Siemens Gamesa begins nacelle, IntegralBlades manufacture in Le Havre, France

Siemens Gamesa (Zamudio, Spain) has started manufacturing of both its patented offshore Direct Drive (DD) wind turbine nacelles and patented fiberglass-reinforced epoxy IntegralBlades at its new manufacturing facility in Le Havre, France. Said to be the world’s first facility to encompass both offshore wind turbine nacelle and blade manufacturing under one roof, it is the largest industrial renewable energy project in France. A dedicated installation hub is also under finalization on the same plot, enabling direct load out of wind turbine components to French offshore wind power plants.

According to the company, its Le Havre facility further cements its leadership in the wind industry both in France and globally. The first 500 positions out of the 750 total direct and indirect jobs to be created have been filled. The remaining 250 positions are expected to be filled between the end of calendar year 2022 and early 2023.

“Producing our first offshore wind power components in Le Havre is electrifying. This investment serves as a major driver of the economic growth story in Normandy and in the French offshore wind industry,” Marc Becker, CEO of the Siemens Gamesa Offshore Business Unit, says. “With the world’s first offshore nacelle and blade factory under one roof, we can unlock the power of wind for our customers and the people of France. We are energized to lead the way, especially coupled with solid orders and the government’s recent French Offshore Sector Deal.”

Additionally, Siemens Gamesa and local France-based partners UIMM Le Havre, AFPI, and AFPA have created a dedicated training center for new employees and the new offshore wind specific competencies that are needed. This investment in people is the first training center in France solely dedicated to the production of wind turbine nacelles and blades.

“The French Offshore Sector Deal recently signed by the French Government commits to 18 gigawatts [GW] to be installed by 2035 and for awards growing from 2 GW per year from 2025 onwards,” Filippo Cimitan, managing director of Siemens Gamesa France, states. “The growth path is crystal clear. We look forward to executing our French offshore order pipeline with components from the plant. The growing market opportunity and public commitments secure the long-term prospects for our new colleagues.”

Siemens Gamesa reports that it has approximately 2.5 GW of capacity currently announced in France. They include the firm orders for the 496-megawatt (MW) Bay of Saint Brieuc project, the 497-MW Fecamp project, the 448-MW Calvados (formerly Courseulles-sur-Mer) project and the 24-MW Provence Grand Large floating offshore wind power project. Preferred supplier agreements include the 496-MW Yeu Noirmoutier project and the 496-MW Dieppe le Tréport project. The projects will, in total, use both Siemens Gamesa 7-MW and 8-MW offshore DD nacelles, as well as 75-meter long B75 blades and 81-meter long B81 blades.