Cham Longe, Wind Farm at altitude in France

39.95 MW Production
Around 46 000* inhabitants Supplied with electricity
14 Wind turbines
Around 4 900* tons of CO2 Avoided annually

Technical data

TurbinesEnercon
Rotor diameter82 m
Platform height78 m

About Boralex

All you need to know about Boralex's activity worldwide.

This way

Origins of the repowering project

2005, commissioning of the wind farm

While the wind farm offers hikers and passersby a breathtaking view of the Monts d’Ardèche Regional Natural Park, it also faces weather conditions that can be described as extreme.

Lightning, frost and high electrical production are all factors that caused this wind farm to age faster than others. As a result, it required more maintenance operations than a wind farm subjected to what could be considered normal living conditions. After 15 years of operation and in order to allow the park to reach its nominal lifespan, Boralex would have had to undertake a major maintenance operation to extend its life, whereas the wind farm could just as well be optimized with current technologies.

The original park consisted of 14 wind turbines (12 installed in 2005, 2 installed in 2010) ranging from 1.5 to 2.5 MW, for a total of 22.6 MW.

2020, repowering of the wind farm

In 15 years, the wind power sector has evolved significantly. Wind turbines today are technologically superior to anything that could be done in the mid-2000s. The new generation of wind turbines can support much higher load factors. Boralex therefore considered the possibility of renewing the first 12 wind turbines of the wind farm, a project that quickly showed great potential both for the territory and in terms of energy efficiency. In 2020, Boralex optimized its wind farm and extended its operation for a lifespan of 20 years.

Indeed, the first 12 wind turbines were dismantled and replaced by new, more efficient 119-meter machines: from 2.3 MW to 3 MW, for a total installed capacity of 39.95 MW.

New machines, new advantages:

Heated blades to prevent frost;
Gearless technology for increased durability;
Noise reduction systems integrated into the blades;
Guaranteed tax benefits for a new operational period

Learn more : Wind Farm Repowering

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Natural Site Management

From the initial wind farm project to its renewal in 2020, numerous measures have been implemented to ensure that wind farm operations have no impact on natural habitats of great interest, such as the Drosera (a small protected carnivorous plant).