It’s no secret: in wind energy, France is lagging behind its targets. And filling it does not seem like an easy task. Hence the measures recently announced by the government, in particular to make these important elements of the energy transition more “popular”, often facing appeals. In the Tarn, during the week, a couple fighting against the last installations 700 meters and 1,300 meters from their property, even obtained financial compensation from the operator. Is it towards such an epilogue that the north-east of Toulouse is heading? No one can tell yet. One choice is certain, the wind turbine installation projects launched in two towns by Engie Green and the Voltalia company are not yet on the rise. A first test, by Engie, in the village of Born was not transformed. The municipality and residents have said no to the installation of three wind turbines. About fifty demonstrators made their voices heard during a presentation meeting at the start of the year and are still expressing themselves relentlessly. The project was finally canceled… or rather moved. Not very far.

In Villemur-sur-Tarn, adjoining town of Born, other projects are in the pipeline. Here, the municipality has granted the right to Voltalia “to carry out studies on the wind, in the heart of a large private domain, in order to envisage, perhaps, the installation of four wind turbines. But for the moment we have some. is there… “, says Mayor Jean-Marc Dumoulin, embarrassed to see that this model for the city is today disputed (Read framed).

Engie did not say his last word, however. Forced to abandon Le Born, the supplier is also eyeing Villemur to establish itself. And the same detractors jumped up again: “at least eight wind turbines are planned in this town and therefore four near Born. We must therefore continue to fight,” insists the group of residents of the neighboring village. “This new fight will be difficult. Our mobilization must not weaken. We plan to merge with residents of the towns of Bondigoux, in Haute-Garonne, Montvalen and Tauriac in the Tarn where concern is mounting.”

A mast that worries

The recent installation of the main study mast by Voltalia has indeed reinforced questions that the Tarn affair has also consolidated. “Wind turbines are on average twice as high! There is a real visual pollution. They also cause stress, sleep problems. There is also that of their future in twenty or thirty years when they will be obsolete …”, says the collective of residents.

At Engie, where we recall a reality, “the end of fossil fuels in favor of renewables”, we are surprised by this outcry: “We must do something if we want electricity! Three or four wind turbines can provide between 12,000 and 15,000 inhabitants “, explains Dominique Triboulat, project leader at Engie, before specifying:” we cannot just say anything. We have an ethics and respect the law which imposes installations beyond 500 meters from homes. Our projects are carried out in consultation and respect for natural environments. This will be the case for the one we are considering in Villemur “. At Voltalia, solicited by us, we said we were “delighted to discuss this project” but “not being able to discuss it this week”. While waiting, even before being installed, the wind turbines of Villemur achieve a performance: they electrify… the debates.