For details of renewables activities in Italy and Belgium, see sections 1.4.5.2 “Italy” and 1.4.5.3.1 “Northern Europe” respectively.
During the course of 2021, EDF Renewables pursued its development in onshore wind power, thus contributing to EDF group’s CAP 2030 strategy. EDF Renewables had a gross total of 9,789MW onshore wind power capacity in operation as of the end of 2021. Onshore wind farms with a gross capacity of 1,533MW were commissioned in 2021. Onshore wind farms under construction represented a gross capacity of 1,445MW at 31 December 2021.
EDF Renewables pursued its development in onshore wind power, commissioning almost 123 MW more in 2021, in wind farms in Beaujolais Vert (12 MW), Longues Roies (43.6 MW), Le Télégraphe (14.4 MW), Les Vents de la Javigne (15 MW), Roussac (15 MW) and Champ Gourleau (22.8 MW). In addition, nearly 54 MW of wind power projects were under construction. In 2021, EDF Renewables continued to repower the Tenesa wind farm in Corsica (11.7 MW) and to build the Sud Arrageois wind farm (21.6 MW).
It launched two crowdfunding campaigns for onshore wind farms. In connection with the CRE call for tenders, it was awarded 5 wind power projects for a total of nearly 350 MW. Finally, EDF Renewables signed 5 power sales agreements(corporate power purchase agreements (PPAs)) concerning 14 wind farms for a total of 144 MW.
In August 2021, EDF Renewables commissioned the Wesley wind farm (34.5 MW) in the former Ciskei region, east of Cape Town. In October 2021, under a government’s call for tenders, it was awarded three projects with unit installed capacity of 140 MW.
EDF Renewables (lead contractor) finalises the construction of the Dumat Al Jandal project in a consortium with Masdar and Nesma (1). With a gross installed capacity of 416 MW, this will be the first such wind farm in Saudi Arabia and the most powerful one in the Middle East.
EDF Renewables acquired the Banana Range wind farm project in Queensland, with a maximum capacity of 280 MW. It is continuing the development, construction and operation of this project.
EDF Renewables has been operating in Brazil since 2015, and is one of the country’s leaders in the renewable energy industry. Phase 2 of the Folha Larga Norte wind farm in the State of Bahia was commissioned in 2021 (2). The complex consists of 82 wind turbines with an installed capacity of 344 MW.
EDF Renewables also owns the Ventos da Bahia wind farm located in the municipalities of Bonito and Mulungu do Morro, with a total capacity of 365 MW including 138 MW under construction.
In addition, EDF Renewables launched the construction of the new 242 MW Serrade Seridó wind farm in the state of Paraíba at the end of 2021. It is expected to be commissioned in 2023.
In 2021, the Cabo Leones wind farm in northern Chile was expanded with an additional 60 MW. In November 2021, EDF Renewables also won a concession for 1, 300 hectares of land to develop new renewable projects.
In mid-2021, EDF Renewables and its partner commissioned the Rongshui I and II wind farm, with a capacity of 88MW.
In 2021, EDF Renewables commissioned three wind farms in the United States. Two parks are located in Texas: Las Majadas (272.6MW), which was commissioned in February, and Coyote (242.5 MW), which was commissioned in March. The Miligan wind farm (300 MW), which is located in Nebraska, was commissioned in May. In addition, the King Creek wind farm (393.4MW) in Texas is currently under construction. A 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for a 100 MW share was signed by EDF Renewables and Pedernales Electric Cooperative Inc. (PEC) for this project.
During the extreme cold snap in Texas in February 2021, multi-day spikes in electricity prices were observed. EDF Renewables shut down four wind farms and had to purchase energy at very high prices in order to meet its contractual commitments.
EDF Renewables and Mitsui & Co. Ltd., an international trading and investment group with a diversified business portfolio, continued the construction of the Taza wind farm (87 MW) in northern Morocco. Commissioning is expected in 2022.
EDF Renewables commissioned three wind farm projects, with a total capacity of 68MW; these were awarded in calls for tender at the end of 2019.
EDF Renewables sold 149MW net of wind power capacity to a local partner.
EDF Renewables disposed of all its onshore wind investments in June 2021.
Offshore wind power represents a strong area in EDF Renewables’ development. The company already has operations on the offshore wind power market, with 14GW of projects under development, under construction, in service, or under management and maintenance. EDF Renewables has operations in Europe (Germany, Belgium, France, Ireland, United Kingdom), where it is the eighth-largest player, with nearly 2 GW of projects under construction. It is also present in China, and has positioned itself in the United States.
EDF Renewables is the offshore wind power leader, with four out of seven projects awarded in the calls for tender launched by the French State.
The 200 MW Dongtai V wind farm was commissioned in late November 2021. The Dongtai IV and V wind farms, with a total capacity of 502 MW, are located off the coast of Jiangsu Province, north of Shanghai. They are owned by the joint venture between EDF (EDF Renewables and EDF China) and China Energy Investment Corporation (CEI).
(1) See EDF Renewables’ press release of 12 April 2021 “Masdar-EDF Renewables-Nesma consortium reaches financial close and starts construction on 300 MW solar project in Saudi Arabia”.
(2) See EDF Renewables’ press release of 5 May 2021 “EDF Renewables commissions a 344MW wind complex in Brazil”.
(3) See EDF Renewables’ press release of 28 August 2021 “Construction of France’s first offshore wind farm in Saint-Nazaire: production of components finalised and offshore operations continued”.
(4) See the EDF Renewables press release of 10 May 2021 “Development of the Dunkirk wind farm project and its grid connection moves ahead following public debates”.
