EDF Group has commissioned the 96MW Ensemble Eolien Catalan wind farm located in the Languedoc-Roussillon-Midi-Pyrénées region of France.
Located in the municipalities of Baixas, Calce, Pézilla-la-Rivière and Villeneuve-la-Rivière, Pyrénées-Orientales department, the project is claimed to be the country’s largest of its kind followed by the company’s 87MW Salles-Curan wind farm.
The Ensemble Eolien Catalan wind farm comprises 35 Vestas-built turbines, which features stealth technology designed to reduce interference with radar systems. The turbines have 2-3MW capacity each.
Partially inspired by stealth warplanes, the stealth wind turbines are claimed to be the world’s first solution favoring the coexistence of wind farms and weather radars.
The stealth wind turbine technology has been developed in cooperation with QinetiQ, an international defense, security and technology company.
In addition to decreasing the reflectivity of their components, the stealth wind turbines are designed to reduce their footprint on the radars operated by Météo France, such as the one located close to the wind farm.
Planned to be operated and maintained by EDF EN Services, the wind farm is expected to generate clean electricity required to power 120,000 people annually.
EDF president and CEO Jean-Bernard said: "As part of our CAP 2030 strategy, we will further accelerate our development in these energies in France.
"This illustrates our aim to build a diversified generation mix serving the energy transition. Technological innovation has always been at the heart of our commitment and will be a major driver of this development."
Image: The Ensemble Eolien Catalan wind farm in France. Photo: © EDF EN.