During the course of 2019, EDF Renewables actively pursued its development in onshore wind power, thus contributing to the EDF group’s CAP 2030 strategy. EDF Renewables had a gross operating total of 9,771.6MW in onshore wind power as of the end of 2019. Onshore wind farms with a gross capacity of 714.4MW were commissioned in 2019, onshore wind farms under construction represented a gross capacity of 2,496.7MW at 31 December 2019.
EDF Renewables pursued its development in wind power, commissioning almost 119.7MW more in 2019, in wind farms in Les Taillades (27.2MW), Lozère (Occitanie) and Pays d’Anglure (22MW), Marne (Grand Est). In addition to these new capacities, several wind farms are under construction for a total of some 171.2MW, including Longues Roies (47MW). The development of onshore wind power in France also involves innovation by means of repowering or renewal (overhaul of a facility at the end of its service life) and the contractualisation of the first corporate PPAs. In liaison with Agregio, a subsidiary of EDF, corporate PPAs have been entered into with Maïsadour, a cooperative group based in Landes, and FEDA (Forces électriques d’Andorre). Maïsadour’s sites thus benefit from the supply of 12 MW of energy produced by the EDF Renewables wind farm located in the municipality of Fitou, Aude. FEDA uses renewable energy from EDF Renewables wind farms in the Occitanie region.
In 2019, EDF Renewables signed two electricity sales agreements with Tesco for a period of 15 years for 54 MW of wind power to be produced in Scotland. For the implementation of these agreements, EDF Renewables plans to construct two wind farms, including the Burn foot East wind farm with capacity of 10.8MW.
In 2019, EDF Renewables acquired a portfolio of wind power projects with capacity of approximately 300 MW currently being developed from Altus AG, a German player that is well-established in the sector.
In 2019, EDF Renewables transferred its assets to Edison (see section 1.4.5.2.4 “EDF Renewables in Italy”).
In 2019, EDF Renewables disposed of all of its wind farms in Poland (106MW).
In 2019, EDF Renewables continued its sustained development of onshore wind power, with construction commencing on 1.132GW worth of projects. EDF Renewables also commissioned the Stoneray wind farm (100MW) in Minnesota and the repowering project at Bobcat Bluff (162MW).
In addition to conventional electricity contracts, EDF Renewables North America has developed the sale of electricity through private contracts. Private contracts worth over 1,300MW of wind power capacity have been signed with companies such as Google, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, and Salesforce.
The Romney project (60MW), 50% owned by EDF Renewables Canada, has been commissioned. EDF Renewables Canada has also signed a RESA (Renewable Electricity Support Agreement), a support agreement with AESO (Alberta Electricity System Operator), manager of the Alberta electricity grid. This 20-year contract relates to the Cypress project, of a capacity of 201.6MW. This project is part of a partnership between EDF Renewables, Canada, and the Kainai Nation.
At the beginning of 2019, EDF Renewables and SITAC group signed power purchase agreement covering 300 MW of wind project in India.
EDF Renewables Brazil is developing wind power, winning long-term electricity supply agreements in auctions organised by the Brazilian regulatory authority and distributors. In 2019, 292MW worth of wind power projects put forward by EDF Renewables won at these auctions.
In 2019, EDF Renewables gained a foothold in Saudi Arabia, winning the call for tender for the Dumat Al Jandal wind power project in a consortium with Masdar. With installed capacity of 416MW, this will be the first wind farm in Saudi Arabia and the most powerful one in the Middle East. Construction of the wind farm began in 2019 summer.
EDF Renewables had a gross total of 391.5MW onshore wind power capacity in operation as of the end of 2019.
In December 2019, EDF responded to a formal notice sent pursuant to the French “Duty of Care” Act pertaining to the planned Gunaa Sicaru wind farm, managed by a subsidiary of EDF Renewables in Mexico. In 2018, one of the NGOs signing this formal notice had referred the same project to the OECD’s French national contact point (NCP). During the course of the OECD mediation process, the EDF group took part in two dialogue meetings with the plaintiffs and has already provided some responses to the concerns raised.
Offshore wind power represents a strong area in EDF Renewables’ development. The company is already present on the offshore wind power market through several projects under development, in service or under management and maintenance across Europe (Germany, Belgium, France, UK) and aims to contribute significantly to the development of the offshore wind power sector in the US.
In France it won three projects in 2012 under the call for tenders issued by the French government, namely the offshore wind farms in Fécamp, Saint-Nazaire and Courseulles-sur-Mer. Together they make up a capacity of nearly 1,430 MW and cost around €6 billion. All relevant permits for the three wind farms were granted. The partnership arrangement brings together EDF Renewables, Enbridge, and wpd for the Fécamp and Courseulles-sur-Mer projects. For the Saint-Nazaire project, EDF Renewables is associated with Enbridge. In 2018, the French State confirmed these three offshore wind farm projects and, in the summer of 2019, the French Council of State dismissed the appeals against the authorisation to operate the Saint Nazaire offshore wind farm project. It also dismissed the appeals against the maritime public domain occupation concession for the Courseulles-sur-Mer and Fécamp offshore wind farm projects. Construction of the Saint Nazaire wind farm commenced in September 2019.
The Dunkirk project was won in June 2019, following the call for tender launched by the French State. The future Dunkirk wind farm will have installed capacity of some 600MW. The successful consortium consists of EDF Renewables, Innogy, andEnbridge, and will carry out the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the future Dunkirk offshore wind farm.
In addition, in 2019, EDF Renewables UK commenced construction of the future Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm in partnership with Irish electricity company ESB. This 450MW project is located in the Firth of Forth on the eastern coast of Scotland. All the necessary administrative authorisations have been acquired; the project also has a fifteen-year Contract for Difference (CfD) at a tariff of £114.39/MWh (2012 values), as well as grid connection agreements. EDF Renewables has joined forces with ESB, the leading provider in Ireland, with the latter taking out a 50% stake in the project.
EDF Renewables US set up at the end of 2018 with Shell New Energies US, LLC (Shell) a joint-venture equally owned, called Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC. This joint-venture focuses on the development of offshore wind projects, in the New Jersey Wind Energy Area (WEA), as part of a lease issued by US Federal authorities.The area covered by the lease has a potential for wind power generation of about 2,500MW. The area offers strong and steady wind resources in relatively shallow water, close to large population centres with high electricity demand.
Lastly, in 2019, EDF entered into a partnership with the China Energy Investment Corporation (CEI) electricity company with a view to the joint construction of two offshore wind farm projects in China. The Dongtai IV and V offshore wind power projects represent total capacity of 500MW: they would be the EDF group’s first offshore achievements in China.
