Q ENERGY to repower Souleilla-Corbières wind farm in France

However, thanks to the installation of more recent technologies, the 16 new 80-meter wind turbines will produce approximately 71 GWh annually, compared to 60 GWh/year for their predecessors. Built by Q ENERGY in 1999 and commissioned in 2001, the Souleilla-Corbières wind farm has been undergoing repowering since the summer of 2022. The total installed capacity of the wind farm will increase by over 15% whilst maintaining the same number, position, and dimensions of wind turbines. The increase in capacity will provide more than 4750 additional people with green energy.

Q ENERGY has chosen to apply the principles of circular economy by promoting the reuse, recycling, and upgrading of all components of the farm at the end of their life. 100% of the site's steel has been reprocessed and reused. Components of the wind turbines were sold as spare parts, pieces of the blades were given to a local artist or sold to create innovative furniture. All the concrete from the foundations was removed. One third will be reused in the foundations of the new turbines, while the rest has been used by a local construction company in the building of an industrial platform, the company said.

"For Q ENERGY, the repowering of existing wind farms is a crucial part for the further expansion of renewable energies. The Souleilla-Corbières wind farm proves that this does not necessarily require larger turbines. New and more efficient technology can even generate a substantial energy increase if their size remains the same. Given the scarcity of land in France and some other European countries, repowering is an attractive option for communities, operators and investors alike”, said Jean-François PETIT, General Manager at Q ENERGY France.