THE Glasgow-based offshore wind business of Spanish energy giant Iberdrola has submitted two bids for offshore wind farms off the French coast as the growth of the green energy industry continues to accelerate.
A consortium led by Iberdrola, owner of ScottishPower, wants to establish wind farms with a combined capacity of almost one gigawatt off the Brittany and Atlantic coasts that would produce enough power for 1.2 million homes.
The French Government is seeking bids for the installation of up to three gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind capacity.
Keith Anderson, chief executive of ScottishPower Renewables and Iberdrola's global offshore division, said: "Our consortium has put in a huge amount of effort to put together two very detailed bids in response to the French Government's tender.
"Engineers and project managers in our headquarters in Glasgow will have a key role in supporting the projects, and will oversee a consortium that has worldwide experience of developing major renewable energy projects and a wealth of technological expertise."
The consortium includes Eole Res, specialist in the design, development, construction and operation of renewable energy projects, turbine manufacturer Areva, engineering and construction company Technip, and developer Neoen Marine.
Iberdrola's global offshore business was established in Glasgow in 2010, where it employs more than 50 people. It draws on the staff and expertise of ScottishPower Renewables, which in 2008 and 2009 built a 140 turbine wind farm at Whitelee near Glasgow.
It is now overseeing potential projects in France, Germany, England and Scotland, with a total capacity of around 10,000 megawatts, which could rise to nearly 11,000MW if the French bids are successful.
One windfarm is in Saint-Brieuc Bay, off the Brittany coast and has a planned capacity of 500MW. The other, off the Saint-Nazaire coast in Loire Atlantique, would have an installed power of up to 480MW.
The winning bids will be revealed later this year and the French Government wants the first wind farms to be operational in 2015.
If the Iberdrola-led bid is successful, Areva will manufacture and install the turbines, from a new plant in France. Technip will install the foundations and the offshore wind turbines.
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