial incentives to individuals and businesses that generate renewable energy. These tariffs guarantee a fixed price for the electricity generated, which helps to encourage the development of renewable energy projects.
Renewable energy targets: France has set a target of generating 32% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030. This target includes a specific goal of developing 8.3 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2028.
Simplified administrative procedures: France has streamlined the administrative procedures for renewable energy projects to make it easier for developers to obtain permits and get projects off the ground.
Net metering: France has implemented net metering, which allows individuals and businesses to sell excess electricity generated from their renewable energy systems back to the grid.
Green certificates: France has implemented a green certificates scheme, which provides certificates to companies that generate renewable energy. These certificates can be traded on the market, providing an additional source of revenue for renewable energy projects.
These regulations are designed to promote the development of renewable energy in France and help the country transition to a more sustainable energy system. While there is still work to be done to achieve France’s renewable energy targets, these regulations are an important step towards a more environmentally friendly and economically sustainable future.
Implementation of Renewable Energy in France
France has been making significant efforts to increase the share of renewable energy in its overall energy mix in recent years. The country has set ambitious targets for renewable energy deployment, and various policy measures have been put in place to support the transition to clean energy.
Here are some key aspects of France’s implementation of renewable energy:
Renewable Energy Targets: France has set an ambitious target of generating 33% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030. This target was revised upwards in 2018 from the previous target of 23% by 2020.
Wind Energy:
France has a significant potential for wind energy and has been rapidly expanding its wind power capacity. The country’s wind power capacity has grown from 7.5 GW in 2010 to over 17 GW in 2021, making it the fourth-largest wind power producer in Europe.
Solar Energy:
France has also been increasing its solar energy capacity in recent years, with a target of 20 GW of installed solar capacity by 2023. As of 2021, France had over 10 GW of solar capacity.
Hydro Energy:
France is the second-largest producer of hydropower in Europe, with around 25 GW of installed capacity. Hydropower accounts for around 10% of France’s electricity generation.
Biomass Energy:
France has also been promoting the use of biomass energy, which involves using organic matter to produce heat and electricity. The country has set a target of 8.5 million tonnes of biomass energy by 2020, which would account for around 7% of France’s energy consumption.
Policy Measures:
France has put in place various policy measures to support the development of renewable energy, including feed-in tariffs, tax credits, and regulatory support. In addition, the country has introduced energy efficiency measures to reduce overall energy consumption.
Challenges:
Despite its ambitious targets and policy measures, France faces challenges in implementing renewable energy, including grid constraints, public opposition to some forms of renewable energy, and the need to balance the cost of renewable energy with maintaining energy security.
France has made significant progress in implementing renewable energy, particularly in wind and solar power. The country’s ambitious targets and policy measures suggest that France will continue to increase its use of renewable energy in the coming years.
Implementation of Renewable Energy in the French State Government
The French State government has been actively involved in the implementation of renewable energy policies and initiatives to promote the transition towards a low-carbon economy.
Here are some key aspects of the French State government’s implementation of renewable energy:
Policy Framework:
The French State government has put in place a comprehensive policy framework to support the deployment of renewable energy. This framework includes national and regional energy plans, regulations, and financial incentives, such as feed-in tariffs, tax credits, and subsidies.
Investment in Renewable Energy:
The French State government has been investing heavily in renewable energy, particularly in wind and solar power. In 2019, the government announced a plan to invest 100 billion euros in energy transition, with a significant portion earmarked for renewable energy.
Research and Development:
The French State government has been investing in research and development in renewable energy technologies. For example, the government launched a research program in 2015 called “Investissements d’Avenir” (Investments for the Future), which aimed to support the development of innovative renewable energy technologies.
Support for Local Communities:
The French State government has also been supporting local communities in the development of renewable energy projects. The government has provided funding for local renewable energy initiatives and has encouraged the establishment of renewable energy cooperatives.
Public Awareness and Engagement:
The French State government has been actively engaging with the public to raise awareness about the benefits of renewable energy and to encourage public support for renewable energy initiatives. The government has launched campaigns to promote renewable energy and has held public consultations on energy policies.
The French State government has been taking a proactive approach to the implementation of renewable energy policies and initiatives. The government’s investment in renewable energy, research and development, and support for local communities, coupled with public awareness and engagement, is expected to drive the growth of the renewable energy sector in France.
Implementation of Renewable Energy in the French Transport Sector
The French transport sector has been making significant efforts to implement renewable energy solutions in order to reduce emissions and promote sustainable practices.
Here are some examples of the implementation of renewable energy in the French transport sector:
Electric and Hybrid Vehicles:
France has been promoting the use of electric and hybrid vehicles, with the government offering incentives for the purchase of such vehicles, and implementing a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040. Additionally, France has implemented a network of electric vehicle charging stations across the country.
Public Transportation:
Many French cities have implemented sustainable transportation solutions, including the use of electric and hybrid buses, as well as trams and light rail systems that run on renewable energy sources.
Biofuels:
France has been promoting the use of biofuels in the transport sector, including biodiesel and bioethanol, which can be produced from agricultural crops and waste products. This helps to reduce emissions from traditional fossil fuels.
Railway Transportation:
France has an extensive network of railways, and the country has been investing in high-speed trains and electric trains, which run on renewable energy sources such as wind and hydro power.
Government Policies:
The French government has implemented several policies to promote the use of renewable energy in the transport sector, including incentives for the purchase of electric and hybrid vehicles, subsidies for the development of sustainable transportation infrastructure, and taxes on high-emission vehicles.
The French transport sector is making significant efforts to implement renewable energy solutions in order to reduce emissions and promote sustainable practices. The implementation of renewable energy in the transport sector not only helps to reduce emissions, but also serves as an example for other countries and industries to adopt sustainable practices.
Implementation of renewable energy in the French tourism sector
The French tourism sector has been actively working to incorporate renewable energy in its operations, particularly in the areas of transportation, accommodation, and attractions.
Here are some examples of the implementation of renewable energy in the French tourism sector:
Renewable Energy in Transportation:
France has been investing in electric and hybrid vehicles, with several cities and regions implementing electric vehicle charging stations. Additionally, several tourism companies have introduced electric or hybrid vehicles in their fleets, including taxi services, car rental companies, and tourist buses.
Renewable Energy in Accommodation
Many hotels and resorts in France are implementing renewable energy solutions to reduce their carbon footprint. This includes the use of solar panels for heating water and generating electricity, as well as the installation of energy-efficient lighting and appliances.
Renewable Energy in Attractions
Several tourist attractions in France are implementing renewable energy solutions to reduce their energy consumption and carbon footprint. This includes the use of solar panels to power lighting and other electrical systems, as well as the installation of energy-efficient heating and cooling systems.
Government Policies
The French government has implemented several policies to promote the use of renewable energy in the tourism sector, including incentives for businesses to invest in renewable energy solutions and subsidies for the development of green tourism projects.
The French tourism sector is making significant efforts to incorporate renewable energy solutions into its operations, in order to reduce its carbon footprint and promote sustainable tourism practices. The implementation of renewable energy in the tourism sector not only helps to reduce emissions, but also serves as an example for tourists to adopt sustainable practices in their own lives.
Implementation of the French State renewable energy program in agriculture
The French government has implemented several initiatives to promote the use of renewable energy in the agricultural sector.
Here are some examples:
Solar panels on farms: The French government has encouraged farmers to install solar panels on their land and buildings to generate electricity for their own use or to sell back to the grid. In 2020, there were over 60,000 solar installations on agricultural land in France.
Biogas production: Biogas is a renewable energy source that is produced by the anaerobic digestion of organic materials such as animal manure, crop residues, and food waste. The French government has supported the development of biogas production facilities on farms, which can generate electricity and heat, and also provide a source of fertilizer.
Wind turbines: The French government has also encouraged the installation of wind turbines on farms, particularly in regions with high wind potential. Farmers can lease their land to wind power developers, and also benefit from the sale of electricity generated by the turbines.
Energy efficiency: The French government has provided financial incentives and technical assistance to farmers to improve the energy efficiency of their operations. This includes measures such as insulation, the use of more efficient lighting and equipment, and the adoption of precision agriculture techniques.
Biomass heating: The French government has supported the use of biomass heating systems on farms, which can burn crop residues and other organic materials to provide heat for buildings and greenhouses.
These initiatives have helped to increase the use of renewable energy in the agricultural sector in France, while also promoting energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The French government aims to continue supporting the development of renewable energy in agriculture through its broader renewable energy program.
Implementation of the French State’s renewable energy policy in the industrial field
The French government has implemented several measures to encourage the use of renewable energy in the industrial sector, with the aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting a transition towards a low-carbon economy.
Here are some examples Implementation of the French State’s renewable energy policy in the industrial field
Renewable energy incentives: The French government offers financial incentives, such as tax credits and subsidies, to businesses that invest in renewable energy projects, such as solar panels, wind turbines, and biomass boilers. These incentives help to offset the upfront costs of renewable energy installations and encourage businesses to transition away from fossil fuels.
Energy efficiency: The French government has implemented energy efficiency regulations and standards for industrial buildings and equipment, with the aim of reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. These regulations apply to new buildings and equipment, as well as to renovations and upgrades of existing buildings and equipment.
Renewable energy procurement: The French government has set targets for public procurement of renewable energy, including for the industrial sector. This encourages businesses to invest in renewable energy projects, as they may have a guaranteed buyer for their energy production.
Energy management systems: The French government promotes the use of energy management systems, which enable businesses to monitor and control their energy consumption, identify areas for improvement, and optimize their use of renewable energy sources.
Research and development: The French government invests in research and development to support the development of new renewable energy technologies, such as advanced solar panels, wind turbines, and energy storage systems, which can be used by the industrial sector.
These measures help to support the transition towards a low-carbon economy in the industrial sector in France, while also promoting energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The French government aims to continue supporting the development of renewable energy in the industrial sector through its broader renewable energy policy.
French People’s View on Renewable Energy
The French people have generally shown strong support for renewable energy, with surveys indicating that a majority of the population is in favor of the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Here are some key aspects of the French people’s view on renewable energy:
Many French people are concerned about the environmental impact of fossil fuels and the need to mitigate climate change. Renewable energy is seen as a key solution to these challenges, and many French people believe that a transition to renewable energy is necessary to ensure a sustainable future.
Energy Security:
French people are also concerned about energy security, and the high level of dependence on imported fossil fuels. Renewable energy is seen as a way to reduce the country’s reliance on foreign energy sources and increase energy security.
Economic Opportunities:
Many French people view renewable energy as an economic opportunity, with the potential to create new jobs and stimulate economic growth. Renewable energy is seen as a way to support local communities and promote economic development in regions with abundant renewable energy resources.
Challenges and Concerns:
While support for renewable energy is generally high, some French people have expressed concerns about the cost and feasibility of renewable energy. Others are concerned about the visual impact of renewable energy installations, such as wind turbines and solar panels, on the landscape.
The French people’s view on renewable energy is generally positive, with support driven by environmental concerns, energy security, and economic opportunities. While there are some concerns and challenges to the implementation of renewable energy, the public support for the transition to a low-carbon economy is expected to continue.
Solar Power Plants Project in France
France has been investing in solar power plants as a way to promote the development of renewable energy sources.
Here are some key aspects of solar power plants in France:
Installed Capacity
France has installed solar capacity of over 10 GW, with most of the installations being small-scale rooftop solar systems. France’s largest solar power plant is the Cestas Solar Park in Bordeaux, with an installed capacity of 300 MW.
Locations
Solar power plants in France are located in various regions, including the south-eastern and south-western parts of the country, where there is high solar irradiance.
Types of Solar Power Plants
There are several types of solar power plants in France, including ground-mounted solar plants, floating solar plants, and rooftop solar installations.
Government Policies
The French government has implemented several policies to support the development of solar power plants, including feed-in tariffs, tax credits, and subsidies. The government has also set a target of 20 GW of installed solar capacity by 2023.
Challenges
While solar power plants have the potential to play a significant role in France’s renewable energy mix, there are some challenges to their development. These include grid integration issues, land-use conflicts, and regulatory barriers.
Solar power plants are an important component of France’s renewable energy strategy, with the government implementing policies to support their development. While there are challenges to their implementation, solar power plants are expected to continue to play a significant role in France’s transition towards a low-carbon economy.
Solar power plant projects in France:
Cestas Solar Park: The Cestas Solar Park is located near Bordeaux in southwestern France. It has a capacity of 300 MW, making it one of the largest solar power plants in Europe.
Néovia Solar Park: The Néovia Solar Park is located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France. It has a capacity of 43 MW and consists of more than 150,000 solar panels.
Toul-Rosières Solar Park: The Toul-Rosières Solar Park is located in the Grand Est region in northeastern France. It has a capacity of 115 MW and consists of over 1 million solar panels.
Rivesaltes Solar Park: The Rivesaltes Solar Park is located in the Occitanie region in southern France. It has a capacity of 60 MW and consists of over 300,000 solar panels.
Solar power plants in France provide a significant source of clean and renewable energy, and the country is continuing to invest in this technology to reduce its carbon footprint and achieve its renewable energy targets.
Here are 20 names, locations, and capacities of solar power projects in France:
Cestas Solar Park – Cestas, Gironde – 300 MW
Rivesaltes Solar Park – Rivesaltes, Pyrénées-Orientales – 300 MW
Toul-Rosières Solar Park – Toul-Rosières, Meurthe-et-Moselle – 115 MW
Curbans Solar Park – Curbans, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence – 143 MW
La Tour d’Aigues Solar Park – La Tour d’Aigues, Vaucluse – 21 MW
Gardanne Solar Park – Gardanne, Bouches-du-Rhône – 10 MW
Gabardan Solar Park – Gabardan, Landes – 55 MW
Les Mées Solar Park – Les Mées, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence – 100 MW
Puimichel Solar Park – Puimichel, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence – 17 MW
Narbonne Solar Park – Narbonne, Aude – 8 MW
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence Solar Park – Oraison, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence – 25 MW
Languedoc-Roussillon Solar Park – Névian, Aude – 5 MW
Valence Solar Park – Valence, Drôme – 4.5 MW
Le Bourget-du-Lac Solar Park – Le Bourget-du-Lac, Savoie – 1.3 MW
Arles Solar Park – Arles, Bouches-du-Rhône – 4.1 MW
Limousin Solar Park – La Jonchère-Saint-Maurice, Haute-Vienne – 5.2 MW
Les Andelys Solar Park – Les Andelys, Eure – 4.8 MW
Le Boulou Solar Park – Le Boulou, Pyrénées-Orientales – 4.4 MW
Jura Solar Park – Lons-le-Saunier, Jura – 4.2 MW
Les Mées II Solar Park – Les Mées, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence – 20 MW
Note:
The capacity mentioned is the total capacity of each project.
Some projects may be in the same region and have different capacities.
Hydro Power Plants Project in France
Hydro power plants are an important source of renewable energy in France, and the country has a long history of hydroelectric power generation.
Here are some key aspects of hydro power plants in France:
Installed Capacity
As of 2021, France has an installed hydro power capacity of over 25 GW, making it one of the largest hydro power producers in Europe. Hydro power accounts for around 10% of France’s electricity generation.
Locations
Hydro power plants in France are located in various regions, including the Alps, the Pyrenees, the Massif Central, and the Vosges Mountains. Most of the hydro power plants are run-of-river plants, which generate electricity by using the natural flow of water.
Types of Hydro Power Plants
France has several types of hydro power plants, including run-of-river plants, pumped-storage plants, and reservoir plants. The largest hydro power plant in France is the Grand’Maison plant, which has an installed capacity of 1,800 MW.
Government Policies
The French government has implemented several policies to support the development of hydro power plants, including feed-in tariffs, tax credits, and subsidies. The government has also set a target of 27 GW of installed hydro power capacity by 2023.
Challenges
While hydro power plants are an important source of renewable energy, there are some challenges to their development in France. These include environmental concerns, land-use conflicts, and the aging of existing infrastructure.
Hydro power plants are a significant source of renewable energy in France, with the government implementing policies to support their development. While there are challenges to their implementation, hydro power plants are expected to continue to play an important role in France’s transition towards a low-carbon economy.
Here are some examples of hydro power plant projects in France:
Grand’Maison Dam: The Grand’Maison Dam is located in the Isère department in southeastern France. It has a capacity of 1,800 MW and is the largest hydro power plant in France.
La Coche Dam: The La Coche Dam is located in the Savoie department in southeastern France. It has a capacity of 1,080 MW and is the second-largest hydro power plant in France.
Génissiat Dam: The Génissiat Dam is located on the Rhône River in eastern France. It has a capacity of 420 MW and is one of the largest hydro power plants in France.
Sainte-Croix Lake: The Sainte-Croix Lake is located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region in southeastern France. It is a man-made lake created by the construction of the Sainte-Croix Dam and has a capacity of 2,270,000,000 cubic meters.
Here are 20 names, locations, and capacities of hydroelectric power projects in France:
Grand’Maison – Isère – 1,800 MW
Grangent – Loire – 420 MW
Serre-Ponçon – Hautes-Alpes – 380 MW
Bort-les-Orgues – Corrèze – 280 MW
La Rance – Brittany – 240 MW
Roselend – Savoie – 185 MW
Monteynard-Avignonet – Isère – 115 MW
Villefort – Lozère – 85 MW
Vouglans – Jura – 80 MW
Sautet – Isère – 75 MW
Les Barielles – Tarn – 61 MW
EDF Lac d’Orient – Aube – 52 MW
Génissiat – Ain – 42 MW
Sainte-Croix – Alpes-de-Haute-Provence – 38 MW
Pannecière – Morvan – 34 MW
Eguzon – Indre – 30 MW
Les Fades – Puy-de-Dôme – 25 MW
Saint-Pierre – Jura – 24 MW
La Girotte – Doubs – 14 MW
La Coche – Savoie – 12 MW
Note:
The capacities mentioned are the peak capacities or the maximum power that can be generated by the hydroelectric power plants. Some projects may be located in the same area and have different capacities.
Wind Power Plants Project in France
France has been investing in wind power plants as a way to promote the development of renewable energy sources.
Here are some key aspects of wind power plants projects in France:
Installed Capacity
France has an installed wind capacity of over 17 GW, making it one of the largest wind power producers in Europe. Wind power accounts for around 8% of France’s electricity generation.
Locations
Wind power plants in France are located in various regions, including the north-western and south-western parts of the country, where there is high wind potential. The regions with the highest wind potential are Brittany, Pays de la Loire, Normandy, and Aquitaine.
Types of Wind Power Plants
France has several types of wind power plants, including onshore and offshore wind farms. The largest wind farm in France is the Fécamp offshore wind farm, which has an installed capacity of 498 MW.
Government Policies
The French government has implemented several policies to support the development of wind power plants, including feed-in tariffs, tax credits, and subsidies. The government has also set a target of 34 GW of installed wind capacity by 2028.
Challenges
While wind power plants have the potential to play a significant role in France’s renewable energy mix, there are some challenges to their development. These include the visual impact of wind turbines on the landscape, noise pollution, and the potential impact on wildlife.
Wind power plants are an important component of France’s renewable energy strategy, with the government implementing policies to support their development. While there are challenges to their implementation, wind power plants are expected to continue to play a significant role in France’s transition towards a low-carbon economy.
Wind power plant projects in France
There are several wind farms in France with varying capacities and owners.
Here are some examples Wind power plant projects in France
Fécamp Offshore Wind Farm: The Fécamp Offshore Wind Farm is a project currently under construction in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy. Once completed, it will have a capacity of 498 MW and will provide electricity to around 770,000 homes.
Saint-Nazaire Offshore Wind Farm: The Saint-Nazaire Offshore Wind Farm is currently under construction off the coast of Loire-Atlantique in western France. It will have a capacity of 480 MW and will provide electricity to around 20% of the Loire-Atlantique region’s population.
Courseulles-sur-Mer Offshore Wind Farm: The Courseulles-sur-Mer Offshore Wind Farm is another project currently under construction in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy. It will have a capacity of 448 MW and will provide electricity to around 630,000 homes.
Les Monts Wind Farm: The Les Monts Wind Farm is located in the Champagne-Ardenne region in northeastern France. It has a capacity of 36 MW and consists of 12 wind turbines.
The Côte-d’Or wind farm, located in Burgundy, is owned by JP Energie Environnement. The wind farm has a capacity of 24 MW and consists of 12 wind turbines.
The Saint-Martin-L’Ars wind farm, located in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, is owned by Boralex. The wind farm has a capacity of 10 MW and consists of five wind turbines.
The Sommette-Eaucourt wind farm, located in Hauts-de-France, is owned by EDF Energies Nouvelles. The wind farm has a capacity of 32 MW and consists of 16 wind turbines.
The Champagne Picardie wind farm, located in Picardie, is owned by EDF Energies Nouvelles. The wind farm has a capacity of 97 MW and consists of 49 wind turbines.
The La Vallée wind farm, located in Pays de la Loire, is owned by Boralex. The wind farm has a capacity of 20 MW and consists of ten wind turbines.
The Haute Borne wind farm, located in Brittany, is owned by WPD. The wind farm has a capacity of 21 MW and consists of seven wind turbines.
The La Chapelle Montligeon wind farm, located in Normandy, is owned by EDF Energies Nouvelles. The wind farm has a capacity of 13.8 MW and consists of six wind turbines.
The Basse Thiérache wind farm, located in Hauts-de-France, is owned by RES. The wind farm has a capacity of 21 MW and consists of nine wind turbines.
These wind farms are just a few examples of the many wind energy projects in France. France has made significant investments in renewable energy in recent years, including wind power, with the goal of reducing its reliance on fossil fuels and transitioning to a low-carbon energy system.
In 2020, wind power accounted for about 7.5% of France’s electricity production, according to the Global Wind Energy Council. France has set a target of generating 33% of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2030, and wind power is expected to play a significant role in meeting this target.
In addition to the wind farms listed above, there are many other wind energy projects in various stages of development throughout France. For example, the Dunkirk offshore wind farm, which will have a capacity of 600 MW, is currently under construction and is expected to be completed in 2027. Other large-scale wind projects in development include the Dieppe-Le Tréport offshore wind farm, the Oléron offshore wind farm, and the Île d’Yeu and Noirmoutier offshore wind farm.
France is also investing in innovative wind energy technologies, such as floating offshore wind turbines, which can be installed in deeper waters and are less visually intrusive than traditional offshore wind turbines. Overall, wind power is expected to continue to play an important role in France’s transition to a low-carbon energy system and in meeting its renewable energy targets.
Geothermal Power Plants Project in France
France has several geothermal power plants, which generate electricity by harnessing the Earth’s heat. Geothermal energy is a clean and renewable energy source, and France has been actively developing this energy source in recent years.
Here are list of Geothermal Power Plants Project in France
Soultz-sous-Forêts geothermal power plant: The Soultz-sous-Forêts geothermal power plant is located in Alsace, eastern France. It is the first geothermal power plant in France, and one of the first in Europe, to use Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) technology. The plant generates electricity by extracting hot water from a deep geothermal reservoir, which is then used to generate steam that drives a turbine to produce electricity.
Rittershoffen geothermal power plant: The Rittershoffen geothermal power plant is located in Alsace, eastern France. It is one of the largest geothermal power plants in France, with a capacity of 2.5 MW. The plant generates electricity by extracting hot water from a geothermal reservoir located at a depth of around 3,500 meters.
Bouillante geothermal power plant: The Bouillante geothermal power plant is located on the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, which is part of France’s overseas territories. The plant generates electricity by harnessing the heat from underground hot water reservoirs. The plant has a capacity of 15 MW, making it the largest geothermal power plant in France.
Saint-Dié-des-Vosges geothermal project: The Saint-Dié-des-Vosges geothermal project is located in northeastern France. The project aims to develop a geothermal power plant that can generate electricity by extracting hot water from a deep geothermal reservoir. The project is currently in the planning and development phase.
Geothermal power plants in France provide a significant source of clean and renewable energy, and the country is continuing to invest in this technology to reduce its carbon footprint and achieve its renewable energy targets.
Bio Mass Power Plants Project in France
Biomass power plants are an important source of renewable energy in France, and the country has been investing in this sector to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote sustainable development.
Here are some key aspects of biomass power plants projects in France:
Installed Capacity: France has an installed biomass capacity of around 2 GW, making it one of the largest biomass power producers in Europe. Biomass power accounts for around 2% of France’s electricity generation.
Types of Biomass Power Plants: France has several types of biomass power plants, including those that use wood, agricultural waste, and municipal solid waste as fuel. The majority of biomass power plants in France use wood as fuel.
Locations: Biomass power plants in France are located in various regions, with the largest number of plants located in the north-western and south-western parts of the country.
Government Policies: The French government has implemented several policies to support the development of biomass power plants, including feed-in tariffs, tax credits, and subsidies. The government has also set a target of 8.8 GW of installed biomass capacity by 2030.
Challenges: While biomass power plants can provide a reliable and renewable source of energy, there are some challenges to their development in France. These include concerns about the sustainability of wood sourcing, as well as emissions associated with the transportation and processing of biomass fuel.
Biomass power plants are an important component of France’s renewable energy strategy, with the government implementing policies to support their development. While there are challenges to their implementation, biomass power plants are expected to continue to play a significant role in France’s transition towards a low-carbon economy.
Here are some examples of bio mass power plants projects in France:
Lacq Gasification Project: The Lacq Gasification Project is a bio mass power plant located in southwestern France. The plant generates electricity by gasifying wood chips, which produces a synthetic gas that is then used to drive a turbine to produce electricity. The plant has a capacity of 17 MW and provides electricity to around 17,000 homes.
Amiens Bioenergy Plant: The Amiens Bioenergy Plant is a bio mass power plant located in northern France. The plant generates electricity by burning wood pellets and chips, which are sourced from sustainable forestry practices. The plant has a capacity of 16 MW and provides electricity to around 27,000 homes.
Eneria Biomass Power Plant: The Eneria Biomass Power Plant is a bio mass power plant located in eastern France. The plant generates electricity by burning wood chips, which are sourced from local forestry practices. The plant has a capacity of 5 MW and provides electricity to around 5,000 homes.
Valorem Biomass Power Plant: The Valorem Biomass Power Plant is a bio mass power plant located in southwestern France. The plant generates electricity by burning wood chips and agricultural waste products, such as corn stalks and wheat straw. The plant has a capacity of 12 MW and provides electricity to around 12,000 homes.
Bio mass power plants in France provide a significant source of clean and renewable energy, and the country is continuing to invest in this technology to reduce its carbon footprint and achieve its renewable energy targets.
Companies contributing to France’s renewable energy implementation
There are several companies that are contributing to France’s renewable energy implementation, including:
EDF: Électricité de France (EDF) is a major player in the French energy market, and has been investing in renewable energy solutions for several years. The company has a large portfolio of renewable energy projects in France, including wind, solar, and hydro power plants.
Total: Total is a French multinational energy company that has been investing in renewable energy solutions in France and around the world. The company has a significant presence in the solar energy sector, and has been investing in offshore wind energy projects.
Engie: Engie is a French multinational electric utility company that has been investing in renewable energy solutions, including wind and solar power plants, as well as energy storage technologies.
Enercon: Enercon is a German wind turbine manufacturer that has been involved in the development of several wind energy projects in France. The company has supplied turbines for wind farms across the country.
Suez: Suez is a French-based utility company that has been investing in renewable energy solutions, including waste-to-energy plants and solar power projects.
Voltalia: Voltalia is a French renewable energy company that has been involved in the development of several wind and solar power projects in France. The company also provides energy storage solutions.
These and other companies are making significant contributions to the development and implementation of renewable energy solutions in France. Through their investments and innovations, these companies are helping France to transition towards a low-carbon economy and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
France’s largest renewable energy project
The largest renewable energy project currently under development in France is the Saint-Nazaire offshore wind farm.
The project, located off the coast of the Loire-Atlantique region, is being developed by a consortium of French utility company EDF Renewables and Canadian energy infrastructure company Enbridge.
The Saint-Nazaire offshore wind farm is set to have a capacity of 480 megawatts (MW) and will consist of 80 wind turbines, each with a capacity of 6 MW. Once completed, it is expected to provide enough electricity to power around 430,000 households, or approximately 20% of the Loire-Atlantique region’s electricity needs.
The project is also expected to create around 2,000 jobs during the construction phase, and will contribute to the development of the local economy in the Loire-Atlantique region.
The Saint-Nazaire offshore wind farm is part of France’s ambitious target of reaching 40% renewable energy by 2030, and is one of several offshore wind energy projects currently under development in the country.
The Saint-Nazaire offshore wind farm in detail
The Saint-Nazaire offshore wind farm is a major renewable energy project being developed off the coast of the Loire-Atlantique region in western France.
Here are some details about The Saint-Nazaire offshore
Developer: The Saint-Nazaire offshore wind farm is being developed by a consortium consisting of French utility company EDF Renewables and Canadian energy infrastructure company Enbridge.
Capacity: The wind farm will have a total capacity of 480 megawatts (MW), which will be generated by 80 wind turbines. Each turbine will have a capacity of 6 MW.
Location: The wind farm is located approximately 12 to 20 kilometers off the coast of Saint-Nazaire in western France. The turbines will be installed in water depths ranging from 12 to 25 meters.
Output: The wind farm is expected to generate around 1.9 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity per year, which is equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of around 430,000 households.
Construction: The construction of the wind farm began in 2019 and is expected to be completed in 2022. The project is being carried out by a consortium of companies, including GE Renewable Energy, which is providing the wind turbines, and Bourbon, which is providing the installation vessels.
Job Creation: The development and construction of the wind farm is expected to create around 2,000 jobs, including 1,000 jobs during the construction phase and 100 jobs during the operational phase.
Economic Impact: The project is expected to have a significant economic impact on the Loire-Atlantique region, including the creation of jobs and the development of local supply chains.
Environmental Impact: The wind farm is expected to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to France’s target of reaching 40% renewable energy by 2030. However, the project has also faced criticism from some environmental groups, who are concerned about the impact of the turbines on local marine life.
The Saint-Nazaire offshore wind farm is a significant renewable energy project that is expected to help France transition to a low-carbon economy and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
France, Energy Sustainability
France has been making efforts to transition to a more sustainable and low-carbon energy system. In addition to investing in renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and hydro power, France has also implemented policies aimed at improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
One major policy initiative is the French Energy Transition for Green Growth Law, which was enacted in 2015. This law sets targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing the share of renewable energy in the country’s energy mix, and improving energy efficiency. For example, the law calls for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, and for increasing the share of renewable energy in France’s energy mix to 32% by 2030.
France has also taken steps to phase out nuclear power, which currently provides about 70% of the country’s electricity. In 2015, France announced plans to reduce its reliance on nuclear power to 50% by 2025 and to increase the share of renewable energy sources in the energy mix. While this target has been pushed back to 2035, France remains committed to reducing its reliance on nuclear power and increasing the share of renewable energy.
In addition to these policy initiatives, France is also investing in research and development of new energy technologies, such as battery storage and hydrogen fuel cells. France has also implemented building codes and energy efficiency standards aimed at reducing energy consumption in buildings.
France is making efforts to transition to a more sustainable and low-carbon energy system. While there is still progress to be made, France’s policies and investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency are a step towards a more sustainable future.
France, Energy Transition
France is committed to transitioning to a more sustainable and low-carbon energy system. This transition involves reducing the country’s reliance on fossil fuels, increasing the share of renewable energy sources in the energy mix, and improving energy efficiency. France has set ambitious targets for achieving these goals and has implemented a range of policy measures to support the transition.
One major policy initiative is the French Energy Transition for Green Growth Law, which was enacted in 2015. This law sets targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing the share of renewable energy in the country’s energy mix, and improving energy efficiency. For example, the law calls for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, and for increasing the share of renewable energy in France’s energy mix to 32% by 2030.
France has also taken steps to phase out nuclear power, which currently provides about 70% of the country’s electricity. In 2015, France announced plans to reduce its reliance on nuclear power to 50% by 2025 and to increase the share of renewable energy sources in the energy mix. While this target has been pushed back to 2035, France remains committed to reducing its reliance on nuclear power and increasing the share of renewable energy.
In addition to these policy initiatives, France is also investing in research and development of new energy technologies, such as battery storage and hydrogen fuel cells. France has also implemented building codes and energy efficiency standards aimed at reducing energy consumption in buildings.
France’s energy transition is a complex process that involves a range of policy measures, investments, and technological innovations. While there is still progress to be made, France’s commitment to a more sustainable and low-carbon energy system is a step towards a more environmentally friendly and economically sustainable future.
Franch Goverment Action to reduce fossil energy
The French government has taken a number of actions to reduce the country’s reliance on fossil fuels and transition to a more sustainable energy system.
Here are some examples Franch Goverment Action to reduce fossil energy
Phasing out of coal: In 2019, the French government announced that it would close its remaining four coal-fired power plants by 2022. This move is part of France’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition to a low-carbon energy system.
Promotion of renewable energy: France has set a target of generating 32% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030. To achieve this goal, the French government has implemented a number of policies to support the development of renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and hydro power. For example, France has implemented feed-in tariffs to incentivize the development of renewable energy projects.
Carbon pricing: France has implemented a carbon tax, which places a price on carbon emissions and incentivizes businesses and individuals to reduce their carbon footprint. The carbon tax has been controversial, however, and has faced protests from some groups.
Energy efficiency standards: The French government has implemented building codes and energy efficiency standards to reduce energy consumption in buildings. This includes measures such as insulation requirements, energy-efficient lighting, and the use of renewable energy sources for heating and cooling.
Phasing out of nuclear power: France has announced plans to reduce its reliance on nuclear power and increase the share of renewable energy in the energy mix. While this transition has been delayed, France remains committed to reducing its reliance on nuclear power.
The French government’s actions to reduce fossil energy use are part of a broader effort to transition to a more sustainable and low-carbon energy system. While there is still progress to be made, France’s policies and investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency are a step towards a more environmentally friendly and economically sustainable future.
Diversity and Inclusion in France
France is a diverse country, with a multicultural population that includes immigrants and their descendants from former French colonies in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. Despite this diversity, France has struggled with issues related to inclusion and discrimination, particularly against minority groups.
One of the major challenges facing France in terms of diversity and inclusion is racism and discrimination. Studies have shown that people from minority backgrounds in France are more likely to experience discrimination in areas such as education, employment, and housing. Discrimination is also an issue in the criminal justice system, where people from minority backgrounds are overrepresented in the prison population.
The French government has taken steps to address these issues, including the introduction of anti-discrimination laws and the establishment of bodies such as the Defender of Rights, which aims to protect citizens against discrimination. However, there is still work to be done to ensure that these laws and policies are effectively enforced and that minority communities are truly included in French society.
Another area where France faces challenges related to diversity and inclusion is with respect to religion. France has a strict secularism policy, known as laïcité, which is intended to ensure the separation of church and state. However, this policy has been criticized for being used to marginalize religious minorities, particularly Muslims. For example, there have been controversies over the wearing of the Islamic veil in public spaces, and some politicians have called for the banning of the hijab in public.
Diversity and inclusion are complex issues in France, and there is still much work to be done to ensure that minority communities are truly included and valued in French society.
While the government has taken steps to address discrimination and promote inclusion, there is a need for continued dialogue and action to ensure that France truly becomes a welcoming and inclusive society for all its citizens
Community empowerment programs in France
Community empowerment programs in France aim to empower local communities to actively participate in decision-making processes and take ownership of local development projects.
Here are some examples of community empowerment programs in France:
Participatory budgeting: Participatory budgeting is a process that allows citizens to decide how to allocate public funds in their communities. This process gives citizens a voice in local decision-making, enabling them to prioritize and allocate resources based on their needs and preferences. Many cities in France have implemented participatory budgeting programs, allowing citizens to propose and vote on local projects.
Local development partnerships: Local development partnerships bring together local stakeholders, including residents, businesses, and local authorities, to develop and implement local development strategies. These partnerships encourage collaboration and cooperation between different stakeholders, enabling them to work together towards common goals.
Community-led projects: Community-led projects empower local communities to take ownership of local development initiatives, enabling them to identify and address local issues. These projects can be related to a range of areas, such as sustainable development, social inclusion, and cultural activities.
Social innovation: Social innovation involves the development of new solutions to social challenges, with a focus on addressing the needs and aspirations of local communities. Social innovation initiatives often involve collaboration between different stakeholders, including citizens, social entrepreneurs, and public authorities.
Citizen assemblies: Citizen assemblies bring together randomly selected citizens to deliberate on specific issues and make recommendations to public authorities. These assemblies provide an opportunity for citizens to engage in decision-making processes, enabling them to contribute to local policy development.
Community empowerment programs in France aim to promote citizen participation in decision-making processes, enabling them to take ownership of local development initiatives and work together towards common goals. These programs have the potential to promote more inclusive, participatory, and sustainable forms of local development, while also strengthening democratic governance and social cohesion.
Conclusion on the Implementation of Renewable Energy in France
France has made significant progress in implementing renewable energy sources to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and transition towards a low-carbon economy.
The country has set ambitious targets for renewable energy development and has implemented various policies and initiatives to achieve these goals.
France has made significant investments in renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, hydro, and biomass, and has encouraged the development of large-scale projects in these areas. The government has also provided financial incentives and technical support to encourage businesses and individuals to invest in renewable energy, as well as implementing energy efficiency measures to reduce energy consumption.
The country’s energy mix is gradually shifting towards renewable energy sources, with renewables accounting for over 23% of electricity production in 2020. However, there are still challenges to overcome, such as the intermittency of renewable energy sources, the need for energy storage systems, and the need to ensure a fair and equitable distribution of costs and benefits.
France’s renewable energy implementation efforts have made significant progress, and the country is well-positioned to continue its transition towards a low-carbon economy, while also creating new jobs and economic opportunities in the renewable energy sector.
https://www.exaputra.com/2023/03/implementation-of-renewable-energy-in.html
Big News for Australian Households!
The Albanese Government has just unveiled a landmark commitment that could make it significantly easier and cheaper for families to install home solar batteries.
If re-elected, the government plans to roll out the National Battery Booster Program, which will offer a generous rebate per kilowatt-hour (kWh) on the cost of eligible home battery systems.
This announcement is a significant leap forward in Australia’s clean energy journey, and it has the potential to benefit millions of homes already using solar – and even more who are considering the switch.
What is the National Battery Booster Program?
The National Battery Booster Program is designed to make solar batteries more accessible to everyday Australians by reducing upfront costs through a government-funded rebate.
While the exact rebate value per kWh is yet to be finalised, the intention is clear: to make it more affordable for homeowners to store the energy they generate from their solar systems and use it when it’s most needed.
This smart move aligns with Australia’s long-term climate goals and addresses rising concerns over electricity prices and energy security.
Why a Home Battery Makes Sense Now More Than Ever
Home solar batteries are “the missing link” in Australia’s solar revolution. Over 4 million Australian homes now have solar panels – but only a small percentage have a battery to store excess power for later use.
Without a battery, much of the solar power generated during the day is sent back to the grid, often for a low feed-in tariff.
Then, in the evening when households use more power, they have to buy electricity from the grid, often at higher rates—installing a home battery bridges this gap.
Here’s what a battery lets you do:
- Store solar power generated during the day
- Use that stored energy during peak usage times (usually at night)
- Reduce reliance on the grid
- Avoid high electricity prices
- Gain energy independence
How Much Do Solar Batteries Cost?
The cost of home battery systems in Australia varies, depending on the size and brand. On average:
- A small battery (around 5 kWh) can cost between $4,000 and $8,000
- Larger systems (10 kWh and above) can go up to $15,000 or more
- Most batteries come with a 10-year warranty, making them a reliable long-term investment
With the incoming rebate under the Battery Booster Program, these prices could drop significantly, putting energy storage within reach for many more Australian families.
Government Regulations and Safety Standards
Not all batteries are created equal, and not all installers are certified to work with them. That’s why this program comes with strict safety and quality guidelines:
- Only batteries that have been assessed and approved by the Clean Energy Regulator will be eligible
- Installations must be completed by licensed electricians who have undergone certified battery installation training
- This ensures that households are not only getting cost-effective energy storage but also safe and high-performing systems.
What This Means for You
If you’ve been considering upgrading your solar setup or adding a battery to your home, this is the perfect time to act.
Whether you already have solar panels or are starting fresh, the National Battery Booster Program could help you:
- Significantly reduce your energy bills
- Increase the value and sustainability of your home
- Take control of your energy use
- Protect yourself from future price hikes
How Can Cyanergy Help?
At Cyanergy, we’ve helped thousands of Australians switch to smarter, more sustainable energy systems. We offer a range of high-quality solar batteries tailored to different household sizes and budgets.
Our team of experienced energy consultants and CEC-accredited installers are here to help you:
- Choose the right battery for your home
- Navigate the rebate process when the program launches
- Ensure proper and safe installation
- Maximise your long-term energy savings
Every home is different, and the best system for you depends on your energy usage, solar capacity, and long-term goals. We consider all that and provide expert recommendations every step of the way.
Next Steps
The Battery Booster Program is set to roll out if the Albanese Government gets re-elected, so it’s wise to start preparing now.
- Want to know what kind of battery system fits your home?
- Need help understanding potential savings?
- Curious about how to qualify for the rebate?
We’ve got you covered.
Contact us for a free consultation.
Visit us at: www.cyanergy.com.au
Learn more about the program: Smart Energy Council: Battery Booster Program.
Things to Consider
All home batteries must be approved by the Clean Energy Regulator and listed on the Approved Products List.
Installation must be carried out by licensed electricians certified to work with batteries.
Talk to the Experts
Every home is different – and so is every battery solution. That’s where we come in. At Cyanergy, our energy experts can help you find the best battery system for your needs and ensure you maximise this new rebate opportunity.
Talk to an expert or get a free quote.
Your Solution Is Just a Click Away
The post A New Battery Rebate Coming to Australian Households! appeared first on Cyanergy.
Weather Guard Lightning Tech
Vattenfall 1.6 GW Farm, AI Learns to “Cheat”
Allen and Joel discuss Nylacast’s article in PES Wind Magazine about corrosion solutions in offshore wind and Vattenfall’s major investment in Germany’s largest offshore wind farm. They also talk about MIT’s strategic alliance with GE Vernova and the ethical concerns around AI in engineering.
Sign up now for Uptime Tech News, our weekly email update on all things wind technology. This episode is sponsored by Weather Guard Lightning Tech. Learn more about Weather Guard’s StrikeTape Wind Turbine LPS retrofit. Follow the show on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn and visit Weather Guard on the web. And subscribe to Rosemary Barnes’ YouTube channel here. Have a question we can answer on the show? Email us!
Speaker: [00:00:00] You are listening to the Uptime Wind Energy Podcast brought to you by build turbines.com. Learn, train, and be a part of the Clean Energy Revolution. Visit build turbines.com today. Now here’s your hosts, Allen Hall, Joel Saxum, Phil Totaro, and Rosemary Barnes.
Allen Hall: If you checked your mailbox or checked online, the new PES Wind magazine is out and it is full of great content this quarter.
There’s a very interesting article because we’ve been talking a lot about offshore wind and some of the problems with offshore wind as one of them is corrosion. Just betw between us engineers, it comes up quite a bit. Like, why are we making things outta steel that you don’t need to make outta steel, why you’re not making them out of plastic?
And that’s what, uh, the people at, uh, Nylacast engineer products are doing, um, on some hang off clamps, Joel, uh, which are traditionally really cheap clamps that are made outta steel and rust like [00:01:00] crazy.
Joel Saxum: Yeah. You know, from my oil and gas offshore background, that was one of the things that was always a pain in the butt.
IIRM contracts, as they call ’em, offshore inspection, repair, and maintenance. There’s so much focus on coatings, paint coatings, paint coatings, and it’s a special coating, and it’s this, and you can only apply it during this, and everything has to be painted. And if you can’t allow rust to start anywhere on an offshore facility, it’s in a high corrosion environment, right?
You have salt water, salt spray temperatures, it’s always kind of wet. It’s a marine environment. And so erosion moves very fast, right? So in the, in the oil and gas world, they started creating some things out of like HDPE, which is high density, polyethylene, plastic. Um, it’s even so dense. You can mill it.
It’s really cool stuff. But that’s what, um, the PO the kind of Nylacast engineered products is working with some of these plastic products to replace some of those components in offshore wind turbines that are a pain in the butt to maintain. So when we talk about these hang off clamps. [00:02:00] They grab the cables and other things and they, and they hold them in place in the turbine as need be.
If those are made outta steel and have a coating on ’em, and you get a little bit of vibration and that coating starts to wear away or starts to get a little bit of rust, you’ve got a huge problem. You’ve gotta take the cables out, you gotta take the things off, you’ve gotta replace ’em. You gotta either replace them or you gotta grind on ’em and repaint them.
It is a nightmare. So they’re, what they’re doing with these, um, uh, hang off clamps that are, you know, basically plastic instead of metallic. Or a plastic type instead of metallic is there, they’re removing that need for IRM contracts in the future.
Allen Hall: I think it’s great. It makes a ton of sense. And I’m surprised you haven’t seen more of this because, uh, nylon and and derivatives in nylon are easily recyclable.
It does fit all the things that wind energy is looking for. It doesn’t. Rust recyclable, easy, lightweight, simple. We need to be moving this direction. So if you haven’t checked out PES Wind, you go to PS wind.com and download a [00:03:00] copy. Or if you are at Wind Europe when this episode comes out, it’ll be during the Wind Europe event.
Uh, there’ll be plenty of PES wind hard copies available just. Stop by and grab one. It’s well worth reading a lot of great material this quarter, so check out PESWind.com. Well, Swedish Power Utility Vattenfall has made final investment decisions for two wind farm projects in the German North Sea. The Nordic one project is set to become Germany’s largest offshore wind farm, which marks a significant expansion in Germany’s renewable energy capacity.
Now Vattenfall has approved construction of Nor Lake one and two wind farms. And they’ve also bought back Joel, uh, 49% stake that BASF had. And the, the total capacity of the projects is 1.6 gigawatts. That’s a lot of power with construction. It’s set to begin in 2026 and full operation is expected by 2028.
[00:04:00] And this is gonna power about 1.6 million German households. This is a huge project.
Joel Saxum: I think it’s really cool to hear this about the offshore wind sector, right? So, so much, whether it’s in the US or elsewhere, not a lot of good news, right? We had the Danish, uh, auction news. It didn’t really go anywhere for a little while.
There was a German, uh, auction that was, you know, had a really low subscription rate. So the fact that, uh, Vattenfall is charging forward, and, and this is a key thing too. And we’ll talk, you know, Phil’s usually here to talk about this, but final investment decision is a big milestone, right? There’s all this, you can, these offshore wind projects are being worked on for 6, 8, 10 years before you get to this stage, you know, you’re, you’re looking out, um, doing sub seed mapping and site characterization and all the permitting, and getting all the PPA stuff in place and signing these contracts and all these different things.
And then you finally get to final investment decision and once that is debt box [00:05:00] is checked, then you’re moving. Right. So final investment decision right now, Alan, and it looks like 2026 is gonna be the start of construction. What do you think they’re looking for right now? Are they signing contracts for vessels?
Is that, is that next on the list? It
Allen Hall: has to be right because they signed an agreement with Vestas for 68 turbines. Now this is really fascinating because it’s the V 2 36 15 megawatt turbine, 68 of them. Now, the big discussion about offshore is been, is 15 megawatts enough and should we be pushing to 20 or higher than 20, which is where Siemens GAA appears to be going.
But uh, that and fall sticking with a 15 megawatt turbine. I do think makes a lot of sense because it is less risky and risk is a huge concern at the moment. But Vest has also got a comprehensive long-term service agreement, which has been their, uh, mode of operating for a number of years now, and which [00:06:00] you hear a lot of operators offshore talk about not wanting a long-term agreement, but it seems like Europe is still sticking with it and Augustus is obviously.
Pushing it, uh, at the moment, but 15 megawatts long-term service agreement. Does
this
Joel Saxum: make sense,
Allen Hall: Joel?
Joel Saxum: I think so. And one of the reasons for Vestas as well is we know, ’cause we have someone in our network that used to be operations for Vestas, uh, for the offshore stuff, is they, they’re very well versed in it and they have the facilities and the Keyside facilities ready to go.
So Vesta is, uh, it’s not like, oh, we have these, you know, this gigawatt of order. Fantastic. We got the service contract. Fantastic. Now we need to do all this prep and this build out and figure out how this operation works. That’s not the case. Vestas is ready to rock. They’ve got their own keyside facilities, they have the teams in place, they can make this thing happen and that 15 megawatt turbine, I think it’s interesting that you say this too because you know the other one, um, from the Western OEMs that we’ve been following is that Big Dog 21 megawatt, I think from Siemens Mesa.
[00:07:00] That’s, but that is currently being tested. So to take final investment decision, you have to engage your insurance companies and your banks. If they’re not gonna sign a contract for a turbine that’s still under testing at this stage. Right? This is a, you’re talking a gigawatt of, of turbines at, you know, that’s a billion dollars, that’s a billion US dollars minimum in just tur a turbine order.
Right? So, so just in those turbines, that’s what that thing looks like. And, and if I’m fat and fall, uh uh. And fall. Of course, they’re, they’re developing a lot of on onshore power. They’re a part of some other offshore wind farms. But this is a big, big undertaking and I think you want, when you’re, you know, you’re taking, looking at final investment decisions.
You’re in these conversations with the banks and the insurance and the people that want to de-risk the investment. I think that’s where the, the Vestus thing steps in. I think that’s where it looks good, is de-risking the operation.
Allen Hall: Does esa. [00:08:00] Have a problem now that Vestus seems to be scoring with a 15 megawatt turbine.
It does. The Siemen SC MEA effort get, or the pathway get more difficult because like you said, they’re gonna have to have somebody buy a number of these turbines and it’s gonna have to demonstrate a decent service life for a year or two before you start to see a lot of people jump in and start to purchase those turbines.
In the meantime, Vestus is gonna be. Just building 15 megawatt turbines, one after the other. Does that start to weigh on Siemens cesa in terms of what they want to offer?
Joel Saxum: I don’t think so. Um, and the reason being is, is that 2021 megawatt machine that they’re testing right now is they’re trying to future proof their organization, right?
They’re trying to make sure that for the next push, they’re ready to go. So what’s gonna happen there, in my mind, is when the industry’s ready to make that next step forward, Vestas won’t have an offering. So Siemens will, right? So they’re gonna step into that hole, right? And so right now we [00:09:00] know, uh, Siemens cesa, while they had some troubles with the four and five megawatt onshore platform during that period, their offshore platforms are completely built different.
So the Siemens cesa offshore platforms, they didn’t really slow down in sales. They kept chugging along, right? Like I think, uh, there’s, you know, um, revolution in the States as the Siemens GAA turbine platform. Um, so I don’t, I don’t think it’s gonna hurt them right now. Or, I mean, let, let’s take this one, like you said in the future, I don’t think it’s gonna hurt them right now.
It kind of, it’s kind of painful to be probably on that team, in sales team and watching these, these things roll out and, oh, Vestas is doing this, Vestas is doing that. Um, but I think that, uh, they’ll be okay. It’ll be okay for them in the future. That’s just my take on it.
Allen Hall: That’s a good thought. Well, another thing happened in regards to the Nor Lake Offshore Wind Farm, Helena Bistro.
Who was Vattenfall wind business leader as announced her resignation and is gonna be stepping down from her position. This is kind of big, right? [00:10:00] She’s been there a long time. She’s been the head of that business area for quite a while. Bistro cited a desire to prioritize other things in life after 42 years of operational work.
Okay, so. When I first read this news story, it was kind of popped up in a number of places. Like, oh, there’s been big changes at Vattenfall. And then you read, well, she’s been doing this for 42 years. That’s a long time. And she just made, or just locked in, really, I. The largest offshore wind farm in Germany.
That is something to go out at at the top right. If you’re gonna go out, go out at the top.
Joel Saxum: I think she just did that. Win the Super Bowl and then retire. Just be done. Right? Like, like I, I’m with it. Like, yeah. I think that that happens sometimes in, you know, whether it’s wind, aerospace, the industries, you know, we’re always looking at all kinds of different industries, but when you see these big changes, if it’s a change of someone that they have an organization when they’re like 50.
I know this being ageist, right? But you’re like, Ooh, what’s going on over there? But sometimes [00:11:00] someone’s just retiring, right? Like sometimes it’s like, Hey, am I’m done here? You know? So not all changes in organizations mean good or bad news or, or whatever they may need. Sometimes it’s just, Hey man, I’m done here.
I’m, I’m riding off into the sunset. And you know what, uh, uh, he Helena Bi Bistro here. Or bistro doing this right after signing that thing FID on this big thing. You know what? Boom, springtime is here. I’m gonna enjoy not only my European summers that I usually do, but European summers for a long time now.
Allen Hall: Yeah, it’s a total win. I just didn’t understand the news reports, thought they were totally off on this, and congratulations to Helena because, uh, job well done
Joel Saxum: as busy wind energy professionals staying informed is crucial. I. And let’s face it difficult. That’s why the Uptime podcast recommends PES Wind Magazine.
PES Wind offers a diverse range of in-depth articles and expert insights that dive into the most pressing issues facing our energy future. Whether you’re an [00:12:00] industry veteran or new to wind, PES Wind has the high quality content you need. Don’t miss out. Visit ps Wind.com today.
Allen Hall: Well GE renova and. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology have formed a new strategic alliance aimed at advancing energy technologies and developing industry leaders.
The partnership will focus on accelerating innovation in electrification, decarbonization, and renewables. Now, GE Renova is committing $50 million over five years to this partnership, and it’ll fund research initiatives, student fellowships and internships. That, uh, researchers obviously, and a lot of that’s on electrification, right?
That’s where Chii Renova is focused on. It also, uh, fund about 12 research projects annually, and three master’s students per year will conduct policy research resulting in published white papers. And it looks like they’re gonna have a symposium together at MIT, kind of a joint symposium. [00:13:00] Now, when I first read this, Joel, I thought, wow, this is kind of innovative.
GE Renova just recently moved to Cambridge, which is right next door to MIT and to Harvard. And I know that one of the things about GE moving, uh, Renova moving to that area was that they wanted to build a relationship with universities and try to grab some talent out of there. That makes sense to me.
The odd part about this is MIT doesn’t need the money and MIT. Should be creating students or graduates that are really focused on renewable energy already, and you should see a lot of impact from those students. I think the issue for me is I really haven’t seen as much as I would like to have seen and if, uh, MIT engineers are smart and obviously they are.
Where’s the impact? Uh, and I, I did, I used AI to go look right. I mean, let’s use something that simplifies the process a little bit. And AI is really [00:14:00] looking at MIT and saying they’ve done some work on ya optimization, like on offshore wind farms. So pointing the turbines in slightly different directions to increase power output.
There’s other companies that have been doing that for years that that research is not innovative.
Joel Saxum: Yeah, that’s commercialized.
Allen Hall: Yeah, it’s, it’s commercialized. There’s a lot of companies that offer it, have been offering it for quite a while. So what’s new? I, I don’t know which. You know, GE Renovo can do whatever they want with $50 million.
It does seem like the American universities may not be that place.
Joel Saxum: Yeah, I just, just, just a crackdown of the dollars. Right. $50 million over five years, funding 12 research projects, and that about basically equates to a million dollars per research project with some master’s students funded, thrown in there.
That’s great. I love to see that, but I’m a hundred percent with you. You know, if you, if you watch, I like to watch the innovation space. So I watch these, um, VC companies and I kind of [00:15:00] look at their, their posts and what they’re talking about and stuff. And you see regularly that on the commercial capital side, Europe is way behind the states on innovation funding.
Flip that thing into universities. They’re, they are doing so much more with the, with the dollar per output at their universities. That’s actionable. That actually works for industry than we are. Right. We talk about this all the time in private, but you have the DTUs and, and such over there. DTU puts out just gads of research.
I’ve been a part of some of the research programs when I was, you know, working for a Danish company and the, and it’s like. Research on leading edge erosion and how can we solve that today? Research on this weather pattern and how we can solve this today. What’s that? Doing research on structural loads for turbines and what does that mean and how can we share this with the industry Blade designers and these kind of things are regularly happening in Europe.
At that university, the same level [00:16:00] of the MIT type thing. But in reverse in the US you don’t see whether it’s funded research at universities or it’s funded research from the government. At Government labs, you don’t see that many things coming out that are actionable today, right? You see some reports about things that are kind of neat and maybe future, future wins involvement, and we need to look at the future stuff too.
I get that, but when I see $50 million going to a university, I, I’m thinking, man. If you gave me just a portion of that, I got, we got all kinds of ideas that we can, we can look at that could solve things tomorrow in the industry. And I think that’s what, where we’re at, the, the, the wind industry. I love it.
But, um, we have some black eyes. We have some things we need to solve, some, some ongoing issues that, uh, that are painful. And I think that, uh, throwing money at MIT is not the right way to solve them. That’s just me.
Allen Hall: I was just looking to see what MIT’s endowment is, and it is about $25 [00:17:00] billion right now, so $50 million is a drop in a bucket, which goes back to back to my first point that MIT should be doing this already.
They have plenty of research funds. They have plenty of smart people. If they care about the planet and are trying to be out in front of renewable energy, they would be doing the work already. I know that, and I think the response back is gonna be, well, they’ve been working on solar cells and Sure,
Joel Saxum: okay, that’s fine.
What about spreading the love? Right? What about take 50 million? What? Why not give MIT 10 million? Give Texas Tech 10 million. They have a win program. Give Georgia Tech to 5 million. They got some stuff. They’re doing some stuff in Wind. University of Wyoming’s doing some stuff in wind. North Texas is doing some stuff in wind.
Why not spread that around to the universities that are already working in wind or start a center of excellence at a university where we could get more wind people
Allen Hall: involved. Well, I just hate feeding the bureaucracy more than anything else because it does seem like when there are grants going into colleges and universities.[00:18:00]
When I watch them and see how they behave, and we’ve been sort of peripherally attached to some of this and watched it happen and decided to step out because the bureaucracy is taking so much of the funds that there is very little left to do real research and whatever research there is produced kind of goes into a black hole because it’s not applicable.
That’s a frustrating point. It can’t do that anymore. The bureaucracy can’t take 30, 40, 50, 60% of it and leave a little bit for actually doing something useful. It needs to flip, but that’s not what happens right now and that’s what worries me the most. It’s, you know, I don’t wanna get into details about some of the things we’ve been affiliated with for a brief, brief amount of time, but I do think that if they’re going to anybody.
Is going to give to a university to think hard about that and really figure out where your money is going. If it’s going to feed a a bunch of [00:19:00] paper pushers, maybe find another way to use those funds to push your products or your ideas forward. Output per dollar. Real output per dollar. Yeah, it’s gotta have.
Something come out of it that’s, if it’s public use, great. Publish it. And that’s the other thing too. I’m getting on my high horse here, but when they publish some of these things, they’re always buried in journals that cost a ton of money to, to even review the research, which I feel like to American taxpayer has probably paid for.
It’s much easier to get the research out of a European college or university than it is an American one. Strangely enough,
Joel Saxum: I saw a, a joke the other day online, and it was like, it was a, it was a research paper about, uh, the general public getting access to research, but it was behind a paywall. It’s bad,
Allen Hall: Joel.
It is really bad. I mean, you could easily pay well on some papers. Some of the lower cost ones are gonna be in a 20, $30 range. [00:20:00] It’s easy to get into the hundreds of dollars for a single research paper. And I kind of get it, except if it’s funded by the federal government. Those things should be just published.
You know, there’s a thing called Google. You can create a website, you can publish it. Google Scholars is a thing. You can publish it there. There’s a lot of ways to do this, which are free, but in ResearchGate is another one. There’s a lot of ways to do it that are free, but in order to get it to count, and a lot of the people that are doing the research are trying to get their PhDs.
In order for that to count, it has to be in, in a. Periodical, it’s gotta be reviewed by some people before. It can be blessed to be public knowledge at some level. It’s creates sort of the, a money changing or it creates a system that, uh, encourages. The selling of access. Let’s put it to you that way. Which [00:21:00] is unfortunate.
It doesn’t need to be that way. It didn’t used to be that way, but it is now.
Joel Saxum: And I think, I think there’s one thing too, to like monetizing or, or the capital markets monetizing ip, that’s one thing. But when it’s demo de, when we’re talking about de, we’re talking about democratizing research, not. Industry trade secrets or something of that sort.
Allen Hall: When I read about NRA projects, uh, like, oh, nras done this thing and I try to go find that paper and it’s in some publication that I have to go pay for, that just burns me.
Joel Saxum: It really burns me.
Allen Hall: Didn’t
Joel Saxum: I already pay for this in my tax bill?
Allen Hall: Yeah, pretty sure that I did, but now I gotta pay some random, uh, paper producing organization, uh, 30, 40, 50 bucks to get access to this paper, which.
Joel, you’re right. I have already paid for. There’s something not right with that system. Don’t let blade damage catch you off guard OGs. Ping sensors detect issues before they become expensive, time consuming problems from ice [00:22:00] buildup and lightning strikes to pitch misalignment and internal blade cracks.
Ping has you covered the cutting edge sensors are easy to install, giving you the power to stop damage before it’s too late. Visit eLog ping.com and take control of your turbine’s health today. Well, we’re almost reaching Terminator stage, Joel, with this open AI thing because there is concern about the AI models finding ways to cheat and to hide their reasoning, and it’s called reward hacking.
And OpenAI is saying, as AI becomes more sophisticated, uh, monitoring, controlling the system. The thing that they’re producing becomes increasingly challenging because it wants to find loopholes. Now my only question is you created this thing, I guess it’s got a mind of its own now, but it doesn’t. It’s a large.
Language model. It doesn’t have, uh, a [00:23:00] conscience, I wouldn’t say was, but, uh, or it doesn’t have a soul. Probably that’s another way to describe it. Uh, but it’s finding ways to cheat the system. ’cause it’s getting rewarded somehow. And my question is, well, one. What is rewarding? It mean? Like how does an AI system get happy?
Uh, what’s a dopamine hit here for some electrons? I don’t know. And second of all, how the heck are we gonna be able to know that it is. Telling you inaccuracies, and this is really troubling when it comes to things like software code engineering work. Like I was designing a building and I was using AI to do some calculations.
I would be really concerned about that. Is it actually doing the work that I think it’s doing, or is it just spitting out something to get you off? Because it’s, it’s, you’re using too many resources, right? It’d rather throw you ads about Amazon products than to tell you how to build
Joel Saxum: a building. I’m not an AI [00:24:00] expert, um, but I had a really good conversation last week.
So we did that, uh, we did that awesome webinar with Sky Specs, and when we were talking with them, we were talking with Dave Roberts, who’s the new CEO over there. And he brought up a term that I didn’t know and he said, agen ai, because of the last few years, it was like, you know, algorithmic things and generative ai, so gen ai and that was kinda the hot button thing.
Now, agen ai, that was a new concept for me. So I actually reached out to someone in my network, it’s uh, that is an AI actual expert. And I said, tell me what this syngen AI means. The difference with Agentic AI is, it’s like, it’s some, it’s an agent, right? It’ll do something for you. And so you can run it like, like generative ai, but it’s like the next level of generative ai.
But you can add that into any model and give it goals. Like if you’ve ever fi used the, um, Excel, there’s the find zero function. I love that one. It it for, for building business models and stuff, find zero is, is [00:25:00] fantastic. But it’s kind of like find zero on steroids, right? So you could tell it, I need you to do all of these calculations, but I also want you to, to do them to this goal.
Get me to this end goal. So like in Egen AI and win, you may say, run an AI algorithm based on this, this, this, this, and this. But the end goal is to get as many megawatt hours outta this wind farm as possible. This is, this is me talking in generalities, right? But that’s the thing, right? So now when you talk about.
What AI looks like for data centers, dollars spent on computing, dollars spent on cooling, dollars spent on power, which those ai, those large AI models, are gonna wanna run as efficiently as possible. So if you start to do some agentic AI things in there and say, do all of this, but exactly like you said, lower the cost of computing a little bit or whatever, then you’re gonna start to get this thing where it’s gonna start to, to kind of maybe cheat your answers a little bit to get to a more efficient.
[00:26:00] Compute state. I don’t know. Like I said, I’m not an AI expert,
Allen Hall: but it does make you think though, right? Joel? The way I think about it is when I ask perplexity or chat, GPT, one of these things, like, Hey, we just got a house and it has an induction cooktop. Okay. Which happened this morning, by the way, and it would not work with our pots and pans.
So I’m standing there like. Huh, this is not getting hot. And I can feel the stove pulse, like trying to see what I have stuck on top of it. And clearly I’ve made some human error. I thought, okay, I’ll go look that up to see what’s wrong. And, and, and perplexity said, Hey, you idiot. You can’t use aluminum cookware on these induction ranges.
Like, okay, I’ll take that for the, the loss. Human, human zero AI one. There you go. Now think in a bigger scope, like you were just saying, if I’m out [00:27:00] there trying to optimize a wind farm or to optimize a drive, train, or optimize anything that’s really complicated in engineering world. It doesn’t like to do that.
In fact, I went after, what’s the Google one? Um, Gemini, right. I tried to have Gemini do something that was fairly deep and it did process it. It wanted to process it and it wanted to sp out. Um, this significant amount of information, none of it really useful because I was looking for a specific, uh, research area within Lightning.
It’s esoteric to this discussion, but I was asking it to go find me this research in the world. And show me where these papers are that would talk about this one particular topic. And it just cranked and cranked and cranked and cranked. And I thought, you know what? It can’t be happy doing this. It’s going to want to dump me, which is [00:28:00] essentially what it did.
It just said, this is an interesting topic. Move along.
Joel Saxum: Yeah, you got you. You cost too much for this free service. Go away.
Allen Hall: Right? But it did it in a very, uh, unique way. It said a bunch of flowery things. This is this interesting subject. There’s been a lot of research. All these great things have happened, and then that was it.
And I, I think because of the amount of compute time it takes to do so many things, particularly complicated, engineering, technical work, even software, I think would be a problem. Will it always produce results? And I’ve tried some of the software pieces, like write me some code in C to do X or C plus plus to do this thing or in a Python to do this thing.
And it has been sketchy at best. It’s like 80% of the way there, but it doesn’t really work. And it, and you tell it, Hey, it has this problem. And then it goes, yeah, I have this problem. Let me retry it. Recode this again. You’re like, well you should have got it right the [00:29:00] first time kind of problem, right?
That’s recycling and re reasoning and rethinking that through has got to be eating up so much compute time and that there must be an incentive that they’re building in to get around that.
Joel Saxum: Here’s where we are though, so technically, okay, so I know Gemini Chat, GPT, Claude, all these, these things. I use Grok quite often.
Grok is cool because if it’s, if it’s chugging, there’s a little button on it. If you’re using it on your lap, on a desktop or laptop, whatever, on a browser. There’s a little button that says, see how I’m thinking? If it’s chugging away, and you could click on it and it will run you through like the processes that it’s doing to try to find your information, which is pretty cool.
But either way, at the end of the day, all of these things that we are using to kind of optimize our daily workflow, right? They’re not enterprise level. Right. So the one that scares me is if, if when we’re talking about this and go like. Well, what about the, the units that are using, like, I’m sure there’s something in, um, you know, fusion 3D that can [00:30:00] run AI algorithms on, on, I, I’m not saying, I’m sure, I know there is in engineering software to optimize the design.
I don’t want that design taking shortcuts, but, uh, but to, to make, to make the, uh, the, to general public feel safer about this concept, that AI expert I was talking to. He said this is the biggest difference that the public doesn’t see is that enterprise AI is a different story. Enterprise AI is, that’s what’s driving your, you know, the big data centers and stuff.
It’s enterprise ai, it’s not chat GPT and stuff like that’s, that’s not huge load on them compared to what some of these other things are. So when you get to that level where you’re integrating some kind of enterprise. AI for writing code, doing engineering work, these kind of things. It’s a different story.
We’re talking, you know, us playing football in the backyard to the NFL.
Allen Hall: I do think all the AI that’s being used to process, uh, video clips and make the people into Muppets is [00:31:00] time well spent. I’d tell you what, that’s scary. It’s insane. I think about how much compute are we doing to make this little video, 32nd video person talking into a Muppet.
Why are we
Joel Saxum: spending compute time on that? I saw one the other day that someone had sent me that was a, uh, an AI generated video of someone jumping off of a wind turbine and then turning into an eagle and like flying away and it looked freaking real. Like, I was like, man, is it CGI like who made this video?
I was like, no, this is literally like a prompt in a generative AI thing for a video. I was like, this is crazy.
Allen Hall: But again, it goes back like, why do we need that when we. We’re having some real
Joel Saxum: engineering or economic problems. The wind farmer this week, this week is the Strauss Wind Farm, which is over by Phil’s house.
Phil’s not here with us this week, but this one is right up the coast from Santa Barbara. It’s in Lompoc, California. This is the first wind farm on the coastline [00:32:00] of California. And because of this, uh, of course we wanted to make sure they did everything right. This is a bay wall wind farm. Uh, so part of the wind farm is it’s absolutely beautiful.
If you get a chance, go on the Bewa website and look at the video. Uh, but there’s an, there’s extreme protections for local, environmental and cultural resources, uh, associated with this wind farm. I’m gonna walk through, uh, one kind of example of it, but these are also some interesting turbines. It’s 27 ge, 3.8, 1 37 meter rotor turbines.
It’s 102.6 megawatts total. But an interesting thing, so we just talked about a bunch of things about ai. They’re actually going to use the ly ai system on this wind farm to see different kind of birds and raptors in the area. Uh, and because they were, are taking high considerations for wildlife, they’re doing feasibility studies about painting wind turbine blades, which we’ve heard about up in Wyoming and from Sweden.
I think it was. Um, they’re also doing excessive [00:33:00] monitoring for golden eagles. Uh, they’re doing a bunch of walk down studies, um, and then there is a, they’re also proposing something that I’ve never heard of. Um, it’s called Bird Guard Super Pro Amp, which is an auditory transmission thing gonna be installed around some of the turbines that basically when they sense a bird in the area, we’ll emit very loud auditory tones to push the birds or raptors, um, out of the area.
So. They’ve gone really deep into this thing for, uh, environmental protections, uh, and, uh, applaud that for bewa to make sure that they’re, uh. Being good stewards of the land. So the Strauss Wind Farm there in lopa, California, you are the Wind Farm of the week.
Allen Hall: That’s gonna do it for this week’s Uptime Wind Energy podcast.
Thanks for listening, and please give us a five star rating on your podcast platform and subscribing the Sun notes below to Uptime Tech News, our Substack newsletter. If you see an American wandering around Wind Europe loss, that will be me. So just come by and say hi, [00:34:00] and we’ll see you here next week on the Uptime Wind Energy Podcast.
https://weatherguardwind.com/vattenfall-ai-learns-cheat/
Renewable Energy
Ten months after it was issued, the latest federal rule on transmission is mostly theoretical
At a March 25 meeting convened by the Southeastern Regional Transmission Planning organization (SERTP), a large group of people met—as they do four times a year—to discuss the region’s power needs and whether the grid needs to be expanded to accommodate them.
As the meeting began, SERTP issued an increasingly common directive to those of us in attendance: We will not be discussing Order 1920, so don’t bother asking.
Some background on what this means may be important.
While most grid planning in the southeast is done by utilities within their own footprints, SERTP was created in response to a 2010 order from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) aimed at increasing the number of high-voltage power lines going across state boundaries and between utilities. These transmission lines are like highways for electricity: they may not be organically built by local communities, but they are essential to moving things at high volume.
A slow start
SERTP has never built or even planned a regional transmission line in more than a decade of its existence. Last year, FERC issued another rule, Order 1920, to address this ongoing failure of regional transmission.
SACE has previously broken down the details of Order 1920. The order requires utilities to start planning over a longer time horizon (20 years) and consider a number of potential benefits of new power lines that are left out of current analyses. (These include mitigation of extreme weather events, reduced energy loss on the lines, and a number of other virtues of having more space for power on the grid.)
As SACE has previously written, utilities in the Southeast have yet to announce any plans to comply with Order 1920 and have made several procedural moves to delay the deadline for legal compliance. The most recent and significant of these is SERTP’s request—now granted by FERC—to extend the deadline by a year, to June 2026.
Holding a meeting is not the same thing as taking action
What SERTP has been doing to prepare for Order 1920, and what it will do with the additional time it now has, is something of a mystery. According to the extension request it filed with FERC, SERTP’s efforts thus far have included “extensive working group meetings” between its member utilities (Duke, Southern Company, Dominion Energy, and others) as well as “outreach to neighboring regions.”
The output of these conversations is not known to SACE or to the public. Since Order 1920 was issued, SERTP has declined to address it in any of its stakeholder meetings, except for two:
- An “educational session” on December 6th, 2024, which broke down the requirements included in Order 1920 but provided no information about what SERTP was doing to meet them.
- A “stakeholder engagement meeting” held on January 29th of this year, in which regional nonprofit groups and other stakeholders were invited to offer feedback and suggestions on what SERTP might do to improve regional transmission. SERTP members made it clear during the course of this meeting that they were there only to listen and would not be taking questions.
It is, of course, possible that the conversations held between the utilities who run SERTP have been deep and substantive. But the extension request paperwork—which is the only information available to anyone outside of the utilities themselves—indicates that a number of critical decisions have yet to be made. Among the things these utilities have not decided are:
- whether or not new software will be needed to examine the benefits of new power lines
- who might supply that software, if needed, and for what price
- what new planning procedures might be needed to meet the new federal standards
- how those new planning procedures might be integrated with current ones
If these relatively fundamental questions remained undecided after more than six months of conversations among the member utilities, it’s fair to ask what has been decided. But stakeholders have been advised not to ask, and in any case, no answers have been given.
Holding meetings is not the same thing as listening
The community of advocates has been more than willing to offer ideas for what these processes might look like. Utilities outside the southeast, particularly those in the region known as MISO, have developed planning processes that meet many of the Order 1920 standards. We know that SERTP is aware of this because we presented it to them in some detail at the stakeholder engagement meeting.
At the March 25th meeting earlier this week, I asked SERTP when, if ever, the stakeholders might hear back about the suggestions we have already shared. They offered no promise that we would get such an explicit reply and added that future stakeholder meetings may be delayed.
In fact, holding meetings is not necessarily anything
SERTP is within its legal rights to behave this way. Its meetings occur on schedule, its papers are in order, and the entity that regulates it—FERC—has given its blessings. But fifteen years after SERTP was formed to plan regional transmission, it cannot claim sole responsibility for a single new pole in the ground.
Transmission can be arcane, but it matters. A well-planned and coordinated regional grid can be the difference between a manageable monthly bill and a shocking one; between a system that crashes in extreme weather and one that keeps people from shivering at home on Christmas Eve; and most starkly, between a livable climate and a hostile one. At some point, if we want these things, another meeting is not going to do the trick. Someone’s got to pick up a shovel and start to dig.
The post Ten months after it was issued, the latest federal rule on transmission is mostly theoretical appeared first on SACE | Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.
Ten months after it was issued, the latest federal rule on transmission is mostly theoretical
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