The Bay of Biscay in western France may appear to be an unusual place for warm smiles and sunny celebrations—especially in late November—due to its blustery winds, choppy seas, and notorious storms.
However, the winds of the Loire-Atlantique region and the Atlantic Ocean are being applauded today as France's first commercial-scale offshore wind project goes live.
The Saint-Nazaire Offshore Wind Farm was built by French project partners EDF Renewables and EIH S.à.r.l, a subsidiary of Enbridge Inc. and CPP Investments, and represents a significant endeavor for France, which aims for renewable energy to account for 30% of final energy consumption by 2030.
The 480-MW Saint-Nazaire Offshore Wind Farm can power approximately 400,000 homes, or 20% of the Loire-Atlantique region's electricity consumption. The arrival of a new source of clean and affordable energy is also fortuitous, if not critical, coming at a time when a global energy crisis caused by the war in Ukraine emphasizes the importance of reliable, secure energy.
“At Enbridge, we’re proud about the arrival of the company’s first commercial-scale offshore wind project in France and about our role as a leader of the global energy transition,” says Matthew Akman, Enbridge’s Senior Vice President of Power, Strategy and New Energy Technologies.
“The project demonstrates our commitment to moving towards a lower-carbon economy and leading the energy transition,” Akman says. “Enbridge is advancing several renewable energy projects in Europe and North America, and we are proud to have met this achievement ahead of schedule. We extend our appreciation and thanks to our partners, EDF Renewables and CPP Investments, and look forward to continuing our work together in growing France’s offshore wind sector.”
The project spans 78 square kilometers between 12 and 20 kilometers off the southwest coast, with 80 turbines installed at depths ranging from 12 to 25 meters.
Over the past three years, Maple Power, a joint venture between Enbridge Inc. and CPP Investments, has managed the wind farm's development and construction phases, working closely with all project partners.
In terms of project ownership, EDF Renewables owns 50% and EIH S.à.r.l owns 50%, with the remaining 50% owned by CPP Investments (49% ownership) and Enbridge (51% ownership).
Enbridge is also a partner in three other ongoing French wind projects: Fecamp, Calvados, and Provence Grand Large. We are continuing to expand our low-carbon portfolio, which has grown from a single wind farm investment in 2002 to more than C$8 billion in renewable energy projects at the end of last year.
We currently have 23 wind farms in operation or construction, 17 solar energy operations, seven renewable natural gas facilities, two hydrogen facilities, and ten other renewable power assets.
However, the winds of the Loire-Atlantique region and the Atlantic Ocean are being applauded today as France's first commercial-scale offshore wind project goes live.
The Saint-Nazaire Offshore Wind Farm was built by French project partners EDF Renewables and EIH S.à.r.l, a subsidiary of Enbridge Inc. and CPP Investments, and represents a significant endeavor for France, which aims for renewable energy to account for 30% of final energy consumption by 2030.
The 480-MW Saint-Nazaire Offshore Wind Farm can power approximately 400,000 homes, or 20% of the Loire-Atlantique region's electricity consumption. The arrival of a new source of clean and affordable energy is also fortuitous, if not critical, coming at a time when a global energy crisis caused by the war in Ukraine emphasizes the importance of reliable, secure energy.
“At Enbridge, we’re proud about the arrival of the company’s first commercial-scale offshore wind project in France and about our role as a leader of the global energy transition,” says Matthew Akman, Enbridge’s Senior Vice President of Power, Strategy and New Energy Technologies.
“The project demonstrates our commitment to moving towards a lower-carbon economy and leading the energy transition,” Akman says. “Enbridge is advancing several renewable energy projects in Europe and North America, and we are proud to have met this achievement ahead of schedule. We extend our appreciation and thanks to our partners, EDF Renewables and CPP Investments, and look forward to continuing our work together in growing France’s offshore wind sector.”
The project spans 78 square kilometers between 12 and 20 kilometers off the southwest coast, with 80 turbines installed at depths ranging from 12 to 25 meters.
Over the past three years, Maple Power, a joint venture between Enbridge Inc. and CPP Investments, has managed the wind farm's development and construction phases, working closely with all project partners.
In terms of project ownership, EDF Renewables owns 50% and EIH S.à.r.l owns 50%, with the remaining 50% owned by CPP Investments (49% ownership) and Enbridge (51% ownership).
Enbridge is also a partner in three other ongoing French wind projects: Fecamp, Calvados, and Provence Grand Large. We are continuing to expand our low-carbon portfolio, which has grown from a single wind farm investment in 2002 to more than C$8 billion in renewable energy projects at the end of last year.
We currently have 23 wind farms in operation or construction, 17 solar energy operations, seven renewable natural gas facilities, two hydrogen facilities, and ten other renewable power assets.