l'Actualité du Solaire

EDF's announcement to build 30,000 MW of solar power over the period 2020 - 2035 is causing concern among local political and professional leaders in the photovoltaic industry. Indeed, over fifteen years, there will be 2 GW installed each year by this company alone, to which it would be necessary to add the other developers-owners of power stations.

This compares to the 7.7 GW installed over the last ten years. Some may be pleased about this, considering that solar energy is finally going to make its mark in France, making it possible to supplant nuclear power and to offer a new energy source.The Flamanville EPR will supply the kWh at €0.09; the British Hinkley Point power station will buy the kWh at £0.0925 (€0.1056). For these renewable energy proponents, solar energy has beaten nuclear energy and is establishing itself, along with wind power, as the two profitable, clean energy sources of the future, ... They are delighted with this.

Anything else is the appreciation of the local leaders. To achieve 2 GW per year, won't EDF be tempted to build gigantic installations privileging technical efficiency, to the detriment of the territories, the grounds, and the ecology of the regions or the communes? Everyone assumes the "chances" of being the region disfigured by huge expanses of panels. EDF's lack of precision is the bedrock of suppositions and fears. Some hope that agricultural land will not be affected, others hope that useless land such as the Causses, regions unsuitable for cultivation will be equipped as a priority... Finally, some are looking at the infrastructures that will be built to protect the environment.Finally, some are looking at the existing electricity infrastructures (high-voltage lines, production evacuation lines, the physical possibility of building evacuation lines, etc.) to assess the probability that a huge power plant will be built on their territory. It is that the effect of EDF's announcement has not been accompanied by the main lines of explanation of the means and the policy that will be followed ...

Until now, the will of the public authorities has been to limit the maximum peak power of the installations to 17 MWp. Admittedly, some major developers have built huge projects by juxtaposing power plants one after the other without respecting the minimum distance of 500 metres between two units, using different companies to circumvent the rule that was supposed to avoid the mass effect.

From now on, and especially in five to ten years, the situation will change more and more: with a cost per kilowatt-hour of around 0.05 €, and with the possibility of selling the electricity production to third parties, without going through the Energy Regulation Commission, large projects no longer have regulatory limits. The 500-metre spacing will no longer be respected. The financial means and the capital of influence of the large developers will enable them to acquire the space that suits them and, without wishing to say it, they will be able to free themselves from any provision limiting the maximum size of their power plants. It is clear that the example of Cestas with almost 300 ha for 300 MW will be followed, copied, and "improved" with a single objective : to lower the cost price per kilowatt.

This probable evolution makes Mr. Jacquin Depeyre, CEO of the Société Electricité du Soleil du Bassin (d'Arcachon) or EDSB, react. This small photovoltaic producer, who is also and first and foremost a forester, has just inaugurated these last few days in the Landes forest two power stations (one of 12 MW and the other of 3.5 MW which, in order to respect the regulation of the 500, could not be joined together in a single unit). The total installed capacity of EDSB is today a little less than 35 MWp in 3 sites of less than 12 MWp, more than 500 m away from each other. For their owners, these sites are clearings beneficial to biodiversity. The rows of tables are far apart, grass grows on 100% of the land surface, sheep graze on it and the biotope is favourable to insects and birds... which ensure the sanitary protection of the surrounding forest.

For the forester, its power plants are also beneficial to a better fire protection. They create firebreaks and fire protection zones, provide work for forestry companies and tax resources for local authorities. Faced with the risk of storms, the forest must be able to diversify.

The total surface area of the solar power plants, i.e. 65 ha, represents only 2.5% of the surface area of this 2,500 ha forest property. Why ban the alliance of solar power and the forest? When "monsters" of 300 ha with no space between the panels can continue to be built? It's all a question of proportion!

Instead of forbidding (small) producers from accessing CRE's calls for tenders when they use forest land, the 500-metre rule should be respected by everyone, at least in the forest, ... even if it means that they are not allowed to use the solar panels. increase the unit size of a photovoltaic site created in a forest to a maximum of 50 ha and require that the site does not cut a forest in two... with a rule applying to all photovoltaic players. Small producers, who need tenders, as well as larger ones who have direct access to the market as distributors. The rule should therefore apply more at the level of requests for clearing.

What will the owners of power plants look like ten or twenty years from now? Will there be a concentration between five to ten large operators who will monopolise almost all the power plants? Or do we want to see a diversity of owners, often in love with their living space and determined to do the best they can to build and operate their power plant in harmony with the environment?

The risk is that financial power will make the difference. That some will be given a free hand in negotiations with administrations, with two-tier regulation, one for the small ones who will be well obliged to comply with laws and regulations, and the big players who will soon no longer need calls for tenders and who risk breaking free of all limits? The future is not written. It has to be built. It is still necessary to have a clear perception of what is desirable for France's photovoltaic development and to stick to it.

PS: Let's remember that the forest area is constantly expanding, unlike the agricultural areas which are shrinking. But the French forest is not sufficiently managed and maintained. For this reason our country still lacks wood and imports massively.