Question 35775 — energy and fuels

Summary

Mr. Grégory Labille draws the attention of the Minister of Ecological Transition to the development of wind power in France. Following on from the question he sent to her on Thursday January 14, 2021 during the control week, he would like a more precise response from the Minister on the reasons which push the Government to make wind energy a key element of the energy transition when it is neither particularly ecological nor a satisfactory long-term response to enable France to move away from nuclear power. First of all, the MP contests the Minister's assertion of a French opinion mainly favorable to the installation of wind power as she indicated during her response of January 14, 2021. 7 wind mast installations out of 10 are subject to appeal before the administrative courts; the 2019 IFOP survey indicates that 80% of French people perceive the installation of wind turbines as the result of unilateral decisions and not concerted with the populations. The survey specifies the significant standard deviation between the “very good images” and the “very bad images” (8.22 vs. 11.45) which implies that the depreciation of wind turbines increases as respondents become more informed about wind power. Then, wind energy will not allow a real energy transition which will detach France from nuclear power because its cost is too high and its effectiveness is too uncertain. Concerning its cost, the Minister repeated that the average price of electricity produced by wind power was now less than 60 euros per megawatt hour. However, the sales price for wind power at EDF is 91 euros per megawatt hour. The indicated price of 60 euros is deducted from state subsidies. To arrive at 15% of the total electricity produced by wind power, the estimated cost oscillates between 73 and 90 billion euros compared to 80 billion euros for nuclear power, which provides 75% of carbon-free electricity in France. Not only is wind energy more expensive, it is also less secure: its production can vary in a day from 30 to 1 and the reliance on its use alerts Faith Birol, the executive director of the International Energy Agency. The ecological aspect of wind energy is also not without criticism. Each wind turbine requires 1,500 tonnes of reinforced concrete underground and 50 tonnes of scrap metal. Associations continue to warn about the consequences of land masts on biodiversity. Not only do they kill birds or cows, as the World Conservation Council report shows, wind turbines also deteriorate the quality of life of local residents. with the increase in cases of headaches or insomnia recorded among residents. The decree of June 22, 2020 modifying the requirements relating to wind turbine installations cited by the Minister, which would allow the compulsory dismantling of wind turbines by companies, is currently being contested before the Council of State and there is no guarantee of its rejection by the latter. This debate around wind power is all the more important since, on 14 January 2020, began the judgment of the “case of the century” where 4 NGOs accuse the State of “culpable failure” through “failing action” in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Taking these elements into account, he asks how wind energy is an energy allowing France to achieve a real energy transition when it is more costly for the State, more expensive for the French and doubtful in terms of ecological.

Machine translation from French. The official text remains authoritative.

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