The price of electricity has been soaring in recent years, pushing more and more French people to turn to alternative solutions.
If the option of solar panels is the most widespread, domestic wind turbines, much smaller than those we see on the side of the roads, can also be installed on private land, provided that certain rules are respected.
Here is everything you need to know about the steps to follow, according to the French administration website.
Where to install your wind turbine?
First of all, for reasons of efficiency, it is necessary to ensure beforehand that the location is
sufficiently exposed to the wind
by having a study carried out by a specialized company or by consulting a map of favorable areas in the prefecture.
The law then imposes a distance to be respected in relation to the dividing line of neighboring land.
It is equal to half the height of the wind turbine, with a minimum of three meters.
Certain sectors, such as protected zones, those delimited by the local urban plan (PLU) or military zones, may also be subject to a ban.
Also read Do you need authorization to install solar panels in your garden?
What authorizations?
A wind turbine of less than 12 meters (from the ground to the top of the nacelle) can be installed without prior authorization or building permit, except in protected areas, where a prior declaration of works must always be made.
Between 12 and 50 meters in height, it is necessary to obtain
a building permit.
In all cases, it is advisable to obtain information from the town hall when developing your project: “The owner of a domestic wind turbine who does not comply with town planning rules incurs a fine of at least €1,200” .
But that's not all.
A wind turbine over 12 meters high is considered an installation classified for environmental protection (ICPE) and is subject to specific regulations.
If its power is less than 20 megawatts, you must make a declaration under the ICPE to the prefecture.
Beyond that,
environmental authorization must be obtained.
If it exceeds 50 megawatts, “commissioning requires a declaration to operate an electricity production facility” to be sent to the Office of Electric Grids and Energy Regulation, the administration indicates.
Finally, a wind turbine of at least 12 meters must be subject to a mandatory technical inspection carried out by approved organizations.