Boralex powers up 12-MW floating PV park in France

Canadian renewable power producer Boralex Inc (TSE:BLX) has achieved commercial operations at a 12-MW floating solar photovoltaic (PV) park in France’s Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur region.

Built on an island in a basin created in a former gravel pit in Peyrolles-en-Provence, in the department of Bouches-du-Rhone, the system is the Canadian firm’s first floating PV project, it said on Tuesday.

The solar plant uses more than 43,000 panels that are expected to generate more than 22 GWh of electricity annually. Their output will be enough to cover the consumption of some 6,400 homes per year, the developer estimates.

The project is among the winners in a tender round held by the French Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) and benefits from a feed-in premium contract for 20 years. Boralex was engaged to develop the scheme back in 2016 by local materials company Durance Granulats and the municipality of Peyrolles-en-Provence under an initiative aimed to refurbish the gravel pit.

The PV array will be used for research purposes and will be monitored by France’s National Solar Energy Institute (INES) for at least three years.

Choose your newsletter by Renewables Now. Join for free!