Photosol, a French renewable energy company, is constructing the plants in the country’s Auvergne and Midi-Pyrenees regions.
Thin-film photovoltaic product manufacturer First Solar is providing their modules to four solar power plants in France with a combined capacity of 48 megawatts.
Photosol, a French renewable energy company, is constructing the plants in the country’s Auvergne and Midi-Pyrenees regions.
Three of the plants, with a total capacity of 37 MW, will be located in the communes of Dompierre sur Bresbe, Gennetines and Marmanhac. A fourth plant, with an 11 MW capacity, is to be built in Sarrazac.
Photosol is the developer and owner of the projects. Engineering, Procurement and Construction for services for the projects will be provided by French engineering company and Photosol partner, Jayme da Costa Energie.
“As France actively promotes the adoption of solar energy, these projects will contribute towards the country’s efforts to diversify its energy mix. We expect these projects to make a significant local impact by providing communities with clean energy and contributing significantly to Europe’s carbon dioxide reduction goals,” said David Guinard, managing director of Photosol.
The plants are designed to have a minimal impact on the communities and the ecosystems where they located. Three of the facilities are built on pastureland and will allow for grazing livestock, while the fourth is near and oak forest and includes access for wild animals.
These four projects are the largest ever undertaken by the company and the first in which Photosol has partnered with First Solar.
Photosol, founded in 2008, has developed a portfolio of solar power plants with a capacity of around 63 MW in France. The company currently has a project pipeline exceeding 250 MW.
The company chose to use First Solar’s thin-film modules as they were judges cost-competitive, with the ability to reliably deliver solar power with a small carbon footprint and a fast energy payback time.
First Solar has been a presence in the European solar market since 2004 and has an installed capacity in Continental Europe which now exceeds 4 gigawatts.
First Solar is a global leader in advanced thin-film solar modules, providing their modules to the global market. Recently, the company announced it plans to increase its presence in the growing Japanese solar power market with an investment of $100 million to partner with Japanese companies for solar power projects in the country (see related story). – EcoSeed Staff
