Using Wind Power in France

Some energy suppliers now specialise in producing wind energy such as Planete Oui and French residents can choose to use them. However, installing your own wind turbine in France is a viable option for residents with enough land in a rural and windy area.

A small, individual and domestic wind turbine can cost anything from €10,000 to €100,000. These can produce between 100 Wh ad 20 kWh of electricity and are mounted on a mast of between 10 and 35 m high. Wind turbines such as these can be connected to a mains network or just an individual property. The electricity produced can feed electrical appliances such as pumps and lighting in an economical and durable way.

If surplus is produced, the owner can usually sell energy back to the grid, but would need to be situated in a dedicated ZDE (Zone de Développement Ecolier).

Advantages:

• Life span of 20 years
• Often made of recycled / reused material
• Installing it will not contribute to your carbon footprint
• Potential to sell back surplus to the grid

Disadvantages:

• Hard to integrate into the surroundings
• Can be noisy
• If you want to sell surplus you must be in a ZDE area
• If it is more than 12m high, you must get planning permission
• Before you have it installed, you must have a study done on your location’s wind speed potentialIt is possible to apply for eco loans of between 0% and 1.9% interest. Grants may also be available. Find out more about financing your eco project. Regional companies such as Gaz Electricite de Grenoble can offer further advice on installing your own wind turbine.