Neoen, a leading independent power producer, has emerged as a successful bidder in the French Government's latest tender calls for solar projects, securing a substantial total capacity of 238.5 megawatts (MW).
The projects awarded to Neoen fall into two distinct categories. In August 2023, under the “canopies and buildings” category, the company secured two projects with a combined capacity of 16.9MW. In September 2023, in the “large-scale ground-mounted” category, Neoen triumphed in securing 15 projects with a cumulative capacity of 221.6MW.
This latest achievement propels Neoen's French portfolio to a remarkable milestone, now exceeding 2 gigawatts (GW) of capacity.
Xavier Barbaro, Chairman, and CEO of Neoen, expressed pride in the company's ongoing contributions to France's energy transition. He emphasized Neoen's robust growth over the past 15 years, characterized by rapid expansion across diverse sectors of the renewable energy landscape.
Barbaro stated, “This growth is set to accelerate further, fueled by the quality of our project portfolio. Now more than ever, France is one of Neoen's global pillars, and Neoen is a key player in France.”
Within the “large-scale ground-mounted” category, Neoen's projects vary in size, ranging from 3.3MW to 42.2MW. These projects are set to be deployed across multiple regions in France, including Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Centre Val-de Loire, Grand Est, Hauts-de-France, Ile-de-France, Normandie, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, and Occitanie.
Construction of these solar projects is anticipated to commence in 2024 and 2025. Significantly, 12 out of the 15 projects involve the redevelopment of disused industrial sites, exemplifying Neoen's commitment to sustainable land use. Notable projects within this category include the 13MW Lambrun project in Loire-Atlantique and the 15.9MW Lézignan project in Hérault, both repurposed from former quarries. Additionally, two projects will be situated on landfill sites, and a 42.2MW solar plant will find its home on a former Air Force base.
A noteworthy feature of these tenders is that more than 25% of the projects fall under the agrisolar category, combining agricultural and solar functions. Notable agrisolar projects include the 30MW Ferme de Bord in Haute-Vienne and the 30MW Fère-Champenoise in Marne.
Projects categorized as “canopies and buildings” are primarily destined for installation in car parks, exemplifying Neoen's commitment to harnessing solar energy in innovative ways.
