GDF Suez and the consortium partners EDP Renewables, Neoen Marine, and AREVA have submitted their proposals to the French Government for the second offshore wind power tender.
Meanwhile, the European consortium comprising EDF Energies Nouvelles and WPD Offshore with Alstom as exclusive supplier for the turbines, has also submitted two bids for the same tender.
GDF Suez and partners have selected Areva’s new 8MW turbine, which is expected to improve productivity, reduce around 40% in the number of turbines and reduce construction time, and optimise wind farm maintenance.
In March 2013, the French Government launched the offshore wind tender worth around 1GW including 500MW in the Le Treport (Haute-Normandie) area and 500MW in the vicinity of the islands of Yeu and Noirmoutier (Pays-de-la-Loire).
The area off Le Treport measures 110km2, while the site between the islands of Yeu and Noirmoutier covers 79km2.
The tender is estimated to generate investments of around €3.5bn and annual cost to the community is estimated at €500m.
The tender calls for the construction of two new wind farms and significant development of regional port facilities.
The projects will create around 6,000 jobs and involve many local businesses in addition to generating enough electricity to power around 1.6 million French people.
The projects will also involve construction of four factories to manufacture the nacelles, blades and other key equipment for wind turbines including bearings, multipliers and generators at the port of Le Havre, while the ports of Le Havre and Saint-Nazaire will serve as construction sites for the offshore facilities.
Logistics, operations and maintenance will carried out at support centres in the ports of Dieppe and Le Treport and the islands of Yeu and Noirmoutier.
These projects are part of the country’s efforts to tap 6,000MW in offshore wind capacity as part of a broader 23% renewable energy target by 2020.
.gif)
