Ensuring a secure power supply

 

Wind power is making an important contribution to the security and economics of the French national electricity supply system.

 

During a spell of very cold weather in January 2009, when national power demand reached a peak, France’s 2,350 wind turbines produced as much electricity as a town the size of the city of Marseille. In the process they avoided the production of electricity equivalent to the output of two conventional power stations, according to calculations by the French Wind Energy Association, France Energie Eolienne (FEE).

Overall, in 2008, the French wind turbine fleet generated 5,600 GWh (Gigawatt hours) of power, approximately 37% more than the previous year. This is enough to meet the electricity demand of 2.5 million people. It also substituted for three quarters of the country’s thermal power supply, both produced within France and imported.

 

Because wind-generated electricity is cheaper than that produced by thermal power stations, there was also a net gain to the energy consumer.

 

The growing market for wind energy in France is attracting investment from both domestic and overseas companies. Nordex, the German company which supplied the wind turbines for the Saint Aubin wind farm, has already installed over 770 MW in France, and expects to add a further 245 MW during 2009.

The expansion of French wind power is also contributing to the economy by creating employment. More than 7,000 people are now employed by the wind power industry in France, according to FEE. The French National Energy Agency, ADEME, projects that 16,000 jobs could be provided by the industry by 2012.

In 2020, if the national target for 25,000 MW of wind power is achieved, then the number of people employed in the wind industry could reach 60,000.