Committed to boosting the energy transition of French regions, in March 2018, ENGIE and SUEZ agreed an ambitious partnership to develop photovoltaic solar power parks at around a hundred Recycling & Recovery waste storage facilities, representing a total potential of around 1 GWp.
Located at the heart of the Grands Moulins Ecocentre, the Drambon-Pontailler park is the first site completed after 1 year of development. With a power of 12 MWc, it will produce electricity equivalent to the annual consumption of 6,800 people, corresponding to almost a third of the population of the CAP Val de Saône canton. This 20 hectare facility, on a redeveloped waste storage site, consists of 27,500 modules and represents an investment of 10 million euros for ENGIE.
This project, overseen by the ENGIE Green subsidiary, has received support from the region, thanks to close and permanent dialogue between the partners and all local players. Continuing from the work on this park, studies are underway for a second plant, which could receive planning permission in 2019.
“This facility illustrates the formidable complementarities between ENGIE and SUEZ. It opens the way for many photovoltaic solar projects within ecocentres, in the interests of a zero carbon transition for the regions”, states Gwenaelle Huet, CEO of France Renewable Energy for ENGIE.
As well as producing new materials and energy from waste, the storage facility sites managed by the Group have huge potential for the generation of alternative resources. We are proud of this partnership with ENGIE, which allows us to expand solar energy in France and contribute to the development of the regions
Jean-Marc Boursier , Group Senior Executive VP – Finance & Northern Europe
ENGIE is the French leader in solar power, with 1.2 GWp of installed capacity at the end of 2018. The Group, which is a key player in the energy transition, wants to reach 2.2 GW of installed solar capacity by the end of 2021.
As a major player in the circular economy, SUEZ develops new local renewable energy sources, through water management and recovery. In 2018, the Group sold 7.5 TWh of green energies.
A second solar power plant will be opened this year within the Calce storage centre (Eastern Pyrenees). More than 20 projects are also being studied in France, including in Milhac d’Auberoche (Dordogne) and Gueltas (Britanny).
