Engie, partners cut ribbon on 20.3-MWp PV park in Ile-de-France

French energy group Engie SA (EPA:ENGI) and its partners on Monday inaugurated a 20.3-MWp photovoltaic (PV) solar farm, described as the largest in the Paris-centred Ile-de-France region.

Engie built the facility together with the Intercommunal Syndicate for Gas and Electricity in Ile-de-France (SIGEIF) and the town of Marcoussis, located in the southern suburbs of Paris.

Featuring more than 58,000 panels, the solar farm is situated on a site covered with backfill from the construction of the LGV Atlantique high-speed rail line. It is expected to generate 21,000 MWh a year, equivalent to the annual power demand of a town of 10,000 people, according to the announcement.

The project, a winner in a call for tenders by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition, represented an investment of EUR 18.8 million (USD 21.8m) co-financed through a special purpose vehicle with participation of SIGEIF (20%), Engie (60%) and citizen crowdfunding (20%).

“ENGIE, the leading developer of renewable energy in France with 75% renewables in its energy mix, is the leader in solar power in France, with the 1.3 GW that we are building and operating today,” said Engie chief executive Catherine MacGregor.

Engie has 7.9 GW of renewables capacity in France, including 1.3 GW solar, 2.7 GW wind and 3.9 GW hydropower.

The inauguration was attended by the Minister for the Ecological Transition, Barbara Pompili.

(EUR 1 = USD 1.160)

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