The conference programme at EWEC 2009 offered a unique opportunity for Europe's decision makers and industry leaders to engage in constructive dialogue about the barriers, challenges and benefits of developing and exploiting wind energy.
EWEC was also the opportunity for Vergnet to confirm its leadership in medium power wind turbines through signature of a frame agreement with a customer in Lithuania for installation of various single turbines around the country. This success follows the signature during the previous weeks of other contracts in hurricane prone areas, in Japan and Taïwan, reaffirming once again the adaptation and competitiveness of the tiltable GEV MP 275 kW for islands markets.
The interest that has been shown associated to the great success we enjoyed during the 3 and a half days and the conference, confirms the ongoing quicken arousal of the Farwind® market we have been focusing on for many years.
For any queries, product details or other information required, we would be glad to discuss it with you in further details and help you to carry your new projects and achievements forward.
As a matter of interest, we will also be attending at : L’ AFRICA ENERGY FORUM, Bordeaux, June 30th - July 2nd (http://www.energynet.co.uk).
Conference presented by Pierre Pesnel, Sales Director
Theme: New concepts THE 1 MW WTG FROM VERGNET REVEALS ADAPTED INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGICAL FEATURES AND CONFIRMS FARWIND REALITY.
Marc Vergnet received Tuesday November 18, 2008 the 6th Price of Renewable Energies of the hands of the Secretary of State to the Foreign Trade Anne-Marie Idrac.
This price given during the conference of the Trade union of Renewable Energies (SER), rewarded the development of the new 1MW wind turbine and the recent success of the Vergnet group in Ethiopia. It more generally devotes 20 years of effort and obstinacy of the Group.
On October 9, Vergnet signed with the Ethiopian company of electricity EEPCO a contract of 210 million Euros for the sale and installation of 120 wind turbines of 1MW.
A success which promises others of them.
Major contract signed in Ethiopia: €210 million
Contract signed with EEPCo for the delivery of 120 wind turbines
Today, in the presence of Anne-Marie Idrac, French Secretary of Foreign Trade, Ato Alemayehu Tegenu, Ethiopian Minister of Energy and Mines the Vergnet group represented by Marc Vergnet signed a major contract with the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation, EEPCo represented by Ato Meheret Debebe. This is the largest contract ever signed between a French company and an Ethiopian company. The contract, involving the sale and installation of 120 1 MW GEV HP wind turbines over a period of three years, with the first 30 units to be delivered in 2009, will result in the largest wind farm in sub-Saharan Africa. The contract is in line with Ethiopia’s energy policy, in response to the fastpaced growth of domestic demand and its intention to eventually export electricity to neighbouring countries. Vergnet was awarded this bid due to the competitiveness of its wind turbines, which are perfectly suited to the Farwind zones, which present considerable logistic constraints. The complete integration of the value chain (design, manufacture, installation and maintenance using local teams) was also a key advantage.
A fully financed project
EEPCo will draw on two complementary sources of financing to carry out this project: - A €165 million bank loan syndicated by BNP Paribas based on a €130 million COFACE guarantee; - Together with an €45 million loan from AFD (the French Development Agency).
Leading partners
Vergnet has decided to work with two leading partners in connection with this contract. The group has appointed an engineering firm specializing in the management of major international projects to serve as general contractor and it will assign the supply of the high voltage equipments to AREVA.
A Group dimensioned to manage growth
Vergnet has been preparing to take on new dimensions for many years now. Its teams, production capacities, and management structure have been considerably strengthened in order to enable the group to manage the growth of its 1 MW GEV HP business. The operating capacities already put in place will be fully operational by year-end 2009, with a production capacity of 100 GEV HP and 50 GEV MP per year. The group is thus well positioned for the future.
Hervé BOULAIE administrator of the "Pôle de compétitivité S2E2" (French)
Inauguration de la première GEV MP275 à la Pointe du diable (octobre 2007)
Il y a un presque un an, la société Vergnet, seul fabricant français d’éoliennes rabattables, installait sa première éolienne GEV MP 275 KW au Vanuatu (à la Pointe du Diable), archipel situé à 450 km au nord-est de la Nouvelle Calédonie dans l’océan Pacifique. Et comme en témoigne cette photo de l’afficheur prise en mai dernier (Siemens OP7 situé au pied de l’éolienne), la disponibilité est de 99.9%, ce qui témoigne de l’extrême fiabilité et performance de notre éolienne « 4x4 ». Actuellement, un chantier de 10 nouvelles éoliennes de la même puissance est en cours de réalisation sur le même site et les travaux devraient se terminer d’ici le dernier trimestre 2008.
Un nouveau prix récompense Marc Vergnet, président de Vergnet S.A., pour l’ensemble de sa carrière
Le Pôle de Compétitivité DERBI (Développement des Energies Renouvelables dans le Bâtiment et l’Industrie) a organisé la 3ème Conférence Internationale DERBI du 5 au 7 juin 2008 à Perpignan.
Reconnue par tous les spécialistes du secteur des énergies renouvelables, la conférence DERBI est devenue en trois ans un rendez-vous international incontournable. Lieu de rencontre prisé des professionnels, la conférence Internationale DERBI 2008 a accueillie cette année plus de 1000 congressistes.
Les différentes réunions thématiques organisées sur ces deux jours se sont achevées par une remise de prix « Le Trophée de l’Entrepreneur Derbi 2008 ». Cette année, ce prix a été décerné à Marc Vergnet pour l’exemplarité de sa carrière comme véritable acteur des Energies Renouvelables.
VERGNET SA received a visit from Nicolas Sarkozy, Sustainable Development
The Head of State visited the company, expressing a particular interest in the 30 engineers from the Research and Development department, mobilised and motivated for the launch of the GEV HP range, the new generation of powerful wind turbines (1MW).
He then had a tour of the manufacturing workshop.
His decision to visit VERGNET was a natural one. As sole manufacturer of wind turbines in France, VERGNET is greatly involved in the French overseas Départements and Territories. The Grenelle de l’Environnement Energy Summit resulted in very ambitious objectives for renewable energies to supply French overseas territories soon to be confirmed by a general law: 50% by 2020 (excluding Mayotte: 30%). Remember that VERGNET wind turbines are the only turbines that meet French overseas Département and Territories constraints, particularly in terms of cyclones.
VERGNET unveils the first 1MW Farwind turbine
For its first appearance at EWEC – European Wind Energy Conference & Exhibition (Brussels 31st March to 3rd April) - VERGNET presented its new 1MW turbine: the GEV HP. Both on its stand and during the “Innovations in turbine design” conference, the first parts of this new solution were unveiled to the public and the press.
A SPECIFIC CONTEXT
The challenge is to provide energy to regions that need it most, as far as the remotest areas, precisely where it is the most precious. At Vergnet, that’s what we call Farwind®: 134 countries, 1.5 billion inhabitants across the world, largely dependent on “petro-electricity”. In this context, the development of large-scale wind solutions has become vital for these fast developing countries that see their growth held up by energy guzzling costs!
UNIQUE AND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGYA
With Farwind®, VERGNET has developed innovative and efficient turbines that are completely adapted to these special conditions. At EWEC 2008, visitors were surprised by the GEV HP’s audacious concept of lowering the nacelle to the ground, baptised BIRDLIKE™. The system is simply inspired by observing nature. Like a large-winged bird, the GEV HP, a twin-bladed turbine sees its nacelle land on the ground at the foot of the machine. This unique mechanism offers protection against cyclones, but also simplifies and considerably reduces installation and maintenance costs removing the need for an expensive crane that is often impossible to find in Farwind® countries.
ECLECTIC ™, the power management system that combines variable speed and power electronics, enables GEV HP to fit into all grids, even the weakest, and gives the support required whilst strictly complying with the most demanding grid codes.
Despite being 70m high and its 62m diameter rotor producing 1MW power, GEV HP maintains the entire Vergnet product development philosophy, imposed by the Farwind® context. The principle of holding its mast with guys reduces overall weight and size (GEV HP is 33% lighter than the average of comparable machines). This technology means the amount of infrastructure cement is reduced by two thirds. The GEV HP unit is transported in standard containers. Transport costs are consequently reduced and problems of infrastructure in the remotest zones in the world are alleviated. Parts are assembled on site without using large cranes. An integrated system means the GEV HP can be erected independently (only a 50 to 90 tonne crane is required).
A real revolution has arrived in the world of wind turbines with the GEV HP, meaning wind power to be envisaged in areas that have until now been inaccessible.
The Farwind® wind turbine is entering a new era!
The committee supporting this initiative comprises twelve members: three independents (former Minister Hubert Curien, Nobel prize winner Pierre Gilles de Gennes and Nobel prize winner Georges Charpak) and nine chairmen from key French industrial groups including L’Oréal, PSA, Airbus, Arcelor, Lafarge and Renault.
This Award recognises engineers that have distinguished themselves over the last twelve months through remarkable innovations, projects and achievements. Seven awards are given including the “Sustainable Development Award” that recognises innovative creations that have a strong impact in societal, environmental and economic terms.
This year, the “Sustainable Development Award” went to Marc Vergnet for his new high power anticyclonic wind turbine (1MW) which will be marketed in 2008.
The 1MW GEV HP: a wind turbine for the FARWIND® market
VERGNET wind turbine technology is inspired by nature: “like a reed that bends but does not break”. It stands apart from the three-bladed turbines in Northern Europe thanks to technical characteristics that are the subject of several patents:
A twin-bladed aerogenerator with a teeter hub, instead of a three-bladed turbine with a fixed hub. With larger blades and slightly faster rotation, the use of a twin-bladed helix has no negative effect on the power produced by the aerogenerator. The teeter hub technology is derived from that used by helicopters; it helps reduce aerodynamic constraints on the wind turbine by 35%. The combination of these 2 technologies optimises the machine’s weight and makes transport and installation much easier.
A guyed mast taller than conventional generator masts for the same power generation. Such height gives the turbine access to stronger winds.
Finally, a revolutionary lowering system means the nacelle can be lowered to the ground if there are cyclone warnings and it makes for easy maintenance all year round.
This 1MW GEV HP represents the first model of a new range for Farwind® markets (around 130 countries); the demand from these markets is estimated today at 2,000MW. With this new range the Group will have access 10-50MW wind power stations. This market sector is enjoying strong growth considering the ever-increasing requirements of these countries in terms of electricity.
Signature of a project at Pointe du Diable, Vanuatu, 29/11
On 29th November 2007, Mr Yves Morault, CEO of Unelco (a subsidiary of Suez) and Marc Vergnet, CEO of VERGNET, signed an order for 10 GEV MP machines for a wind farm on Vanuatu, at Pointe du Diable.
This order follows the great performances and excellent availability rates measured over the last six months on the test wind turbine that had been installed at Pointe du Diable.
This wind farm will be an example for the entire south pacific: anti-cyclonic technology, genuine economic competition, energy “safety”; a company (UNELCO) and a country that are taking control.
This project is part of UNELCO’s ambitious objective: 50% of energy production will be from renewable and local energy resources: hydro-electricity, copra oil and wind energy.
The conference programme at EWEC 2009 offered a unique opportunity for Europe's decision makers and industry leaders to engage in constructive dialogue about the barriers, challenges and benefits of developing and exploiting wind energy.
Marc Vergnet received Tuesday November 18, 2008 the 6th Price of Renewable Energies of the hands of the Secretary of State to the Foreign Trade Anne-Marie Idrac.
Contract signed with EEPCo for the delivery of 120 wind turbines
Download the full presentation (PDF, UK)
Il y a un presque un an, la société Vergnet, seul fabricant français d’éoliennes rabattables, installait sa première éolienne GEV MP 275 KW au Vanuatu (à la Pointe du Diable), archipel situé à 450 km au nord-est de la Nouvelle Calédonie dans l’océan Pacifique.
The Head of State visited the company, expressing a particular interest in the 30 engineers from the Research and Development department, mobilised and motivated for the launch of the GEV HP range, the new generation of powerful wind turbines (1MW).
For the fourth consecutive year, the “Engineer of the Year Awards” were discerned by 
On 29th November 2007, Mr Yves Morault, CEO of Unelco (a subsidiary of Suez) and Marc Vergnet, CEO of VERGNET, signed an order for 10 GEV MP machines for a wind farm on Vanuatu, at Pointe du Diable. 