Doris Leblond
OGJ Correspondent
PARIS, Sept. 7 -- Gaz de France and wind energy developer Maïa Eolis, Lyon, France, have formed a 49%-51% joint venture to build and operate wind farms in Europe, with about 50% to be installed in France. The wind farms are being planned to produce as much as 1,000 Mw of wind energy capacity by 2012.
The move advances Gaz de France's strategy to develop renewable energy sources that will constitute 10% of its electrical capacity in Europe within the next 6 years.
MaÏa Eolis will develop, construct, and operate the wind farms. The project will raise Maïa Eolis's total wind generating capacity to some 2.3 billion kw-hr from its wind farms in Europe, equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of some 300,000 households. The green electric power is expected to prevent the emission of 2 million tonnes/year of carbon dioxide.
Gaz de France's UK subsidiary Gaz de France ESS in March signed a 10-year contract to purchase the full 100-120 Gw-hr/year output of green electricity from the proposed Earlsburn wind farms near Stirling, Scotland. Falk Renewables Ltd. is constructing that facility, due on stream in early 2007.