EDF Renewables breaks ground on 20-MW floating PV plant in France

EDF Renewables has kicked off the construction of a 20-MW floating solar photovoltaic (PV) plant on a hydropower reservoir in France’s Hautes-Alpes department.

The PV array will be installed on a reservoir powering of the Lazer hydroelectric plant in the municipality with the same name, the developer said last week. With an area of around 24.5 ha (60.5 acres), it will cover around two-thirds of the reservoir’s total surface and will be capable of producing enough electricity to supply about 12,500 residents a year.

Work has begun with geotechnical studies, while the requisite anchor systems for the PV system will be built in the spring, after which the installation of the floaters and solar panels will follow. The facility is planned to go online in the spring of 2022, with construction activities seen to take around 13 months.

“Thanks to this innovative technology, we will be able to generate both hydroelectricity and solar power at the same reservoir,” said Nicolas Couderc, EDF Renewables’ executive vice-president, France.

This is EDF Renewables’ first floating solar project and its implementation will support the EDF Group’s goal to gain a 30% share of the French solar market by 2035.

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