Iberdrola to build PPA-backed solar farm for Solvay in France

Spanish utility Iberdrola SA (BME:IBE) and Belgian chemicals company Solvay SA (EBR:SOLB) have partnered on a solar PV project in France, they announced on Friday.

The utility, through its unit Iberdrola Renouvelables France, will build a 77-hectare (190.3 acres) ground-mounted solar farm on a brownfield site to generate power for Solvay’s facilities in Tavaux and Saint Fons, the announcement reads.

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The solar farm will produce close to 75 GWh per year, and 60% of that will be allocated to Solvay under a 20-year corporate power purchase agreement (PPA).

Solvay selected the land for the project. The whole surface spans 172 hectares and includes two rehabilitated settling ponds from Solvay’s former soda ash plant in the communes of Herbitzheim-Willerwald-Sarralbe in the departments of Bas-Rhin and Moselle in the Grand Est region of France. The area that is not occupied by the solar farm’s 100,000 modules will be reserved for preservation measures.

“We are delighted to partner with Iberdrola on this clean energy project that will significantly reduce the energy footprint of our Specialty Polymers and Aroma businesses in France,” said Solvay CEO Ilham Kadri.

Iberdrola Renouvelables will build and operate the solar farm, which is expected to start production by the end of 2025, the companies said.