Renewable energies, the driving force of CNR

A producer of 100% green energy, CNR is a leading actor committed in favour of energy transition. It assists the territories in their fight against climate change. With renewable energies, CNR develops sustainable solutions to produce electricity.

What are the different renewable energies? Today, solar power, hydropower, wind power, marine energy, wood, biogas, biofuels, geothermal energy, biomass and the exploitation of waste represent all the available forms of renewable energy. CNR is active in the first three.

Getting stronger with new sources of energy

Hydroelectricity, that is to say the conversion of hydraulic energy into electricity, is CNR historic trade and its DNA. Strengthened by its position as 1st French producer of 100% renewable electricity and its mastery of all the trades needed to harness and sell it, over the last 15 years CNR has diversified its resources to produce green electricity with wind and solar power. CNR has a total installed capacity of 4 058 MW.

Producing green electricity with wind and solar power is a strategic choice made by CNR in order to make a strong contribution to the renewable energies produced in France. This choice is consistent with its history. The deployment of these two sources of energy, both sober and decentralised, prolongs the company’s historic commitment to respect the environment and is completely in phase with the current expectations of society.

In parallel, hydraulic energy represents a support for wind and solar power through dynamic synergy driven by the development and exploitation of these different renewable energies (synergies, predictable production, storage capacity, etc.).

This diversification is also a means for CNR to limit its dependence on river discharges to produce electricity.

49 large and small hydropower plants

CNR produces 25% of France’s hydroelectricity. It has built and currently operates 49 large and small hydropower plants with a total output of 3 105 MW. CNR’s hydroelectricity production is mostly ensured by the 19 hydropower plants built on the Rhone between 1938 and 1986.

CNR’s 59 wind farms

CNR’s first two wind farms were commissioned in 2006 at Fos-sur-Mer (Bouches-du-Rhône) and at Beaucaire (Gard). CNR’s 59 wind farms now have an installed capacity of 750,7 MW. These wind farms are mainly installed in the Rhone Valley and in Hauts-de-France, Pays-de-la-Loire and Grand-Est in order to draw advantage from the synergy between the main wind regimes.

59 solar power plants

The production of photovoltaic energy began in 2008 on the roof of the hydropower plant of Bollène, in Vaucluse. CNR’s 59 solar power plants have an installed capacity of 202,26 MWc (megawatt-peak). These plants are built along a line stretching from Lyon to La Rochelle.