Wind Observatory 2021 - Analysis of the French wind power industry: market, jobs and challenges, September 2021

The 2021 edition of the Observatory is being released in a pivotal year given that it is the last one before the next presidential election and the first that will be read by the new regional officials. The share of wind in electricity generation now amounts to 9% of France's global power mix. Since 2020, wind power has been the No.3 source of electricity in France after nuclear power and hydropower. These outcomes, achieved after 15 years of extensive work by the 900 companies in the industry that are established in France, confirm the robustness of our fundamentals, both in terms of competitiveness and of industrial capabilities. In terms of competitiveness, the downward trend in wind power generation costs manifests itself within the winning bid prices in the call for tenders, both for onshore (Euros 60.8 per MWh) and offshore projects (Euros 44 per MWh). This downward trend provides the wind industry with a competitive advantage over historical sectors burdened by upward trends in their production costs (for example, Euros 110-120 MWh for new nuclear operations). In terms of industrial capabilities, the wind industry has demonstrated its know-how by installing new wind farms at a steady pace, even in the midst of a global pandemic. All the business operating along the value chain (planning and design, component manufacturing, construction engineering, operations and maintenance) are thus in line to deliver the yearly 1,900 MW of onshore wind and 1,000 MW of offshore wind that must be installed by 2028 in order to secure France's energy supply and achieve the country's national and international goals (for instance PPE, SNBC, COP 21). These sound fundamentals are the result of a sustained, concerted effort on the part of the businesses that make up the French wind power industry. These fundamentals translate into significant social and economic benefits. These include 2,400 jobs created in 2020, and overall more than 22,600 jobs in France (the wind industry is now the top employer in the renewables sector), as well as upwards of Euros 220 m in local tax revenues that contribute primarily to funding municipalities of less than 100 inhabitants and that have been invaluable in revitalising communities by making public local investments possible. The wind industry, which has become indispensable, approaches the second half of 2021 by taking part in the debate and formulating proposals for 2022 that will allow everyone to be informed of the vision that the industry has on the challenges facing society (for example, employment, training, independence, safety, reindustrialization, combating social inequality) and on the solutions proposed to support France's energy transition