BayWa r.e. has completed the sale of two French solar projects currently under construction to Heling enr. The projects, located in Gièvres in Central France and Salsigne-Villardonnel in the South of France, together represent approximately 44 MWp of installed capacity and are scheduled to be commissioned in summer 2026.
The Gièvres project, with a capacity of 21 MWp, is being developed on a former sand quarry that had been left unused since the late 2010s. Designed to integrate seamlessly into its environment, the 19-ha. site will generate around 25 GWh of green electricity annually, equivalent to the consumption of 10 000 people. The project also preserves wetland areas and introduces eco-grazing with sheep to maintain biodiversity.
The Salsigne-Villardonnel project, with a capacity of 23 MWp, is an agrivoltaic installation initiated by a local farmer. It has been designed to improve livestock conditions in a dry mountain area affected by drought. The monopile structures will allow animals to move freely while protecting pastures. Once operational, the park will produce approximately 34 GWh/y, more than the electricity needs of the surrounding municipalities.
BayWa r.e. will continue to play a central role by managing operations and maintenance of both solar parks on behalf of Heling enr. This ensures continuity and leverages BayWa r.e.’s technical expertise, which already covers more than 1 GW of renewable energy assets in France. The company will oversee the performance of over 73 000 solar modules across the two sites, while ensuring compliance with environmental and agricultural commitments made during development.
Martina Dabo, President of BayWa r.e. France, commented: “The sale of these assets to Heling enr highlights the strong momentum of BayWa r.e. in France, a core market for our group. We are particularly proud of these projects, which showcase our expertise in agrivoltaics and land revitalisation. Whether supporting sheep farming or giving new use to a former quarry, these parks prove that renewable energy generation can go hand in hand with preserving agriculture and biodiversity.”
Dr Daniel Gaefke, COO of BayWa r.e. added: “This transaction underlines BayWa r.e.’s ability to deliver high-quality renewable energy projects that combine technical excellence with environmental and social value. By partnering with investors such as Heling enr, we continue to drive the energy transition across Europe, ensuring that solar developments contribute meaningfully to local communities while accelerating the decarbonisation of the energy mix.”
For more news and technical articles from the global renewable industry, read the latest issue of Energy Global magazine.
Energy Global's Winter 2025 issue
Don’t miss out on our final issue of Energy Global this year! The Winter issue begins with a regional report on Africa’s energy future, with articles on topics such as wind turbine components, geothermal drilling & operations and energy storage technology. With contributors including Magnomatics, Flyability, Bachmann electronic GmbH, NOV, and more, don’t miss out!