Boralex has just inaugurated the Helfaut wind farm, located in Pas-de-Calais, in the town of the same name. The construction of this equipment began in September 2023. The operation allows this Canadian player in energy production to exceed 500 megawatts (MW) of installed power in Hauts-de-France, or 38% of 1, 3 gigawatt (GW) in operation in France.
This project contributes to the overall growth strategy of Boralex, which operates more than 3 GW of power. It also has a project portfolio of more than 6.8 GW in wind, solar and storage. The Boralex France head office is located in Blendecques, in Pas-de-Calais. In 2023, Boralex achieved 298 million euros in turnover in France, with more than 300 employees.
A power of 21 MW
Made up of five wind turbines, with a total installed capacity of 21 MW, the new park produces enough energy “to cover the annual needs of around 20,000 inhabitants, the equivalent of the combined population of the municipalities of Helfaut, of Blendecques and Saint-Omer, in Pas-de-Calais”, affirms the company. It will also prevent the emission of 1,400 tonnes of CO₂ per year. The investment made in this park has not been specified.
Boralex now claims to be “the leading independent energy player in Hauts-de-France”, through 30 operating parks, which produce 1.4 terawatt hours (TWh) of green electricity per year. This is equivalent to almost “half of the annual electricity needs of the inhabitants of Pas-de-Calais”, indicates Boralex.
Crowdfunding
To support this new Helfaut wind farm, a crowdfunding campaign was launched in September, aimed at local residents and residents of neighboring communities. The latter are invited to invest in the park, via a savings investment of at least 10 euros. In exchange, Boralex offers a remuneration rate of 7% over three years, thanks to the revenue generated by the park. The objective of this campaign is to collect 250,000 euros, while uniting local residents around this equipment.
If the sum is not raised by October 8, this campaign could be open to all residents of Hauts-de-France.
