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
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Vineyard Wind’s $69.50 PPA, Two Offshore Lease Exits
Rosemary reports back on her visit to multiple Chinese renewable energy companies, Vineyard Wind activates a $69.50/MWh PPA with Massachusetts utilities, and Bronze Age jewelry halts a German wind project.
Sign up now for Uptime Tech News, our weekly newsletter 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 YouTube, Linkedin and visit Weather Guard on the web. And subscribe to Rosemary’s “Engineering with Rosie” YouTube channel here. Have a question we can answer on the show? Email us!
[00:00:00] The Uptime Wind Energy Podcast brought to you by Strike Tape protecting thousands of wind turbines from lightning damage worldwide. Visit strike tape.com and now your hosts.
Allen Hall 2025: Welcome to the Uptime Wind Energy Podcast. I’m your host, Allen Hall. I’m here with Yolanda Padron in Austin, Texas, who is back from the massive wedding event. Everybody’s super happy about that, and Rosemary Barnes had her own adventures. She just got back from China and Rosemary. You visited a a lot of different places inside of China.
Saw some cool factories. What all happened?
Rosemary Barnes: Yeah, it was really cool. I went over for an influencer event. So if you are maybe, you know, in the middle of your career, not, not particularly attractive or anything you might have thought influencer was ruled out for you as a career. No one, no one needs engineering influencers in their [00:01:00] forties.
It’s incorrect. It turns out that’s, that’s where, that’s where I, I found myself. It was pretty cool. I, I did get the red carpet rolled out for me. Many gifts. I had to buy a second bag to bring home the gifts, and when I say I had to buy a second bag, I had to mention. Oh, I have so many gifts, I’m gonna need another bag.
And then there was a new bag presented to me about half an hour later. But, so yeah, what did I do? I got to, um, as I was over there for a Sun Grow event. Huge, huge event. They, um, it’s for, it’s for their staff a lot, but it’s also, they also bring over partners. They also bring over international experts to talk about topics that are relevant to them.
Yeah. They gave everybody factory tours in, um, yeah, in, in shifts. Um, I got to see a module assembly factory, so where they take cells, which are like, I don’t know, the size of a small cereal box, um, and assemble them into a whole module. Then the warehouse, warehouse was [00:02:00] gigantic. It, um, was, yeah, 1.8 gigawatt hours worth of cells that couldn’t hold in that one building.
They’re totally obsessed with fire safety there in everything related to batterie, like in the design of the product, but also in, in the warehouse. And they do, yeah, fire drills all the, all the time. Some of them quite big and impressive. Um, I saw inverter manufacturing facility that was really cool.
Heaps of robots. Sw incredibly fast. Saw a test facility.
Allen Hall 2025: So was most of the manufacturing, robotics, or humans?
Rosemary Barnes: Yeah. So at the factory it was like anything that needed to be done really fast or with really good quality was done by robots. So they had, um, you know, pick and place machines putting in. Um, you know, components in the circuit board, like just insane, insane rate.
I’m sure it’s quite, quite normal, but, um, just very fast. Everything lined up in a row. Most of their quality control is done by robots. Um, so it does well it’s done by ai, I should say. [00:03:00] Taking photos of, of things and then, um, AI’s interpreting that. Repairs, I think were done by humans. There were humans doing, um, like custom components as well.
Like not every product is exactly the same. So the custom stuff was done by humans.
Allen H: So that’s the Sun Grove facility, right? You, but you went to a couple of different places within China?
Rosemary Barnes: Yeah, I went to another, a factory, a solar panel, a factory, um, from Longie. That was really cool too. I got to see a bit more probably of the, um, interesting, interesting stuff there, like, uh, a bit more.
Um, yeah, I don’t, I dunno, processes that aren’t, aren’t so obvious. Not just assembly, but um, you know, like printing on, um, bus bars and, you know, all of the different connections and yeah, it was a bit, a bit more to it in what I saw. Um, so that was, but it, it’s the same, you know, as humans are only involved when it’s a little bit out of the.
Norm or, um, where they’re doing repairs, actual actually re [00:04:00]repairing. You know, the robots or the AI is identifying which components don’t meet the standard and then they’ll go somewhere where a human will come and, um, fix them.
Allen H: Being the engineer there. Did you notice where the robots are made? Was everything made in China that was inside the factory or were they bringing in outside?
Technology.
Rosemary Barnes: I didn’t think to look for that, but I would assume that it was Chinese made, also
Allen H: all built in country
Rosemary Barnes: 20 years ago that wouldn’t have been the case, but I think that China has had a long, a long time to, to learn that. Again, it’s not like, it’s not, it’s not rocket science. These are, these are pick and place machines, you know, like I remember working on a project very early in my career, so.
Literally 20 years ago, um, I was working with pick and place machines. It’s the same, it’s the same thing. Um, some of them are bigger ’cause they’re, you know, hauling whole, um, battery packs around. It’s just the, um, the way that it’s set up, but then also the scale that they can achieve. You just, you can’t make things that cheap if you don’t have the [00:05:00] scale to utilize everything.
A hundred percent. Like I said, wind turbine towers is a really good example. ’cause anyone, any steel fabricating
Allen H: shop
Rosemary Barnes: could make a wind turbine tower. Right? They, they could, they could do that. You know, the Chinese, um, wind turbine tower factories have the exact right machine. They don’t have a welder that they also use for welding bits of bridges or whatever.
Uh, they have the one that does the exact kind of world that they need, um, for the tower. They, you know, they do that precisely. Robotically, uh, exactly the same. And, you know, a, a tower section comes on, they weld it, it moves off to the next thing, and then a new one comes on. They’re not trying to move things around to then do another weld in the same machine.
You know, like they’re, um, but the exact right. Super expensive machine for the job costs a whole bunch to set up a factory. And then you need to be making multiple towers every single day out of that factory to be able to recoup on your cost. And so that is [00:06:00] the. The, um, bar that is just incredibly hard slash impossible for, um, other countries to clear.
Allen H: Can I ask you about that? Because I was watching a YouTube video about Tesla early on Tesla, where they wanted to bring in a lot of robotics to make vehicles and that they felt like that was the wrong thing to do. In fact, they, they, they kinda locked robots in and realized that this is not the right way to do it.
We need to change the whole process. It was a big deal to kind of pull those. Specialized piece of equipment, robots out and to put something else in its place in that they learned, you know, the first time, instead of deciding on a process, putting it in place and then trying to turn it on, see if it works, was to sort of gradually do it.
But don’t bolt anything down. Don’t lock it in place such that it doesn’t feel like it’s permanent. So you engineer can think about removing it if it’s not working. But it sounds like this is sort of the opposite approach of. A highly specialized [00:07:00] machine set in place permanently to produce. Infinite amounts of this particular product, does that then restrict future changes and what they can make or, I, I, how do they see that?
Did, did you talk about that? Because I think that’s one of an interesting approaches.
Rosemary Barnes: I didn’t actually get as much chances I would’ve liked to speak to engineers. Um, I was talking mostly to salespeople and installers. Um, so they know a lot, but I couldn’t, um, like in the factory tours, I was asking questions.
Um. That kind of question and, and they could answer all, all that. Um, but outside of that, and I couldn’t record in the factory obviously. Um, but I did, I did take notes, but what I would say is that they would have a separate facility where they would be working out the details of new products and new manufacturing processes and testing them out thoroughly before they went and, you know, um, installed everything correctly.
But what I do hear is that, you know, especially with solar power. Maybe to [00:08:00] batteries to a lesser extent. You, you know, you like, you have these kind of waves of technology. Um, so you know, like everyone’s making whatever certain type of solar cell and then five years later, um, there’s a new more efficient configuration and everybody’s making that.
And I know that there are a lot of factories that kind of get scrapped. Um, and the way that China’s set up their, like, you know, their economy around all this sort of thing is set up is that it’s not that, like every company doesn’t succeed. Right. They SGO was a big exception because they’ve been going since 1997, I think it was.
It was started by a professor quid his job and hired a room across the, across the road from his old university and, you know, built his first inverter and, um, you know, ’cause he, he could see that. Uh, the grid was gonna have to change to incorporate all of the solar power that was coming, which to be honest, in 1997, that was like pretty, pretty farsighted.
That was not obvious to me when I started working in solar in mid two thousands. And it was not obvious to me that this was a winner.
Allen H: Well, has sun grow evolved then quite a bit? ’cause if you’re [00:09:00] saying that they’ve minimized the cost to produce any of their products by the use of robotics, they have been through an evolutionary process.
You didn’t see any of the previous generations of. Factories. You, you were just seeing the most modern factory that that’s actually producing parts today. So is that a, is that a, is that just a cost mindset that’s going on in China? Like, we’re just gonna produce the lowest cost thing as fast as we can, or is it a market penetration approach?
What are, what were, were the engineers in management saying about that?
Rosemary Barnes: I think there’s a few different aspects to that, like within China. So Sun Grow is the big company with a long track record and they’re not making the cheapest product out of China. So I think that they are still trying to make the cheapest product, but they’re not thinking about it just in the purchase price.
Right. They’re thinking more in terms of the long, long term. You know, they’ve been around for 30 years and probably expect to be around for another 30 years. They don’t wanna be having [00:10:00] recalls of their products and you know, like having to, um. Installers in particular are probably working with them because they know that they won’t have to go back and do rework and the support is good and all that sort of thing.
So they’re spending so much money on testing and you know, just getting everything exactly right. But I don’t think that that’s the only way that China is doing it. There’s, you know, dozens, probably hundreds of companies. Um. Doing similar stuff between Yeah, like solar panels and associated stuff like inverters and, and batteries.
So many companies and all of them won’t succeed. You know, sun Girls Facility in, I was in her and it’s huge, you know, it’s like a, a medium sized country town. Just their, um, their campus there, they’re not, they’re not scrapping that and moving to a new site, you know, they’re gonna be. Rejiggering and I would expect that, you know, like everything’s set up exactly the way it needs to be, but it’s not like gigantic machines.[00:11:00]
It’s not like setting up a wind turbine blade factory where it’s hard if you designed it for 40 meter blades, you can’t suddenly start making 120 meter blades. Like it’s, they will be able to be sliding machines in and out as they need to. Um, so I, I, yeah, I guess that it’s some, some flexibility. But not at the cost of making the product correctly.
Allen H: Did you see wind turbines while you were in China?
Rosemary Barnes: I, the only winter I saw, I actually, I saw, because I caught the train from Shanghai, I actually caught the fast train from Shanghai to, which is about, it depends which one you get between like an hour 40 or three hours if it stops everywhere. Um, and I did see a couple of wind turbines on the way there, out the window, just randomly like a wind turbine in the middle of a, a town.
Um, so that was a bit, a bit interesting. But then in the plane, on the way back, the plane from Shanghai to Hong Kong, I, at the window I saw a cooling tower of some sort. So either like a, yeah, some kind of thermal [00:12:00] power plant. And then. Around all around, well, wind turbines, so onshore wind turbines. So I don’t know.
Um, yeah, I, I don’t know the story behind that, but it’s also not a particularly windy area, right? Like most of the wind in China is, um, to the west where, uh, I wasn’t
Allen H: as wind energy professionals, staying informed is crucial, and let’s face it. 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 industry veteran or new to wind, PES Wind has the high quality content you need. Don’t miss out. Visit PS win.com today. So there are two stories out of the US at the minute that really paint a picture of the industry. It was just being pulled in opposite directions. The Department of Interior announced agreements to terminate two more.
Offshore wind leases, uh, [00:13:00] Bluepoint wind and Golden State wind have agreed to walk away from their projects. Global Infrastructure Partners, which is part of BlackRock, will invest up to $765 million in a liquified natural gas facility instead of developing blue point wind. Ah. And Golden State Wind will recover approximately $120 million in lease fees after redirecting investment to oil and gas projects along the Gulf Coast, and both companies say they will not pursue further offshore wind development in the United States.
Well, we’ll see how that plays out. Right? Meanwhile. In Massachusetts Vineyard Wind, which has been fighting with GE Renova recently has activated its long awaited power purchase agreement with three utilities. The contract set a fixed electricity price of drum roll please. [00:14:00] $69 and 50 cents per megawatt hour for the first year and a two and a half percent annual increase.
Uh, state officials say the agreements will save rate payers $1.4 billion over 20 years. So $69 and 50 cents per megawatt hour is a really low PPA price for offshore wind. A lot of the New York projects that. Renegotiated we’re somewhere in the realm of 120 to $130 a megawatt hour, and there’s been a lot of discussion in Congress about the, the usefulness of offshore wind.
It’s intermittent blahdi, blahdi, blah. Uh, but the, the big driver is what costs too much. In fact, it doesn’t cost too much. And because it’s consistent, particularly in the wintertime, uh, electricity prices in Massachusetts in the surrounding area are really high. ’cause of the demand and ’cause how cold it is that this offshore wind project, vineyard wind would be a huge rate saving.
And [00:15:00] actually the math works out the math. Math everybody. Do you think this is, when we go back five years from now, look back at this. This vineyard wind project really makes sense for Massachusetts.
Yolanda Padron: I think it really makes sense for Massachusetts. I’m really interested to know what the asset managers are thinking on the vineyard wind side, um, and if they’re scared at all to take this on.
I mean, it’s great and I’m sure they can absolutely deliver. Like generation I don’t think should be an issue. Um. I just don’t know. It’s, it sounds like they’re leaving a lot of money on the table.
Allen H: I would say so, yeah. But remember, the vineyard win was one of the early, uh, agreements made when things were, this is pre Ukraine war, pre Iran conflict on a lot of other, a lot of other things.
It was pre, so I remember at the time when this was going on that. P. PA prices were higher than obviously a lot of other [00:16:00] things. Onshore solar, onshore wind, it would, offshore is always more expensive, but I don’t remember $69 popping up anywhere in any filing that I remember seeing. So even if they had said $69 five years ago, I think that would’ve still been like, wow, that’s pretty good for an offshore wind project.
And now it looks fantastic for the state of Massachusetts
Yolanda Padron: because I know that there’s sometimes, and we’ve talked about this in the past, right? There are sometimes projects where, you know, you think you, you’ve got a really good price and you’re really excited about it, and then it goes into operation and then like a couple years down the road, prices increase quite a bit and it’s not the worst thing in the world.
But you do just kind of think a little bit like, I wish I could. Renegotiate this or you know, just to get, to get our team a bit of a better deal or to get a bit more money in operations and everything.
Allen H: Does this play into Vineyard wind claiming $850 [00:17:00] million in dispute with GE Renova that at $69 PPA, there’s not a lot of profit at the end of this and need to get the money out of GE Renova right now, and maybe why GE Renova wants to get out of this because they realize.
The conflict that is coming that they need to separate the, the themselves from this project. It’s, it’s very, as an asset manager, Yoland, as you have done this in the past, would you be concerned about the viability of the project going forward, or is all the upfront costs. Pretty much done in that operationally year to year.
It’s, it’s not that big of a deal.
Yolanda Padron: As an asset manager taking this on, I’d probably have started preparation on this project a lot earlier than other of my projects like I do. I know that usually there’s, you know, we’ve talked about the different teams, right, throughout the stages of the project until it goes into operations, [00:18:00] but.
And usually you don’t have a lot of time to prepare to, to make sure all of your i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed, um, by the time you take the project and operations from a commercial standpoint. But this project, I think would absolutely, like you, you would need to make sure that a lot of the, of the things that you’re, that might be issues for some of your projects like aren’t issues for this project.
Just to make sure at least the first few years you can. You can avoid a lot of, a lot of turmoil that the pricing and the disputes and the technical issues are gonna cause you, because I feel like it’s just, there’s, there’s just so many things that just keep this side, just keeps on getting hit, you know?
Allen H: Well, I, I guess the question is from my side, Yolanda, is obviously inflation, when this project started was pretty consistent, like one point half, 2%. It was very flat for a long time. And interest rates, if you remember when this project started, were very, very low. Almost [00:19:00] nonexistent, some interest rates.
Now that’s hugely different. How does a contract get set up where a vineyard can’t raise prices? It would just seem to me like you would have to tie some of the price increase to whatever the inflation rate is for the country, maybe even locally, so that if there were a, a war in Ukraine or some conflict in the Middle East.
That you, you would at least be able to, to generate some revenue out of this project because at some point it becomes untenable, right? You just can’t afford to operate it anymore. And,
Yolanda Padron: and I think, um, I, I haven’t, I obviously haven’t read the, the contracts themselves, but I know that there’s sometimes there, it’s pretty common for a PPA to have some sort of step up year by year.
And it’s usually, it can be tied to, um, the CPI for. Like the, the change in CPI for the year to year. So you’re [00:20:00] absolutely like, right, like maybe, I mean, hopefully they’re, they’re not just tied to the fixed 69 bucks per megawatt hour. Um, but, but yeah, to, to your point like that, that price increase could, could really save them.
Now that we’re, we’re talking the, the increase in, in inflation right now and foreseeable future,
Allen H: if you think about what electricity rates are up in the northeast. I think I was paying 30 cents a kilowatt hour, which is 300. Does that sound right? $300 a megawatt hour. Delivered at the house, something like that.
Right? So
Yolanda Padron: prices in the northeast are crazy to me,
Allen H: right? They’re like double what they are in North Carolina. Yeah.
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Yolanda Padron: you millions.
Allen H: Well, sometimes building a wind farm turns out more than expected construction workers at a 19 turbine wind project in lower Saxony Germany under Earth. What experts call the largest Bronze age Amber Horde ever found? The region, the very first scoop of an excavator brought up bronze and amber artifacts that stopped construction and brought archeologists back to the site.
Uh, the hoard has been dated between [00:22:00] 1500 and 1300 DCE and is believed to have belonged to at least three. Status women possibly buried as a religious offering. Now as we push further and further across Germany with wind turbines and solar panels for, for that matter, uh, we’re coming across older sites, uh, older pieces of ground that haven’t been touched in a long time and we’re, we’re gonna find more and more, uh, historically significant things buried in the soil.
What is the obligation? Of the constructor of this project and maybe across Europe. I, I would assume in the United States too, if we came across something that old and America’s just not that old to, to have anything of, of that kind of, um, maybe value or historically significant. What is the process here?
Rosemary Barnes: I assume that they’ve gotta stop, stop work. Um, yeah, that’s my, my understanding and I don’t think, do you have [00:23:00] grand designs in America?
Allen H: I don’t know what that is. Yes.
Rosemary Barnes: So missing out by not having that chat. It’s a TV show about people who are building houses or doing, um, ambitious renovations, and it just, it follows, it follows them.
You can learn a lot about project management or. The consequences if you decide that you don’t need to, project management isn’t a thing that you need to do. Um, anyway. I’m sure that in some of those ones I’ve seen they have had work stop because in their excavation they found a, um, yeah, some, some kind of relic, um, from the, from the past.
So based on that very well-credentialed experience that I have, I can confidently say that they would be stopping stopping work on that site. I mean, it’s so bad, bad for the developer, I guess, but it’s cool, right? That they’re, you know, uncovering, uh, new archeology and we can learn more about, you know, people that lived thousands of years ago.
Allen H: It, it does seem [00:24:00] like, obviously. Do push into places where humans have lived for thousands of years. We’re going to stumble across these things. Does that mean from a project standpoint, there’s, there’s some sort of financial consequence, like does the lower Saxony government contribute to the wind turbine fund to to pay the workers for a while?
’cause it seems like if they’re gonna do an archeological dig. That that’s gonna take months at a minimum, may, maybe not, but it usually, having watched these things go on it, it’s. It’s long.
Rosemary Barnes: But wouldn’t that be something that you’d have insurance for?
Allen H: Oh, maybe that’s it.
Rosemary Barnes: You know, it seems to me like an insurable, an insurable thing, like not so hard to, it would’ve affected plenty of other, like any project that involves excavation in Europe would come with a risk of, um, finding Yeah.
An archeological find. And having work stopped, I would assume.
Allen H: Yolanda, how does that work in the United States do, is there some insurance policy towards finding [00:25:00] a. Ancient burial ground and what happens to your project?
Yolanda Padron: I don’t know. I, um, the most I’ve heard has been, it’s just talking to like the government and like the local government and making sure that you have all your permits in place and making sure, you know, you might need to, to have certain studies so you know, you might not have to get rid of the whole wind farm or remove the hole wind farm, but at least a section.
Of it has to be displaced from what you originally had thought. I don’t know. I know it happens a lot in Mexico where you get a lot of changes to construction plans because you find historical artifacts or obviously not everybody does this, but like. Tales of construction workers who will like, find, they’re so jaded from finding historical artifacts that they just kind of like take and then dump them to the next plot over to not deal with it right now.
Not that it’s anything ethical, uh, or done by everybody, [00:26:00] uh, but it’s, but, but it’s a common occurrence, a relatively common occurrence.
Allen H: You would think it where a lot of wind turbines are in the United States, which is mostly Texas and kind of that. Midwest, uh, wind corridor that they would’ve stumbled across something somewhere.
But I did just a quick search. I really hadn’t found anything that there wasn’t like a Native American burial ground or something of that sort, which they previously knew. For the most part. It’s, so, it’s rare that, that you find something significant besides, well, maybe used some woolly mammoths tusks or something of that sort.
Uh, in the Midwest, it’s, it’s, so, it’s an odd thing, but is there a. A finder’s fee? Like do does the wind company get to take some of the proceeds of, of this? Trove of jewelry.
Rosemary Barnes: I, I would be highly surprised.
Allen H: Well, how does that work then? Rosemary?
Rosemary Barnes: I’d be highly surprised if that’s the case in Europe. I bet it would happen like that in America.
Allen H: Sounds like pirate bounty in a sense.
Rosemary Barnes: In, in Australia it wouldn’t be like that because [00:27:00]you, when you own land, you don’t actually. You, you own the right to do things from surface level and above, basically. I don’t know how excavation works. So you don’t generally have a a right to anything you find like that?
I mean, you shouldn’t either. It’s not, it’s not yours. It’s a, it belongs to the, I don’t know, the people that, that were buried. When you then to the, the land, like, I guess. The government in some way. I mean, in Australia it’s, um, like we don’t have so many archeological fines that you would find from digging.
I mean, it’s not that there’s none, but there’s not so many like that. But it is pretty common that, you know, there are special trees, um, you know, some old trees that predate, uh, white people arriving in Australia. And, um, you know, that have been used for, you know, like it might have a, a shield that’s been, um.
Carved out of it. Or, uh, hunting. Hunting things, ceremonial things, baskets, canoes, canoe like things, stuff like that. They call ’em a scar [00:28:00] tree ’cause they would cut it out of a living, living tree. And you know, so when you see a tree with those scars and that’s got, um, cultural significance. There’s also, you know, just trees that were, um.
That that was significant for cultural reasons and so you wouldn’t be able to cut down those trees if you were building any, doing any kind of development in Australia and a wind farm would be no different. I know that they are, there are guidelines for, if you do come across any kind of thing like that or you find any anything of cultural significance, then you have to report it and hopefully you don’t just move it onto the neighboring property.
Allen H: I know one of the things about watching, um. Some crazy Canadian shows is that. Uh, you have to have a Treasure Hunter’s license in Canada. So if you’re involved in that process, like you can’t dig, you can’t shovel things, only certain people can shovel. ’cause if they were to find something of value, you.
You’ll get taxed on it. So there’s just a lot of rules [00:29:00] about it. Even in Canada,
Rosemary Barnes: if I was an indigenous Australian and you know, some Europe person of European descent came and found some artifacts, uh, aboriginal. Artifacts. I would be pissed if they just took it and sold it. Like that’s just clearly inappropriate right.
To, to do that. So you, I don’t think it should be a free for all. If you find artifacts of cultural significance and you just, it’s, you find its keepers that, that doesn’t sound right to me at all.
Allen H: Can we talk about King Charles II’s visit to the United States for a brief moment?
Uh, he is a really good ambassador, just like, uh, the queen was forever. He’s, he does take it very seriously and the way that he interacted with the US delegation was remarkable at times in, in terms of knowing how to deal with somebody that there’s a war going on right now. So there’s a lot [00:30:00] happening in the United States that, uh, not only could it be.
Uh, respecting both sides of the UK and the United States’ position in a, in a number of different areas, but at the same time being humorous, trying to build bridges. Uh, king Charles, uh, had the scotch whiskey tariffs removed just by negotiating with President Trump, and sometimes that’s what it takes.
It’s a little bit of, uh. Being a good ambassador.
Allen H: Yeah. The very polished you would expect that. Right? But this is the first visit of. The king to the United States, I believe. ’cause he, he’s been obviously as a prince many, many, many times to the United States. [00:31:00]But this time as, as a, the representative of the country, the former representative or head of the country, which was unique.
I think he did a really good job. And I wish he, they would’ve talked about offshore wind. Maybe he could’ve calmed down the administration on offshore wind.
Rosemary Barnes: I bet that’s one of the, the goals. I mean, that’s an industry that’s important to. So
Allen H: I wonder if that happened actually. ’cause that’s not gonna be reported in, in the news, but how the UK is going on its own way in terms of electrification and I guarantee offshore wind had to come up it.
Although I have been not seen any article about it, I, I find it hard to believe that King Charles being the environmentalist that he is, and a proponent of offshore wind for a long time. Didn’t bring it up and try to mend some fences.
Rosemary Barnes: Maybe he’s playing the long game though. I mean, Trump is pretty, he’s transactional, but he also, you know, he has people that he really likes and you know, will act in their interests.
So maybe it’s enough to just be [00:32:00] really liked by Trump, and then that’s the smartest way you can go about it.
Allen H: Did you see the gift that King Charles presented to, uh, the US this past week?
It was a be from, uh, world War II submarine, which was the British, I dunno what the British called their submarines, but it was, the name of it was Trump. So they had the bell from. The submarine when it had been commissioned and they, they gave that to the United States, or give to the president. It goes to the United States.
The president doesn’t get to keep those things, but it was such a smart, it’s a great president. It’s such a smart gift, and somebody had to think about it and the king had to deliver it in a way that got rid of all the noise between the United States and the uk. Brought it back to, Hey, we have a lot in common [00:33:00] here.
We shouldn’t be bickering as much as we are. And I thought that was a really smart, tactful, sensible way to try to men some fences. That was really good. That wraps up another episode of the Uptime Wind Energy Podcast. If today’s discussion sparked any questions or ideas, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to us on LinkedIn.
Don’t forget to subscribe, so you never miss this episode. And if you found value in today’s conversation, please leave us a review. It really helps other wind energy professionals discover the show. For Rosie and Yolanda, I’m Allen Hall and we with. See you’re here next week on the Uptime Wind Energy Podcast.
I’ve enjoyed quite a few works from the poet whose work appears at left, but this one speaks to me most clearly.
Money means everything, and the value we put on the lives of our children pale in comparison.
Schopenhauer’s pessimism is essentially everything he left us, and his quote here is representative of that.
We can’t change our birthplace, but does anyone want to do that anyway? We can change anything else about us that we choose, and we certainly don’t spend the rest of our lives defending anything.
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