Europe’s largest floating solar power plant under construction in Haute-Marne

The anchor installation is complete, the first panels and floats have been delivered and the assembly of modules for the largest floating solar power plant in Europe has begun. The project, located on a 127-hectare site of former gravel pits owned by Établissements Blandin de Recy, is poised to transform the renewable energy landscape.

The 74.3 MW installation, including 2 MW on land, covers 45.5 hectares within the boundaries of the building permit, in line with environmental studies to preserve biodiversity. The plant consists of six islands with 134,649 DAS Solar MD10 panels of 550 and 555 Wc, connected to 156 inverters. Once operational in early 2025, the plant will supply electricity to around 37,000 residents and prevent around 18,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year.

Initiated in 2019 by Q ENERGY, the “Les Îlots Blandin” project won the CRE PPE2-2 tender in August 2022. The developer, in partnership with Établissements Blandin de Recy on a 40-year lease agreement, joined forces with a consortium of companies to implement and maintain the project. Solutions 30 Sud-Ouest is in charge of the earthworks, civil and electrical engineering, Perpetum Energy is responsible for the electrical engineering and supply of some equipment, and Ciel et Terre International is overseeing the floating structure.

The Îlots Blandin plant is capable of producing twice as much energy as the largest floating solar park in Europe today. “We are working on large floating parks all over the world, including a 296 MW plant in Taiwan. With Îlots Blandin we are reaching a new milestone, proving the place of floating solar panels in Europe,” said Vincent Grumetz, Director of Ciel & Terre EMEA.

The project poses unique logistical challenges due to its scale. “Given the size of the plant and the volumes to be managed, we have developed a specific logistics chain to prevent overlap between our teams working on the three tanks simultaneously,” explained Vincent Pinchou, Project Manager at Ciel & Terre EMEA.

The project is compatible with the local aquatic ecosystem, with regular visits by ecologists on site. It has been well received by neighbouring communities who benefit from royalties collected for electricity production.

This ambitious project demonstrates the potential of floating solar power plants in Europe and highlights the teamwork required to realise such a large-scale renewable energy project.

Related