Reden to deploy 200 MW solar module manufacturing line

From pv magazine France

French solar developer Reden Solar has announced that it will invest €4 million ($4.4 million) to deploy a new solar module production line at its headquarters in Roquefort, France.

Reden plans to start manufacturing activities at a new line by the end of the year. It will have an annual capacity of 200 MW. The company currently operates a 65 MW line in Roquefort, which has been producing modules since its inception in 2009. According to Thierry Carcel, CEO of Reden, the old line will remain active for small panel series and after-sales service.

Carcel stated that producing their own panels brings several advantages, including ensuring independence and avoiding dependence on large manufacturers for small series of 30 or 40 MW. Reden's expertise in the downstream business is also an advantage for the solar module production itself, as it helps in designing profitability plans for their projects eligible for the French tenders for PV or projects linked to PPAs.

Although the new modules produced by the company may be up to 8% more expensive than their Asian counterparts, Carcel believes that customers are ready to pay more for “Made in France”, reduced carbon content, and excellent performance. He cited a recent power purchase agreement (PPA) that Reden secured from French railway operator SNCF, where the SNCF agreed to pay a little more for panels produced in France.

A consortium led by Australian financial group Macquarie Asset Management has agreed to acquire French solar developer Reden Solar from French infrastructure companies Infravia and Eurazeo.