France Begins Windfarm Race by Announcing Tenders for Five Offshore Facilities

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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--France has kicked off a massive 10 billion-euro ($13.7 billion) wind energy drive by announcing tenders for five large offshore windfarms. The tenders were announced by French President Nicolas Sarkozy in an effort to make the country a major hub for turbine manufacturing. These will be the first offshore windfarms built by France, which currently generates the vast majority of its electricity from nuclear power.

The goal is for France to develop 6 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind energy from 10 sites by 2020. The first five sites, which will generate about 3 GW, will be off the northwest coast of France, stretching between Saint-Nazaire and Dieppe/Le Tréport.

The country is hoping to keep up with its neighbour, the U.K., which last year offered contracts to build up to 25 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2020. The Round 3 contracts are worth more than 116 billion euros ($159 billion). For related news, see January 11, 2010, article - Winners of U.K. Offshore Wind Jackpot Revealed.

"We are launching this first tender covering five development areas for offshore wind power in order to give the industry's players greater visibility," Sarkozy said, launching the tenders in the western port of Saint-Nazaire. "Our aim is to have an outstanding national sector emerge to build the means to produce these offshore wind turbines and to look toward exporting them."

Alstom S.A. (EPA:ALO) (Paris, France) and EDF Energies Nouvelles S.A. (EPA:EEN) (Paris) have announced an alliance to win as many of the contracts as they can, with EDF pledging to use Alstom-manufactured wind turbines, especially its forthcoming 6-MW turbine.

"We have gained experience in wind energy and possess an offshore technology that will enable generating electricity cost-effectively," said Philippe Cochet, the senior vice president of Alstom Hydro & Wind. "Alstom is ready to develop an industry based in France, generating jobs and exports."

The French government has been criticised for not releasing the first tenders back in September and risking France's falling behind in the technological race. The government originally was scheduled to release the tender for 10 windfarms, featuring about 600 wind turbines, in May 2010. For related news, see August 27, 2010, article - France to Launch Tender for 600 Offshore Wind Turbines in September.

The government's offshore drive is already oversubscribed, with French energy companies promoting approximately 30 potential sites for offshore windfarms with a combined potential capacity of 8,000 MW, which is 2,000 MW more than the government's target for 2020. For related news, see December 16, 2010, article - France Prepares Offshore Wind Jackpot.

Industrial Info's Renewable Energy Database provides extensive coverage on the wind energy, geothermal, hydroelectric, landfill gas-to-energy and utility-scale solar power plants throughout North America, and is now expanding coverage across the world.

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