Saturday, it presented its wind farm project to be placed just off the shore of Croisic near Guérande. If passed, sixty to eighty windmills will be constructed and installed by 2014.

Nass & Wind enormously attach importance to the dialogue. She says to have spoken with ten elected officials, the representatives of a score of associations like with professional fishermen. “It is a question of good manners if the mayor did not speak yet about it with his assistants or the Municipal council. And we don’t want anyone to instrumentalise anyone”, explains Xavier Ferrey, communication official of Nass & Wind.

Saturday, GSRB (Grouping of the secondary residents of Baule) savagely opposed to this project which is still in the preliminary phase of the impact studies.

Decision of the chief officer

Rémy Gautron, president of the federation, hoped this meeting would not turn into a debate about the future installation, but a time to form an opinion about the project. “That was the fourth time the federation confronted Nass & Wind. The Cape Atlantique Council of development will soon receive Nass & Wind. The elected officials will be determined by taking account the opinion of their voters”, ensures Rémy Gautron.

Christophe Pirou, deputy of the district, has already voiced his opinion to him and the prefect, Jean Daubigny, at the time of his visit last Saturday. “It is necessary to be pragmatic, the wind is a solution. The West often has energy problems and yet finds a way.”, insists Christophe Priou.

Studies in progress

During the briefing, the questions raised related to the effects on plants and animals, the power of the park and its lifespan, the conditions of its dismantling at the conclusion or in the course of concession.

Nass & Wind began its dialogue six months ago. The studies on the environment began this summer. Their results will move the project forward. But the company already hopes to deposit a request for approval to the prefecture next year.

To follow is an interview with Marc Parent.

How does the Eole Water function?

The moisture contained in the air is collected by the windmill and is condensed, turning it into water. It is filtered then stored. Afterwards, the tap merely has to be opened to recover drinking water. Up to 90 liters of water can be collected per day.

What are the advantages of these windmills?

These windmills may make it possible to solve the problem of diminished water supplies in developing countries. I built Eole Water with the aim of distributing it in Africa. In much of country, there is not enough sufficient water and the wells built by ONG get polluted very quickly. With these windmills, the problem does not arise any more. Moreover, they do not pollute and do not consume any other energy beside the wind. It is a truly sustainable development. Many countries practised the desalination of sea water in the past but this technique is very polluting.

Are these windmills already in activity?

The United States and Australia, which undergo droughts each year, support the project but no contract is yet signed. ONG is starting to be interested in it but they do not have the means yet of getting some. The prototypes are at the same point in development since the beginning of the year and we are in the search of financial help to be able to manufacture these machines at a large scales to cause a drop in costs. These windmills cost between 10,000 and 50,000 euros according to their size. I hope that we will manage to send some soon in needy countries.

How did this idea come to you?

The idea germinated some ten years ago. I lived in the Antilles and my house was not connected to the drinking water network. I thus started by “adulterating” my air-conditioner to recover condensate. It was from this moment that I imagined a process to transform the moisture contained in the air into water. It is generally said that inventions are born from a need and Eole Water is proof of that!