Q ENERGY starts construction of Europe's largest floating solar farm
Avignon/Berlin. Q ENERGY today announced the construction of “Les Ilots Blandin” solar farm in the northwest of France. Thanks to an improved design, the plant's capacity has been increased from the initial 66 MW to 74.3 MW, making it the largest floating solar plant in Europe to date. Construction work will start before the end of September and is expected to take around 18 months.
The power generated will come from several islands spread over a 127-hectare site of former gravel pits which ceased to be used in 2020. 134,649 solar modules are fixed on floats to form six islands anchored to the banks or to the bottom of the flooded pits. It will supply the equivalent of 37,000 inhabitants with clean, green electricity and avoid the emission of around 18,000 tonnes of CO2 each year. The provisional commissioning is scheduled for the first quarter of 2025.
The design of the floating solar system takes into account the needs of the surrounding aquatic ecosystem. The materials used are sustainable and designed to minimize environmental impact while maximizing energy efficiency. The floating structures that will equip the site are manufactured in France, supporting the development of a promising European industry.
300 MW of development pipeline for floating PV projects in France
Floating solar power is an ingenious solution to capitalise on brownfield sites. Since 2018, Q ENERGY France has been developing floating solar projects, mainly in areas where former quarries existed and currently has a development pipeline of more than 300 MWp of floating PV projects. Floating solar is a strategic growth sector for Q ENERGY in France, where the company is already one of the leading developers.
“Les Ilots Bladin is a wonderful example of how water areas can make an important contribution to the energy transition. Q ENERGY is continuously focusing on new technologies to make further areas usable in harmony with nature and to supply Europe with green electricity,” said Jean-Francois Petit, Managing Director of Q ENERGY France.
Q ENERGY is currently driving a development pipeline of around 6 GW of green energy projects in France and more than 15 GW across Europe.
Les Ilots Blandin will be located on a former quarry in France (Copyright: Romain Berthiot)
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