Endesa starts up its first wind farm in France

Earlier this week the Spanish electricity company Endesa said that it's French subsidiary has officially opened the Lehaucourt wind farm in France, the first of five wind power facilities that Endesa is starting up in that country.

 

The Lehaucourt wind farm is in the Picardy region, in the department of l’Aisne and has entailed an investment of approximately EUE10 million.

 

"This wind farm is an example of Endesa France’s commitment to renewable energies and underscores the Group’s decision to choose the French market as one of its priority geographical areas in terms of European expansion," said the company.

 

Endesa said that cutting-edge technology was used in this wind power project, which included Nordex N90 turbine that stand 125 metres high (the mast measures 80 metres and the blades span 45 metres) and with net capacity of 2.5MW.

 

According to Endesa, the Nordex model combines maximum power with minimum impact on the surrounding landscape.  The facility comprises four turbines, with total installed capacity of 10MW, which will generate energy equivalent to the electricity consumption of 22,000 inhabitants.

 

This facility's launch follows the recent award of the tender for the Cernon I and Cernon II wind farms, which will have a total installed capacity of 17.5MW and that of the Ambon wind farm at the end of last year which has 10MW in installed capacity.

 

These facilities form part of Endesa France’s Industrial Plan, whose goals include constructing 200 MW of wind power capacity.

 

"These initiatives demonstrate Endesa France’s determination to meet peaks in demand by giving priority to technologies with low CO2 emissions and to contribute to the French government’s goal of generating 21% of electricity from renewable energies by 2010," Endesa said.

 

 

Since becoming its majority shareholder in 2004, Endesa has transformed this company significantly. The initiatives undertaken to improve efficiency, availability and safety at its four coal plants, along with the investments made to reduce the environmental impact will serve to guarantee these plants’ competitiveness beyond 2020.

 

As well as progress at the coal plants and in wind power development, the Endesa France Industrial Plan envisages installing two CCGTs in France, each with installed capacity of 400MW. The two plants, in which Euro 400 million will be invested, will be built in the north-east of France, on land at the Emile Huchet plant (Lorraine). Work will commence in mid-May 2007.

 

Furthermore, Endesa France sold a total of 19TWh in 2006, 4.5TWh of which were for 153 "eligible customers".