A 600 MW wind project off the coast of Dunkirk
The wind farm will be located at least 10 km off the coast of Dunkirk, and at least 11.4 km off the coast of the seaside towns situated either side of the border with Belgium, covering a total area not exceeding 50 km². The project will include a maximum of 46 wind turbines, installed on “monopile” type foundations.
The final layout and characteristics of the wind farm will be defined once the permits have been obtained and the technical studies completed, so that the best available technologies can be selected when the project begins construction.
The Dunkirk offshore wind farm is expected to produce around 2.3 TWh of electricity per year. This covers the equivalent annual consumption of almost one million people, or more than a third of the population of the Nord département.
An ideal area for offshore wind power development
The site off the coast of Dunkirk offers major advantages for the construction of an offshore wind farm:
- A physical environment that is well suited to offshore wind farms: a very good wind field and variable water depth, linked to the presence of underwater dunes, but limited (less than 30 m for the entire zone).
- A robust electrical grid capable of handling the wind farm’s output.
- A leading industrial port complex, with the Grand Port Maritime de Dunkerque, and recognised know-how and expertise in energy issues.
lex, met de Grote Maritieme Haven van Duinkerke, en erkende knowhow en expertise op het gebied van energievraagstukken.
The wind turbines will be spaced around 1 km apart to ensure that the offshore wind farm operates at optimum efficiency. The project owners undertake to define, build and operate an environmentally-friendly project and to implement the most appropriate practices for the benefit of existing ecosystems and uses.
The site is characterised by very specific hydro-sedimentary conditions, with numerous sandbanks and dunes whose shape changes over time. The mobility of the seabed was taken into account by the project owners as early as the call for tenders phase.
The connection of the offshore wind farm off the coast of Dunkirk to the onshore electricity transmission grid will be provided by RTE, which plans to create:
- an offshore substation, which will collect the electricity generated by the wind turbines and transform its voltage (66,000 volts) into a voltage suitable for the transmission grid (225,000 volts);
- a dual 225,000 volt submarine and underground electricity link between the offshore substation and the onshore substation;
- a 225,000-volt onshore substation near Dunkirk, connected to the existing power grid nearby.
To find out more about: Electrical connection of the Dunkirk offshore wind farm | RTE (rte-france.com)
Two well-known contractors in the renewable energy sector
The company Eoliennes en Mer de Dunkerque (EMD): long-term partners
The Dunkirk offshore wind farm project benefits from the expertise of major groups in the development and management of large-scale projects.
The partners have a wealth of experience in offshore wind energy and large-scale industrial projects. EDF Renouvelables and Enbridge are long-standing partners on six offshore wind projects in France.
velables en Enbridge zijn al lange tijd partners bij 6 offshore windmolenprojecten in Frankrijk.
EDF Renouvelables, a subsidiary of the EDF Group, brings its know-how in developing renewable energy projects and the EDF Group’s expertise in very large-scale energy projects.
A North American leader in the transmission, distribution and production of electricity, Enbridge Inc. has strong ambitions in the renewable energy sector, with 5.1 Gigawatts of capacity in operation and under construction (February 2022).
RTE (Réseau de Transport d’Electricité): a key player in the energy transition
RTE (Réseau de Transport d’Electricité) is France’s public electricity transmission system operator. RTE operates, maintains, and develops the high and extra-high voltage grid. It is the guarantor of the smooth operation and safety of the electricity system.
The project timetable
