Wind power has been used by man since antiquity: sailboats for conquests and trade, windmills to mow grains, irrigate, etc. In France, two centuries ago, the sails of some 20,000 wind turbines turned on our hills. In fact, wind power was massively exploited to operate machines until steam, then electricity took over. Over the past decades, the interest in wind power has been revived for environmental reasons.

By definition, a wind turbine is obviously ecological. Its operation is totally natural: no gas or particle emission, no waste, no effluent, no discharge, total respect for the quality of the air… in other words, the ultimate in clean energy.

Wind turbines are easy to put up and dismantle. They are made of non-toxic, recyclable materials and do not leave any traces on the sites after dismantling. They have a long life cycle (over 20 years).

They produce significant quantities of power: a wind farm of 10 wind turbines of 2 MW each supplies domestic electricity for 10,000 people (excluding heating). Their impacts are negligible and they help to stave off the greenhouse effect.

The impact on landscapes: on this point, opinions vary. The aesthetic appeal of a wind power plant in a landscape is something which is totally subjective and up to each individual.

Noise: modern wind turbines have progressed enormously in this respect and have relatively slow rotation speeds. The noise generated is very acceptable. All you have to do is go to a wind farm to dismiss all unfounded crazy rumours on this issue.

Moreover, laws governing the installation of wind farms (distances to be complied with) ensure that any sound nuisance is annihilated or minimised.

Man has always fashioned the landscape, whether by planting trees along the roads, building walls, planting crops on terraced hillsides, etc.
At any rate, since the Act of 03/01/2003, to apply for a building permit, an Impact Study is required for all projects of more than 2.5 MW. In addition, a public enquiry is required for any construction exceeding 25 m. The impact study comprises a landscape analysis of the site and a study of the project's insertion in the environment (landscape, water, fauna, health, etc.).
The question of landscape finds unexpected solutions in industrial environments. The set-up of wind turbines can contribute to the restoration of industrial wasteland, thereby giving a new function to facilities which were once part of our industrial or architectural heritage.
If so required, the wind turbine can be removed as discretely as it was set-up and exploited: easy dismantling and transport, followed by quick restoration of the site given the little space taken up on the ground.

1. To fight against global warming.
The climate changes announced are seen through increasingly frequent natural disasters (floods, severe storms, cyclones, melting of ice caps, etc.).
It's not too late to do something about it, by saving energy and shifting energy production towards clean, renewable energy sources to reverse the trend.

2. To secure energy production.
The constant rise in the price of oil and other fossil fuels (like coal and gas) is resulting in a proportionate rise in the cost of living (heating, transport, etc.)
Even nuclear energy is not a solution as uranium resources are not inexhaustible. Experts have already set the limit to 40 years.

A standard 2 MW wind turbine is 120 metres high. This height is easily reached with a wind turbine whose rotor shaft is 80 metres above ground level with a diameter of more than 80 metres.

Because of the limited amount of civil engineering work, the building of a wind turbine is fairly discreet. The most spectacular phases concern the transport and assembly of the machine. The sections of the mast and blades need to be transported by road on extra long trailers. The crossing of cities and villages then attracts the attention of numerous onlookers. Cranes and other gigantic material handling facilities are then used to raise the machine. Once installed, the wind turbine stands out through the small amount of ground space it covers (1% of the surface area taken up by a facility of the same power producing another type of energy).

For the installation work, local firms are often called upon to do a large part of the civil engineering work. Professionals are then required for exploitation and maintenance. These jobs are in well-know fields such as the maintenance of industrial facilities, metal work, electricity and electromechanics. All of these professionals are called upon to adapt their skills to the job at hand. Moreover, there are reconversion opportunities in more specialised fields such as electronics and information technology. In these fields, the manufacturers train the personnel concerned.

Firstly, the site attracts onlookers who are quickly captured by the beauty of the wind turbines. Certain sites are even used as backgrounds for photos published in fashion or travel magazines. In France, wind turbine sites become tourist attractions with information booths and shops selling local products. Local restaurant owners even set up premises near the sites to offer the public a place to relax as a family around a drink or local speciality. A wind farm can thus be an asset for the development of tourism in a region.

After Great Britain, France has the greatest wind power potential in Europe. It has formidable resources across the country: inexhaustible wealth that France is determined to exploit.

As agreed with the EEC, France has set itself an ambitious target: by 2010, the proportion of renewable energy sources in electricity production will reach 21%, versus 14% today. In June 2001, the French government wanted to assert that decision and a new energy law was voted on and adopted. It aims to facilitate and promote the exploitation of renewable energy sources with the prospect of electricity production from renewable sources reaching some 13,000 MW by 2010.

The emergence of wind farms implies planning, construction and installation of the wind turbines, then production management and maintenance work. The infrastructure of the host regions is thus reinforced. This allows the sprouting of new trades and creation of numerous jobs which in turn help to increase buying power and the collection of new tax revenues for the government. Today in Germany, the income of 45,000 people stems solely from the wind power sector. Indirectly, its expansion has lead to the creation of at least 150,000 new jobs. The tripling of renewable energy sources in Europe would immediately create 2 million jobs.

The consequences of the installation of a wind farm on fauna has been the subject of numerous scientific studies. These studies were warranted because animal behaviour varies greatly depending on wind direction, the seasons, as well as the stage of the installation work. For instance, concerning birds, while some look for protection in new structures to build their nests, others shy away from them. How can the former be protected while respecting the others' living habits?

The observations made right from the first studies have confirmed the scientific conclusions established for many years: the exploitation of a wind farm presents no danger for fauna.

This fact was confirmed by a survey conducted with hunters. Outside the construction phase, wind turbine sites are not a source of disturbance for local game or birds. This success is due to the shape of the blades and their rotation speed as well as all the preliminary studies carried out (location of the site, orientation and type of construction). Despite this progress and in compliance with applicable laws, no wind farm can be set up in bird protection areas or in certain nature parks.

France, which is party to the international KYOTO agreement for the protection of the climate, has resolutely embarked on a policy to boost wind power. A single 1,500 kW wind turbine produces three to four million kWh per year, without any effect on the quality of the air. This production easily covers the electricity needs of 1,000 four-person households. This power, if produced from another source, would give rise to the emission of 3,000 tons of CO2 along with particles of SO2 (sulphur dioxide) and NO (nitrogen oxide). With wind power, all of these factors which aggravate the greenhouse effect are eliminated.

The shadow cast by the blades when rotating varies according to weather conditions, wind direction and the position of the sun. This transition between shade and light can have an unpleasant effect called the stroboscopic effect. Upon the installation of the wind turbines, this factor is taken into account to avoid any nuisance.

During its useful life (20 years), a wind turbine produces 30 to 82 times the energy that was required for its construction, operation and dismantling. For conventional power plants this figure is 0.3 or 0.4 at best. Indeed, to produce electricity, they need enormous quantities of raw materials. A wind turbine located on an ideal site can refund its debt in less than three months of operation. Whatever the duration, energy amortisation is practically impossible for a conventional power plant.

Over the long term, the cost of wind power tends to decrease, something which is inconceivable for the cost of electricity stemming from conventional sources, due to their raw material needs and the cost of waste treatment.

In addition to these savings, other savings are made in terms of indirect costs. Every year, huge amounts are spent caring for and compensating victims of the greenhouse effect, toxic gas emissions in the air, recurring floods and storms.

To ensure a steady and permanent supply of electricity, all electric power plants in Europe are interconnected.

As wind turbines are naturally connected to the interconnected European grid, users benefit from current supply guarantees as well as from clean electricity. Moreover, the constant progress made by weather forecasting agencies and the increasing precision of their forecasts make it a lot easier for power grid managers to take account of wind power production.

For a long time now, scientists across the world have been reminding us that global fossil energy reserves (coal, oil, gas and uranium) are limited. At the same time, as we keep learning every year, the global ecosystem can no longer support the combustion of fossil fuels. Even nuclear energy has its limits and risks, particularly with the burial of waste whose consequences for future generations are unpredictable.

Conversely, renewable energy sources offer us a potential of inexhaustible resources, without any risk for current or future generations and without affecting the climate. This alternative is not utopian, it has progressively entered our lives. Clean, efficient and cheaper energy: these qualities are boosting the construction of wind farms which are spreading to more and more regions.

It is up to each of us to take up this new resource and promote its development, and not wait until the effects on our climate become irreversible, nor for fossil fuels to be used up.