Heir to the different experiences in the world, the scientific pilot of Soultz-sous-Forêts in Alsace is the first site said worldwide EGS (Enhanced Geothermal System), to have been connected to the mains. The EGS of Soultz-Sous-Forêts project in numbers is:

• 22 years of research, from the first studies up to the commissioning of the power plant in 2008,
• 15 research laboratories and hundreds of subcontractors,
• 80 million euro invested 30 million by the European Union, 25 million by the Germany and 25 million by the France
• 4 deep wells, 3 to over 5,000 m and one at 3 600 m, three wells are now used,
• 200,000 m3 of water injected for clean fractures between the rocks;
• 11 km to go to the fluid in the geothermal loop
• 1 km from wells Fund separation between reinjection wells and the drilling of levy
• 2.1 MWe gross electricity production including 1.5 MW of net production to the mains.

The largest photovoltaic plant of Europe comes to be put into service by EDF Energies Nouvelles (EDF EN) in Meurthe-et-Moselle. The Central of Toul-Rosières, a power of 135 MWP, will enable to power about 60,000 persons in electricity. The plant occupies an area of 367 hectares. Only solar panels, number of 1.7 million, occupy 120-hectare ground. Solar panels are the American brand First Solar. It’s cells ‘new generation’ in layers thin, specially designed for little sunny regions. The largest photovoltaic plant in Europe is located on the site of the former airbase 136 of NATO and French army disused since 2004 Central was built as part of a project for the rehabilitation of the former military base: 170 buildings have been purchased, 280 buildings it was deconstructed (control tower, ammunition storage building, school, housing (, railway) and about 8,000 tonnes of polluted land have been withdrawn.

• CO2 savings: ~ 4 600 t/yr.
• Investment: 430 M€.
• Operating life: greater than 20 years.

Hydroelectric power Coo-Trois-Ponts is a pumped of Electrabel power plant located in Belgium not far from the waterfall of Coo (on the Amblève). The hydroelectric power station itself is located underground between two upper basins on Mont Saint-Victor to haze and a lower basin, which occupies a former meander of the river Amblève, hijacked in the eighteenth century in the waterfall of Coo by the monks of the Abbey of Stavelot. The height difference between the upper basins and the lower basin is 275 meters. The plant has six (convertible into pumps) reversible Francis turbines vertical axis of more than 4 meters in diameter. The passage of the pumping to turbine mode mode occurs in a few minutes. The facility is used to adapt the (constant) provision of energy of the Tihange nuclear needs (variables) of the network. The water is pumped when demand is low and turbined during consumption peaks. The turbine is capable of providing 1 164 Megawatts for 5 hours (5 000 megawatt hours storage). Per year, this represents a storage/restitution of 1,000 GWh with an efficiency of 75%. The amount of water implementation is 8 450 000 m³. The construction was in two phases: 474 Megawatts in 1971 to which were added a second upper basin and 690 megawatt in 1980. The electrical plant, located about 60 metres beneath the surface of the ground, is 128 metres long, 27 wide, and 40 high. The two penstocks are twice as long as high and 8 and 6 meters in diameter and 20 mm thick. Water level variation is 15 metres for the lower basin and 25 metres in the upper basins. The basins are sealed with a bituminous coating and water is used in closed circuit. The rotors of synchronous electrical machinery are 5.82 meters in diameter (6.91 for Coo II) and rotate at 300 revolutions per minute (Coo I) and 273 RPM (Coo II). In the pumping mode, the engine is launched by an auxiliary motor to reach the speed of synchronism. Fluxes of Coo (Coo II) are 60 (100) cubic metres per second for the turbine and 51 (82) cubic metres per second during pumping. The generators are 200 (230) MVA and 190 (200) MVA in motor mode. 2.65 meters in diameter ball valves control the flow. A valve controlled by a single hydraulic cylinder hinged to isolate the turbine of the bass line. The operator plans by 2015 an increase of the capacity of the plant by 50%. The operation is automated and controlled from Brussels.

GDF SUEZ and its subsidiary Electrabel today inaugurated Central 100% biomass of Rodenhuize, in Belgium. An investment of 125 million euros has allowed the complete transformation of the Central carbon of Rodenhuize in a central 100% biomass. This plant is the first world in two respects: it is the largest conversion of this nature and it offers the best environmental results among units converted to biomass. With a capacity of 180 MW, Rodenhuize will produce each year a volume of green electricity equivalent to the annual consumption of 320 000 families and will reduce from 1.2 million tonnes annual emissions of CO it is owned by Electrabel (73%) and Ackermans & van Haaren (27%) Coal is now fully replaced by wood pellets which are subject to a certification by an independent body certifying sustainable origin. One-third of the Rodenhuize wood pellets supply comes from production of Pacific BioEnergy Park, Canada, with which Electrabel has concluded a contract to purchase long term of 225,000 tonnes of biomass per year, transported by boat to the port of Ghent. “This achievement is a first world in terms of environmental performance. ” It is unique in its kind in its scope, the technology used and its environmental benefits. This is a major contribution to the achievement of the objectives set by the European Union. This project fits perfectly with our strategy of development of a diversified production Park and the ambitious commitments made the group in renewable energy”, said Sophie Dutordoir, CEO of Electrabel.

GDF SUEZ, through its subsidiary Electrabel, starts the construction of plant biomass and 800 MW coal-fired in Rotterdam, on the site of the Maasvlakte. This project represents a total investment of EUR 1.2 billion, a significant contribution to economic development and employment in the region for the next few years. He enrolled in the programme of investment by GDF SUEZ, which provides a package of investments of 30 billion euros over the period 2008-2010. This project – aimed primarily at strengthening the security of electricity supply in Western Europe – is part of the strict requirements that Electrabel and GDF SUEZ is necessary in matters of environmental performance and fight against global warming: Central, built from the latest technologies, offers an efficiency of about 46%, unlike the old coal plants limited generation has a yield of about 36%. Improved performance, more electricity will be produced with less fossil fuel, resulting in a decline of about 25% of CO2 emissions. The installation will work for half with biomass and half with coal, reducing significantly the CO2 footprint. In addition to this balance beneficial in reducing CO2 emissions, the site of the Maasvlakte including was chosen for the opportunity it offers for capture and storage of CO2 (CCS for CO2 Capture and Storage). Central in fact anticipates developments that are expected to experience these technologies in the coming years. Electrabel and GDF SUEZ are actively involved in research and development in this area. Thus, the group is currently finalising a record of participation in a pilot project industrial large scale CCS on the site, under the European Economic Recovery Plan. In addition, Electrabel is currently collaborating in a project of development and operation of a CO2 capture test facility; This facility will be operational in 2010 in Central Gelderland in Nijmegen in the Netherlands.

In 2009, AREVA Wind installed the first six wind turbines M5000 of offshore wind farm “Alpha Ventus” in the North Sea. They are located about 45 kilometres from the island of Borkum and anchored 30 metres of depth. Alpha ventus is the first German wind farm to be built in the open sea in a demanding maritime environment and such depth. It will be capable of supplying electricity for 50 000 households. The main phases of this pilot project – construction, installation, operation and connection to the network – were conducted simultaneously in a few months. This pilot project already provides a first feedback to be used for the development of future parks. The blades were manufactured by a subsidiary AREVA Blades, wholly-owned subsidiary of the group stage in Germany. They measure 56.3 m in length. The main components – foundations, different segments of the masts, nacelles, rotors and blades – were transported to Eemshaven, the Netherlands, in close proximity to the Alpha Ventus and stored prior to their installation. Once on site, the foundations (with a weight of more than 700 tonnes) were raised by a platform for jackup installation equipped with a crane and transported to anchor point. Its structure is shaped like a tripod, what constitutes a major innovation and a first world. The 3 legs of the tripod are “nailed” into the seabed by piles of 35 to 40 m long. The piles are cemented to the structure of the foundations. Once the foundations in place, the Tower of steel, the nacelle and the rotor segments are mounted.

Horns Rev 2, the largest marine wind park in the world was inaugurated on September 17, 2009 in the North Sea in the presence of Prince Frédérique of Denmark. 91 wind turbines built by Dong Energy should occur 800 GWh to meet the needs of 200,000 Danish households. Horns Rev 2 extends over 30 km off the coast of Blaavands Huk, Denmark 35 km2. It comprises 91 turbines Siemens with a capacity of 2.3 megawatts/hour MWh each. Horns Rev 2 is the first wind farm in the world to be equipped with a transformer and a platform with 24 people on board charged the maintenance and monitoring of electrical production. 9th Park of the Denmark of a cost 480 million €, it is the ninth offshore Park in Denmark since 1991. The Minister for climate and energy Connie Hedegaard welcomed, in a statement, a launch that “cements the position of world champion of wind power Denmark”. “” Around 20% of the Danish electricity consumption are covered by wind power, she said, adding that the Government “did not stop there” and plans to triple the offshore capacity in 4 years to come, including a park offshore of 400 MW in 2012 off the coast of the island of Anholt, in the sea of Kattegat. The total capacity of 9 parks offshore of the Denmark is 631 MW.

In 2007, the first Central Norway gas (installed capacity of 450 MW) came into service at Kårstø, but it is not equipped to capture and store CO2.

Central Kvilldal in Suldal in Rogaland County Municipality is the largest plant in Norway with a total of 1240 MW installed capacity. The plant has four Francis turbines. More water from Lake Blasjo (upper level), the power plant Kvilldal operates intermediate water in long river Ardalselva transfer tunnels in the South, Lake Bratveitvana in the North and Lake Mosvatnet West.

King Olav V opened the power plant Kvilldal June 3, 1982.

Hydroelectric Olida is a hydroelectric power station located in Trollhättan in Sweden. It is situated on the course of the river Göta älv and uses with hydroelectric Hojum 32 m drop height that the River was initially descended in Trollhättan falls. Together, these two plants shall issue a power of 220 MW for an annual production of 1 260 GWh. Olida plant is first hydroelectric project in Sweden, and marks the founding of the company Vattenfall.

The Swedish State has long considered the construction of hydroelectric power plants on the main rivers of the country, but he feared not being able to sell the electricity produced. In 1905, he bought the Nya Trollhatte Kanalbolag company which he transformed into State enterprise. In 1909, he transforms again the company that took the name of Kungliga Vattenfallstyrelsen (approximately Royal cascades Agency) which later became Vattenfall. In 1910, the plant started its production with 4 turbines, and four years later, the number of turbines reached 8. Five other turbines were added in 1921. Today, 10 of the 13 turbines generate electricity.

The Lillgrund wind farm is a wind farm located in the Oresund Strait near Malmö in the South of the Sweden. With a capacity of 110 MW, it is Sweden the most important wind farm, as well as the third largest offshore wind park in the world during its creation. It was built in 2007 and is owned by Vattenfall. It is composed of 48 turbines Siemens 2.3 MW each.

It is in the Strait of Øresund, which separates Denmark from Sweden, 2 km to the East of the port of Copenhagen, by 3 to 5 m from bottom, rises since late 2000 this wind farm, one of the greatest Danish offshore wind farms built far. Its twenty turbines, equipped with a rotor of 76 m juche diameter 64 m above the water, form an arc of 3.4 km. With 40 MW of power, this farm produces 89 million kWh per year (approximately 3% of the electricity consumption of the city). By 2025, the Denmark intends to satisfy 50% of its electricity needs by means of wind energy, compared with 21 percent currently. If renewables accounted for only 13.3% of the primary energy used and 19.5% of the electricity produced in the world in 2009, their environmental benefits there is considerable interest. Thanks to technical advances, which considerably reduces the noise of wind turbines, the reluctance fade. And with 200 000 MW of installed capacity, and nearly 29% annual growth on average over the past ten years, the wind power sector took off.

GDF SUEZ inaugurated in Polaniec, in the southeast of the Poland, unity biomass Green Unit, the largest unit of electricity in the world fully fueled to biomass consisting of by-products of forest arboriculture and agriculture. It reflects the strong ambition of the group in the development of renewable energy in Poland and more generally in Europe. The Green Central Unit, with a capacity of 205 MW, is the first 100% biomass units of very great size to operate with a mix of by-products of forest tree (80%) and agriculture (20%). It is equipped with a very high level of performance, thanks to a highly innovative technology for this type of combustion (boilers with circulating fluidized bed, with advanced facilities for the treatment of flue gas). This unit provides the equivalent of 600 000 households annual electricity consumption and avoids 1.2 million1 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. It is part of the site of the thermal power GDF SUEZ Energia Polska with a total capacity of 1 780 MW.

The BEWAG project which has just been signed has also itself an innovative character. The commissioning of a commercial wind turbine with a capacity of 7.5 MW is an unprecedented who was also a decisive factor for the participation of the EIB. The installation will be carried out in Potzneusiedl, in Eastern Burgenland. The same type of equipment, but whose capacity was far to 6 MW, is already operated successfully for some time. The resources available will also finance two large wind farms to Andau/Albrechtsfeld (41 wind turbines, for an installed 123 MW capacity) and Mönchhof/Halbturn (17 turbines for an installed capacity of 51 MW). Six wind turbines (13.8 MW) will be also installed in Kittsee, and one (2.3 MW) in Deutschkreutz. UniCredit Bank Austria will assume the risk associated with the whole project. She is responsible for refinancing at the sides of the EIB.

It is here that lie the remains of the hydroelectric power station which was built and commissioned in 1895, only 2 days after one created by Nikola Tesla on the Niagara falls! This invention has enabled Šibenik to receive the electric light well before other cities in Europe such as Vienna, Rome or London. The building that you can see from the falls is the powerhouse Jaruga which was created 10 years later, it is still in operation today.

The hydraulic power of Obervermuntwerk, in Gaschurn in the Land of Vorarlberg, will be transformed into a pumped station (Step). The project named Obervermuntwerk II is to build an underground powerhouse of 360 MW, compared to 29 MW for existing hydraulic station commissioning in 1943. In times of surplus production, water will be pumped from Lake Vermuntsee to the Silvretta Stausee Lake, located 311 meters above, to be vice versa turbined during periods of demand. The work should begin next may, for an investment of 600 million euros. The plant should enter service in 2018. This book will enhance the responsiveness of the network into Germanic space, to offset variable renewable energy. A pumped station can reach its maximum power in two minutes then the turbines to gas, the most flexible thermal power plants, need 15 minutes to do the same. French Alstom will supply two generators of 180 MW each, specifically designed for the power plant and distinguished by an “excellent ability at partial load”, according to the manufacturer. “They work in fact both for low and medium loads ranges, says the press release. In terms of flexibility, the Step allow an increase of the power rating up to 33% in operating at partial load condition. Electricity generation can be so ideally adjusted to meet the needs of the network. “Alstom is developing plants pumped to variable speed for a total capacity of 3 GW worldwide.

Grande Dixence dam is the highest dam weight of the world and the largest in Europe. Located in the Valley of the ten on the municipality of Hérémence in Valais, it is 285 meters high. It is part of a vast named Cleuson Dixence or Grande Dixence hydroelectric facility, with a capacity of 2,000 MW that associates it to the dam of Cleuson.

Built between 1953 and 1961, on the site of a glacial lock, consisting of six million cubic meters of beton1 dam blocks the Dixence course. Its accumulation Lake, the lac des Dix, measuring 5 km in length.

On the same river, upstream, stood the Dixence dam, arch dam built in the 1930s. This dam has been drowned during the impoundment of the Grande-Dixence dam and can still be seen when the lake level is low.

The dam is a huge book which the thickness reached 193 metres at the base and 15 meters at the coronation. The total length of the coronation mounts 748 metres. In total, it is not less than 5 960 000 m3 of concrete by 32 kilometres of galleries and monitoring wells. The thrust of water causes a shift of the coronation of 10 centimeters downstream. More than 100 km of tunnels carry water from the valleys in the nearby via a quarantine of catchments and several pumping plants. Catchment basin extends on more than 380 km2 from the val d ‘ Hérémence until Monte Rosa near Zermatt (to more than 40 kilometres of the dam).

Three galleries of intake and penstocks carry water from the dams to its different hydroelectric plants which are:

• Chandoline hydroelectric, 120 MW
• The hydroelectric underground Fionnay, 290 MW
• Underground hydroelectric of Nendaz, 390 MW
• The hydroelectric underground Bieudron, 1 200 MW
• Chandoline hydroelectric is the old, built with in 1930 Dixence dam
• The hydroelectric power station of Nendaz is to reuse the waters previously turbinate in the hydroelectric power plant of Fionnay.
• The Bieudron hydro holds three world records (State in 2010):
  • The highest waterfall, (1 880 meters)
  • The greatest power by Pelton (400 MW) turbine
  • The greatest power by generators, (35.7 MVA) cluster

The power installed on the complex amounts to 2,000 MW, or the equivalent output of a central nuclear and a half.