TRUE OR FALSE. Is it true that “25% of the time, wind turbines run idle, energy cannot be stored”, as Jordan Bardella states?

The energy produced by wind turbines is actually used, stored or sold on markets. Sales prices depend on consumption and production, but it is very rare that they are negative.

In the midst of the legislative election campaign, Jordan Bardella presented the National Rally (RN) program on Monday, June 24. For more than an hour and a half, the party president detailed the main measures that his movement wants to implement if it wins the June 30 and July 7 elections.

He first listed his priorities: “the revival of purchasing power”, “the restoration of security throughout the territory” And “taking back control of our immigration policy”. Then moved on to the energy project, reiterating the idea of “make nuclear a major element again”. Before tackling wind energy, asserting that “25% of the time, wind turbines run idle, energy cannot be stored and we are forced to sell off energy produced abroad at extremely low costs”. What about it? Franceinfo takes stock with two specialists.

“I don’t see how that can be true, it doesn’t mean anything”, immediately judges Nicolas Goldberg, energy expert and member of the center-left think tank Terra Nova. According to him, “Wind turbines do not run empty”and to assert the opposite is “an abuse of language”. Contacted on this subject, the National Rally did not respond to our requests. According to Cédric Philibert, independent specialist in renewable energies and former analyst at the International Energy Agency, wind turbines necessarily store energy. “The energy produced by wind turbines can be stored in networks and in batteries”he specifies.

Certain practices are also put in place to make the best use of the electricity produced. “Factories are shifting their production schedules in order to use this energy.”, describes in particular Nicolas Goldberg. For individuals, off-peak hours serve the same purpose. Contrary to what Jordan Bardella alleged, wind turbines do not rotate in a vacuum.

Concerning the export of energy abroad, France does indeed sell electricity to its neighbors. “Traditionally, France is an energy exporting country”, recalls Cédric Philibert. But wind energy is, above all, used on French soil. According to the public body IFP Renewable Energies, wind power is the second largest source of renewable electricity in France. In 2022, it represented 8.3% of national electricity consumption.

But when production exceeds French consumption, the energy is sold on wholesale markets. “Depending on the time of day, France needs more or less electricity, the rest is stored or sold”, explains the specialist. But is energy really “sold out”, as Jordan Bardella said?

“Selling does not necessarily mean selling out.”

Cédric Philibert, energy expert

at franceinfo

When production is significantly higher than consumption, prices align downwards, but remain far from zero. According to the Statista institute, on average, the megawatt hour cost 81 euros in France in January 2024. Energy sales prices are, moreover, quite similar between European Union countries. According to RTE France, the electricity transmission system operator, on June 26 at 10 a.m., it was 90.98 euros per megawatt hour in France, as in Spain and Portugal. To within a few cents, this price was equivalent in Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. The biggest difference is with Northern Italy, where the price per megawatt hour was 109.54 euros at the same time. Nevertheless, negative prices sometimes occur on the market. “This remains a very rare situationnotes Nicolas Goldberg. In this case, it happens that we stop using wind turbines to produce less energy and regulate the price.”

According to these experts, it is therefore very rare that France “sell off” energy abroad, and the wind turbines do not run idle. According to Nicolas Goldberg, this assertion is indicative of a “ignorance of the subject by the National Rally”.