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ADEME–PRESS RELEASE*French Community Wind Project in Lorraine*Note: This is an unauthorized translation of ADEME's original press release in French. This translation is edited for clarity. The original version en français: Pour la première fois en France, des particuliers se sont personnellement et financièrement impliqués dans un projet de parc éolien par ADEME ! September 24, 2005
Inauguration of a New Wind Farm: the French Get Going!
For the first time in France, individuals have personally invested in a wind power project.A new wind farm in Lorraine, Le Haut des Ailes, was inaugurated Saturday, September 24, 2005 in the presence of Michèle Pappalardo, president of ADEME (the French Agency for Energy and the Environment) and François Pélissier, president of Erélia (the company operating the wind plant). This project, currently the largest in France, consists of 16 wind turbines of a total capacity of 32 MW. It is also the first wind project in France to have been partially financed by individuals. The project will provide the equivalent of 40,000 people with electricity and will avoid the emission of 45,000 tons of CO2 per year.
Cooperation, the Key to Haut des Ailes' SuccessThe Haut des Ailes project is particularly exemplary. It took only 18 months after the initial project study to acquire the building permits, making Haut des Ailes the fastest-moving wind project so far in France!
The public inquiry generated neither opposition nor challenges in any of the 50 affected communities. For the most part, the key to this success lies in cooperation. The latter was crucial and brought together all the local participants throughout the project's development: the regional cooperation committee and the local follow-up committee brought together more than 70 people from state services, elected representatives, residents, advisory organizations, farmers, associations and others. A 12-point "charter of agreements" was also established to guarantee that the project was truly developed sustainably as well as truly developed locally. The project joins 50 townships in two different departements in the heart of Lorraine. Communication also played an essential role in the development of this project. Throughout the project there were numerous public meetings and site visits.
Novel Financing–a First for FranceThe land lease brought together more than 40 signatories directly affected by the project in the four townships, and permitted the allocation of compensation in a transparent, equitable and collective way. The project did not stop there, however. Its great novelty was the financial participation of many area residents. Thus, individuals did not hesitate to invest in the project, demonstrating their interest in this new wind farm and in the promotion of this renewable source of energy. This is a first for France, following the example of countries like Denmark and Germany. Local employment was not overlooked. Erélia (the company operating the wind plant) opened an office in Igney in the township where the turbines were installed, to provide for operation and maintenance of the wind plant, creating four new jobs.
The Involvement and Role of ADEMEThis project is in line with ADEME's wind energy development policy for the region, in connection with the regional council of Lorraine. ADEME was very much involved in the development of the project. Thus, it supported the production of an exhibit of proposed project on-site at Igney. This exhibit consisted of a 3-D model of the project, approximately sign boards (on wind energy, the project, the landscape and the environment), and a video space allowing the project to be shown and explained to all. In addition, the agency intervened through FIDEME (the French Environment and Energy Investment Fund), of which it is one of the major financiers. This mutual fund for risk investment was created to finance projects using tested technologies in areas like wind (but also hydro, geothermal, recycling and waste energy). 10% of the project's cost was financed by FIDEME.
The Haut des Ailes Wind FarmLocated 60 km east of Nancy between Lunéville and Sarrebourg, the wind farm stretches to the Blâmont exit on the Route Nationale 4. It consists of three wind farms with a total of 16 wind turbines with a hub height of 125 m, of 2 MW each, for a total capacity of 32 MW, located in the communes of Igney, Repaix and Aménoncourt in Meurthe-et-Moselle and Foulcrey in Moselle. The project was begun in April 2003, and the building permits were obtained in September 2004. The civil engineering work began in January 2005, the installation of the turbines was completed in August 2005, and the turbines were put into operation in August 2005, 30 months after the start of the project.
Wind Energy in LorraineADEME, the regional council of Lorraine, and the regional environmental management agency wished to promote the rational development of wind energy by promoting cooperation. They created, both for local people and for the operators, a tool to help with exploring the issue and with decision making. As a result, in 2003 an atlas showing the wind potential in Lorraine was produced with the financial support of FEDER (the European Fund for Regional Development). This report showed the potentially favorable areas for installing wind turbines, and the wind resource, statutory information, and techniques and constraints or environmental value relating to those areas. This document was a tool to aid in decision making by the project developers and regional councillors. The Haut des Ailes project was the second wind farm put into service in Lorraine. Since January 2005, 6 wind turbines of 1.5 MW each have been in operation near Téterchen in Moselle. Currently, 36 projects for a total of 340 MW have obtained their building permits and will be installed in the coming years.
The Haut des Ailes Wind Plant in FiguresHaut des Ailes consists of three separate clusters:
La Tournell 10 MW
Total capacity: 32 MW http://www.ereliagroupe.fr/ http://www.suivi-eolien.com/ http://ademe.fr -End- |
