Q ENERGY starts construction of Europe's largest floating solar farm
Published by Jessica Casey,
Editor
Energy Global,
Q ENERGY has announced the construction of ‘Les Ilots Blandin’ solar farm on the site of a former quarry in the Haute-Marne region of France. Due 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 ha. 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 tpy of carbon dixixde. The provisional commissioning is scheduled for 1Q25.
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 minimise environmental impact while maximising energy efficiency. The floating structures that will equip the site are manufactured in France, supporting the development of a promising European industry.
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 photovoltaic 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.
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Read the article online at: https://www.energyglobal.com/solar/20092023/q-energy-starts-construction-of-europes-largest-floating-solar-farm/
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