Since 2002, taking advantage of the new
regulations respecting this type of electricity production in
France, Boralex has put into commercial service, three wind
farms in France.
The first wind farm, located at Avignonet-Lauragais
in the south-west of France, Séris Éole. is made
up of ten "Nordex" wind turbines 50 metres high (70
metres with the rotor blades) that each supply 800 kW of electricity
from wind. This movement is transmitted to the nacelle equipped
with a gearbox and a turbine that operates at 1,500 revolutions
per a minute. The annual total output of 20 GWh corresponds
to generating electricity for a population for about 10,000
inhabitants.
The second wind farm, Ferme éolienne de
Chépy, located in the Somme Department, is made of “Enercon”
wind turbines 65 metres high and 70 metres rotor blades, with
a total capacity of 4 MW, for an annual total input of 9.5 GWh.
This project will require an investment of about €5 million,
or C$8 million, by the time it's completed.
Boralex has started to operate a third wind energy production
site in France with an installed capacity of 12 MW. Also located
in the Somme department, at Nibas, about 4 km from Ferme éolienne
de Chépy. it includes six wind turbines with a capacity
of 2 MW each which bring Boralex's total installed capacity
in the wind sector in France to 24 MW. Boralex S.A.S. holds
a 95% interest in Ferme éolienne de Nibas and this project
required an investment of close to C$20 million (€12.8
M).
On February 24, 2005, Boralex announces the construction and
commissioning of two new wind power sites of 38 wind turbines
located in France, for an installed capacity of 57 MW. Boralex
owns 95% of the shares, which represents C$135 million (€83.5
million). The French corporation Perfect Wind will owns the
residual 5%. One of the wind power sites is located on the Plateau
d’Ally in the communes of Ally and Mercoeur in Haute-Loire,
and is comprised of 26 wind turbines, each with a capacity of
1.5 MW. The other one is located on the Plateau of Cham de Cham
Longe, in the communes of Saint-Étienne-de-Ludgarès
and Astet in Ardèche and is comprised of 12 wind turbines,
also with a capacity of 1.5 MW each.
On May 25, 2005, Boralex signs a development agreement
for the construction and commissioning of a wind farm of 8 MW
in capacity, located in Plougin, Bretagne (France). The project
is wholly owned by Boralex and requires an investment of more
than C$15.7 million (€9.8 million). It will comprise 4
wind turbines, each with a capacity of 2 MW. This will bring
Boralex’s total wind power in France to a capacity close
to 90 MW.
The entire electricity production of these threee sites is sold
to Électricité de France (EDF) under a long-term
15-year contract.
This move in the wind energy area makes it possible
for Boralex to diversify its production sources,
to continue its development as well as its expansion in deregulated
markets or in the process of becoming so.
Similar to water, wind is a renewable source
of energy, which is consistent with Boralex’s expansion
strategy. All indicators are that this source of energy will
be a favored area of investment by most countries in the coming
years.
