Basse-Normandie has great wind energy potential but deciding where to build the turbines is a delicate job. Alice Cannet speaks to Pascal Corté, the Basse-Normandie regional director at environment and energy-saving body Ademe

What is Ademe and what is its role in this region?

Ademe is a public organisation in charge of changing people’s environmental behaviour.

We promote energy-saving and renewable energies, encourage people to save raw materials, manage waste better and rehabilitate polluted soil.

We are also responsible for working to reduce polluting gas emissions and we contribute to air quality surveillance. Ademe works alongside the region on the themes of energy and climate and we have more specific partnerships with the departments on the theme of waste.

How much potential for wind power does Basse-Normandie have?

At present, the region is not very well exploited – we have a little more than 100 wind turbines with a capacity of approximately 100 megawatts, which is relatively low compared to the region’s potential.

The projects on land have been considerably slowed down because of a big change to regulations.

More obstacles have emerged in the new “Grenelle 2” environment law which require a minimum of five turbines to be installed at once, which makes it hard to find a space big enough.

The new regulations are not in favour of the implantation of more wind turbines on land. On the other hand, there are likely zones for off-shore turbines and we are already seeing many industrial projects which could result in hundreds of extra megawatts of supply. Thanks to the low depth of the sea and the favourable conditions, it is easy to consider off-shore wind power in our region.

Where are the turbines likely to be installed and how is it decided?

We have drawn up maps for each of the three departments in Basse-Normandie and another one off-shore.

The maps classify the landscape according to its ability to support wind energy.

These public documents take into account protected natural sites, listed monuments and other technical constraints such as weather radars and low flying planes.

These constraints eventually indicate which zones are favourable, which are not and the zones where a number of local elements need to be taken into account when the impact study is carried out.

How are local people consulted?

Surveys show that people react negatively to wind turbines when they are located within a one-kilometre radius of their home. When it is beyond this radius, 80% of people are actually in favour of installing wind turbines.

What we ask of wind power operators is to start discussions with the local authorities and the population in public meetings as early as possible in order to specify their projects. As soon as they have identified a zone, the population is consulted.

There also are a number of safeguards. In the studies for planning permission, there is a compulsory public survey.

An investigation is commissioned and a register is made available in the town hall where anyone can give their opinion on the project.

Then, the services concerned (weather forecasters, army, EDF and environmental agencies) also give their opinion and the final document is sent to consultation at the Commission des Sites et Paysages to study the landscape impact. At the end of the process, it is the préfet who decides whether or not to grant the application.

What initiatives are in place to help people renovate their home and make it more energy-efficient?

There is a range of help available to individuals starting with the chèque éco-énergie, an initiative in place since 2009 financed by the region which pays a grant of between e700 and e2,000 to help cover the cost of eco-friendly home improvements. More than 3,000 of these grants have been given out so far.

The applicant needs to live locally and be a home-owner – it does not matter whether it is their main property or a second home. The construction professionals have to be registered with the region.
The application for the cheque needs to be made via the network of Espaces Info Enérgie.

This is a network of environmental advisors put in place by Ademe, the region and the EU who give free guidance on how to choose the right equipment and renovate homes.

They work independently of equipment or energy suppliers so their advice is impartial. They must be consulted first in order to obtain the chèque éco-énergie.

The cheque system runs alongside a tax credit scheme introduced by the government. This means that when an individual does renovation work, they can benefit from a direct aid via the cheque and also a tax credit when they fill in their annual income declaration. To get the tax credit (crédit d’impôt), you need to pay tax in France and have your main home here.

The credit system only applies once the work is completed. The work needs to be declared in the tax return relating to the year that the last of the renovation bills was paid – for example, if you paid for the work in 2009 you would declare it in your 2009 tax declaration, which had to be submitted in May this year.

Another measure that applies more generally to renovation works is a reduced rate of VAT. Works done on a house that is more than two years old benefit from a lower rate of 5.5% instead of 19.6%. This applies to properties whether they are your primary residence or a second home.

Is there anything else people can do to save energy?

Basse-Normandie is one of the most active regions in terms of the use of wood, even though it is one of the least wooded regions in France. It is commonly used to warm houses and there is a policy set up by the region and Ademe to develop wood burners in rural environments.

It is easy to find fitters in the region who will install wood boilers, which also happen to benefit from the chèque eco-énergie scheme.