Could first electrons from French offshore project spark Channel Islands into life?

Friday 07 July 2023

The first electrons of power have been generated from a £1.8 billion wind farm off the Brittany coast, just weeks after Jersey and Guernsey highlighted the potential for collaboration on a similar project for the Channel Islands.

Turbines making up the St Brieuc offshore project – each around 200 metres high – have recently begun turning, and on Wednesday electricity was injected into the French grid for the first time via undersea cables.

Lying 23 miles south-west of Jersey, the project has sparked considerable interest in the Channel Islands, with politicians from both Jersey and Guernsey expressing interest in exploring options for a similar scheme that could potentially supply both islands, with capacity to spare.

Wind farm could be completed in eight years

Last month Environment Minister Jonathan Renouf said Jersey remained "very committed" to a wind farm project, which could be completed within eight years.

Pictured: Deputy Renouf has previously expressed his support for a wind farm in Jersey's territorial waters.

Norwegian renewables firm Equinor recently visited Guernsey for two days of talks, while Emmanuel Rollin, General Manager of Iberdrola – the company behind the St. Brieuc project – said last year that he would be interested in exploring options in the Channel Islands.

Following the British-Irish Council summit hosted last month, offshore wind was mentioned as one of the areas of joint focus in a communique issued by the Chief Ministers of Jersey and Guernsey.

The St. Brieuc windfarm is due to be completed this autumn, with 62 turbines and an offshore substation across an area of 29 square miles – around two-thirds the size of Jersey.

"Key element in the battle against climate change"

With an installed capacity of 496 megawatts, the annual production of 1,820 gigawatt hours will supply nearly 9% of Brittany’s total electricity consumption.

Mr Rollin described the start of electricity generation as "a milestone symbol of 12 years of effort to carry out this gigantic project".

He added: "It will contribute both to Brittany's energy sovereignty and energy transition, and be a key element in the battle against climate change."

A "no brainer" for Jersey?

Zach Lewy, who moved to the island with his family two years ago, and is the CEO of Arrow Group, a fund and asset management firm involved in large capital projects around the world, explained why the concept of a wind farm was a clear 'win-win' in his interview in the July edition of Connect Magazine.

"The ageing population does create a funding requirement and there is a limited set of economic activities that will realistically address that... From what I have seen, you would clearly want to optimise renewables. So, if you could develop a wind farm at the end of our boundary waters, to me, that is a no-brainer. 

"If you can drive the sustainability agenda, generate significant revenue for the Treasury and create jobs, it seems like a consensus winner."

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Zach Lewy's full interview can be read here...