Wind Power News: France
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They are the products of the organizations or individuals noted and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch.
Le gouvernement ment aux Français, l’énergie éolienne pollue et nous coûte trop cher!
Il n’est plus possible de voir la France défigurée de la sorte par des éoliennes coûteuses qui aggravent nos problèmes écologiques sans offrir la moindre solution! [The government lies to the French people: wind energy pollutes and is too expensive. It is no longer possible to see France disfigured in this way by such costly wind turbines that aggravate our environmental problems without offering the least solution!] Complete story »
7 projets de parcs éoliens sur 10 font l’objet d’un recours en France
La fronde contre les installations éoliennes prend de l’ampleur en France. En cause, les nuisances visuelles, sonores, électromagnétiques, voire une dépréciation des habitations situées à proximité. [7 out of 10 wind facilities in France are subject to appeal – The wave against wind energy installations is gaining momentum in France. The reason: visual nuisance, noise, electromagnetics, and depreciation of nearby homes.] Le rejet est massif. Sept projets d’installations d’éoliennes sur dix font aujourd’hui l’objet d’un recours des riverains, selon le rapporteur . . . Complete story »
Why do so many people in France hate wind farms?
In France opposition against wind power is growing, rallying groups as varied as libertarians, Nimbys (“Not In My Back Yard”) and mainstream politicians. France gets most of its energy from nuclear power, and resistance to wind power has been long standing. But in recent years, those campaigning against this clean source of energy have become much more diverse. While these opponents all share wind farms as a common enemy, their grudges couldn’t be further apart. “From bourgeois people to militants . . . Complete story »
La fronde anti-éoliennes prend de l’ampleur
ENQUÊTE – Le gouvernement souhaite doubler le nombre d’éoliennes sur le territoire dans les cinq prochaines années. Mais la contestation s’intensifie et réunit des opposants de tous bords. Après les McDonald’s et les champs d’OGM, la prochaine cible des écologistes ou des zadistes sera-t-elle l’éolien? En juin, un feu criminel détruisait une éolienne et en endommageait une autre à Marsanne, dans la Drôme. L’attaque a été revendiquée mi-juin par un site libertaire précisant «s’attaquer aux dominations». Du bourgeois au militant . . . Complete story »
Monts d’Ain: une éolienne prend feu dans la nuit
L’éolienne n°9 s’est embrasée en pleine nuit. Photo Guy DOMAIN Le parc éolien visible à des kilomètres à la ronde avait bien triste mine ce vendredi. Photo Guy DOMAIN Les pompiers ont évité la propagation de l’incendie à toute la forêt de la montagne de l’Avocat. Photo Guy DOMAIN L’éolienne numéro 9 du parc des Monts d’Ain, sur la commune d’Izenave, a pris feu dans la nuit du jeudi 2 au vendredi 3 août. Les pompiers sont intervenus aux alentours . . . Complete story »
Permitting limbo threatens French deployment
No new projects in France can secure permits following a court ruling at the end of 2017, meaning the forthcoming auction is set to be undersubscribed. Up to 5GW of onshore wind power projects in France are under threat following a court decision in December 2017, which overturned the environmental permitting system. At least 3GW of projects seeking consent are frozen, and 2GW of authorised projects face “a high risk of cancellation by the administrative courts,” French wind energy association . . . Complete story »
France cuts tariffs on controversial offshore wind projects
The French government on Wednesday approved six long-delayed offshore wind projects but sharply cut their subsidies. In 2012-14, France had awarded tenders for the six projects to French and foreign utilities with contracts to sell electricity at feed-in tariffs guaranteed by the government of around 200 euros per megawatt (MW) for 20 years. But public opposition to wind farms has long delayed the projects, and since then prices for international offshore wind power have more than halved. French energy regulator . . . Complete story »
Ecotecnia blade snaps in France
Holding Dio Energie is investigating why a blade on an Ecotecnia Eco74 turbine snapped during a storm at its 11.69MW Dio-et-Valquieres wind farm in France. The machine is part of a seven-turbine project located in the southern region of Hérault. A company spokeswoman said: “We have immediately cordoned off the wind farm and are now looking into the incident’s exact causes. “The storm was strong enough to bring down a stone cross not far away.” Holding Dio Energie is hoping . . . Complete story »
French Court of Audit slams green schemes
Renewable energy support schemes are not effective in driving the country towards its climate objectives, despite their significant costs, according to a new report from France’s Court of Auditors. The report by auditors was to a finance committee meeting at the French senate last week. It noted the spending on mechanisms to support renewables was estimated at €5.3 billion in 2016 and is set to grow in the future. The vast majority of this spending (€4.4 billion) backed renewable electricity, . . . Complete story »
France wants to renegotiate offshore wind projects: Les Echos
The French government wants to renegotiate and possibly cancel offshore wind projects on the French west coast that were awarded in 2012 and 2014, the financial daily Les Echos reported on Friday. The paper said the government, as part of a package of laws submitted to the Senate, had included an amendment proposing the renegotiation or possible cancellation of the tender awards for a combined 3,000 megawatt of wind power on six sites. Government officials could not immediately be reached . . . Complete story »
