The 6 MW Haliade 150 wind turbine has been developed in response to a call for tenders launched by the French government in July 2011 that aims to install 3 GW of wind turbine power off French shores by 2015.
Each of these next generation offshore wind turbines will be able to supply the equivalent of the electricity consumption of 5,000 households, the company said in a written statement.
In preparation for its certification, the first Haliade 150 will undergo a series of year-long tests on land at the Carnet site, before a second turbine is placed in the sea off the Belgian coast in autumn 2012. Pre-series production is planned for 2013 with production in series due to start in 2014.
The Carnet site, located near Saint-Nazaire on the shores of the estuary, was chosen for its geological characteristics that are very similar to the submarine environment in which the wind turbines will eventually be installed.
The 25 metre sub-structure (known as the jacket) was installed on pillars driven more than 30 metres into the ground on which the 75 metre high tower was then gradually mounted. The nacelle soars over the landscape 100 metres above the ground. The wind turbine and its support structure have a total combined weight of 1,500 tons.
Alstom is the exclusive supplier to the consortium led by EDF Energies Nouvelles which includes Dong Energy, the Danish energy specialist and a leader in offshore wind farms, as well as the developers Nass & Wind and wpd Offshore.
The consortium’s agreement with Alstom offers a unique opportunity to develop a wind turbine based on French technology, built and assembled in France, employing a substantial number of local industrial contractors and benefiting from technological partnerships with various bodies. This project will involve nearly 200 suppliers to the offshore wind turbine sector.
If the consortium’s response to the tender is successful, Alstom plans to establish up to 4 factories to produce components for these offshore wind turbines and for their assembly, in the port areas of Saint-Nazaire (Loire-Atlantique) for the nacelles and alternators, and in Cherbourg (Manche) for the blades and towers.
The company said these sites will be its first to be entirely dedicated to offshore wind power and will permit the creation of 5,000 permanent qualified jobs, including 1,000 direct jobs.
For additional information:
