L R AS Published on Saturday 16 January 2021 - n° 346 - Categories:other France, power plants > 200MW

Opposition to 1,000 hectare solar power plant project

The official announcement on 11 January of a 1 GW solar power plant project in the Gironde region of France, which will involve cutting down 1,000 hectares of forest, is met with opposition from environmental activists.

The promoters (Engie and Neoen within the Horizeo project) claim that they will replace the 1,000 hectares cut down.

per 2,000 hectares in the New Aquitaine region to stay as close as possible to the local sector.

The opponents of the project believe that the announced reforestation would have taken place anyway since it intervenes on any surface cut down to the ground. For them, the forest will lose 1,000 hectares of woodland.

A public debate will take place in the second half of 2021, between the stakeholders under the aegis of the National Commission for Public Debate.

This investment is estimated at €1 billion, including €650 million for the solar farm, €80 million for the connection, €40 million for the construction of the electrolyser, at 200 million for the data centre, which will be operated by a third party, €20 million for the 40 MWp battery and €10 million for the agrivoltaic site. Around 20% of the park's production will be used for self-consumption for the electrolyser and the data centre, with the remainder being delivered under green energy supply agreements.

https://www.pv-magazine.fr/2021/01/14/le-projet-horizeo-de-engie-et-neoen-suscite-la-colere-dune-association-environnementale/

PV Magazine of 14 January 2021

NDLR The larger a solar power plant is, the lower the cost price of its electricity. However, very large areas are not numerous in France and are defended by associations that delay or stop projects. For example, the 300 MWp power station in the Causses seems to have been abandoned.

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