FRANCE TAKES A CLOSER LOOK AT WIND

France wants to be star performer in the European wind sector in 2010
28 December 2009 (Renewable Energy Magazine)

"Several analysts are predicting that France will become the star of the European wind energy sector in 2010, if the United Kingdom does not steal the limelight. For the moment, the French market is nevertheless gathering momentum after the recent opening of two wind farms constructed by two of the leading wind energy companies in the world…

"Enel Green Power, subsidiary of the major Italian electric utility [Enel], has completed two wind farms with a total capacity of 42 MW in Vallée d’Arce (30 MW) and La Druine (12 MW). The two new installations take total accumulated wind energy capacity installed by Enel in France to 68 MW…Enel has also announced that it has a further 80 MW of wind capacity under construction in France, plus a pipeline of 500 MW."

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"In the case of [electric utility] RWE, the Forières wind farm, consisting of four 2 MW turbines, is the company’s largest installation in France, taking its total accumulated capacity to 28 MW. The installation, which generates an average of 22.4 GWh per annum, forms part of the project portfolio of the subsidiary RWE-Innogy covering the regions of Pays de la Loire, Normandy and Midi Pyrénées. RWE Innogy has a total of 2.1 GW of renewable energy installed worldwide, which it plans to increase to 4.5 GW by the end of 2012.

"According [ Pure Power ] from the European Wind Energy Association], over the next 12 years, France and the United Kingdom will install new wind capacity at the same or a similar rate to that experienced in the Spanish and German markets."