Turbines from Chinese OEM Envision Energy will make their debut in France following completion of the sale of its in-development Entre-Tille-et-Venelle wind farm to investment fund The Renewables Infrastructure Group (TRIG).
The 40MW project, being developed by Envision subsidiary Velocita Énergies in Burgundy, is being built around 16 of Envision's EN131 2.5MW machines, which once commissioned in 2020 will supply more than 51,000 people with electricity.
"We consider the fact that the transaction has been finalised before the end of the [construction of the wind farm] as a sign of confidence in Velocita and the quality of the Envision turbines that will equip the windfarm,” said Dorothée Privat, Envision Europe’s chief financial officer.
“Our dual skills as a developer and turbine manufacturer allow our partners to benefit from the best technical and financial expertise.”
Velocita Énergies managing director Eric Caradec added: "We are very pleased to see the Entre-Tille-et-Venelle wind farm join the assets of TRIG, which attaches great importance to the quality of the projects it acquires. After this sale, we will continue to bring our know-how to ensure the operational performance of the windfarm and strengthen the confidence and good collaboration with TRIG. “
The acquisition is part of a strategy by TRIG, which is managed by InfraRed Capital Partners and Renewables Energy System, to cement it place in the French wind landscape, with Entre-Tille-et-Venelle its seventh project in the country, bringing its buy-up of assets to 145MW.
Richard Crawford, director of infrastructure at InfraRed Capital Partners, said the deal informed “an exciting new relationship with Velocita and the wider Envision Group, and, with our focus on the French market, to have added such a significant wind farm to our portfolio”.
CORRECTION: Updated to reflect the fact that these are the first Envision turbines to be installed in France, not Europe, as the original press statement from the OEM's PR agency had indicated.
