In 2002, Total received authorization to build a windfarm on property adjacent to our Les Flandres refinery in France. Five latest-generation, multi-megawatt wind turbines are now in service near the refinery complex. They have a total generating capacity of 12 MW, equivalent to the household consumption of 15,000 people.
Project Justification
Developing wind power signals Total’s commitment—and contribution—to achieving the renewable energy targets set by the European Union and France.
The European Union plans to increase the contribution of renewable energies (notably wind, hydro and solar power) to power generation in its member states to 22% in 2010 from 14% in 1997. France’s target is 21% by 2010. A number of reports indicate that, to meet this target, installed wind power capacity would have to exceed 10,000 MW at that time, compared with 250 MW at present.
So far, wind power accounts for only a very small proportion of power generation in France. However, the European Union is the world’s biggest overall producer of wind power, with Denmark, Germany and Spain leading the way.
A Benchmark Project
A strategic decision was made to install three different types of wind turbine for the Mardyck project, to speed up our acquisition of experience in this new field. The turbines comprise:
Two made by Denmark’s Vestas, the world’s top turbine supplier.
Two made by Nordex, a German-Danish manufacturer.
One by General Electric Wind Energy, a German subsidiary of the US corporation.
Unit Unit power ratings for the wind turbines range from 2,000 to 3,000 kW.
The Mardyck project was the subject of detailed impact studies, conducted in cooperation with the regional stakeholders and authorities concerned. In addition, project neighbors took part in a public information meeting in February 2002.
Wind Turbine Components
A wind turbine has three parts:
A tower, which consists of four or five segments bolted on top of one other.
A nacelle, which includes a generator, a transmission shaft and a speed increasing gearbox, located between the nose cone and the generator. The entire structure is integrated into a robust frame inside the housing at the top of the wind turbines.
A rotor, which consists of three blades and their supporting nose cone, attached to the nacelle’s rotating shaft.
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Corporate Social Responsibility - Environment
