France Mulling 300 MW PV Tender

• France is planning to issue a tender for 300 MW of PV capacity to be installed in Haut-Rhin
• It would partially cover the 1.6 GW Fessenheim nuclear power plant that EDF plans to close down by the end of 2018
• The tender may be launched by November 2018, and the auction process will conclude by the end of 2019, reports local media
• 200 MW will be tendered for ground-mounted solar power capacity and 100 MW for rooftop PV

France is planning to launch a tender for a 300 MW PV project located in Haut-Rhin, in northeastern France, announced the Ministry of Ecological and Solidarity Transition. The Fessenheim area, where the PV capacity should be installed currently, hosts an aging nuclear power plant. Apparently, energy storage and geothermal energy projects may also be planned for the site.

The tender will reportedly be launched before the end of 2018. Crowdfunding for projects will be encouraged. French public sector financial institution Caisse des Dépôts is planning to offer financial support to project sponsors.  

The 1.6 GW Fessenheim nuclear power plant, operated by EDF Energy, is due for closure by the end of 2018. The plant is located on the French border to Germany. Details about the tender are scarce, but news outlet France Bleu reports that out of 300 MW, 200 MW will be tendered for ground-mounted PV projects and 100 MW for rooftop solar. It reported that the tender may be launched by November 2018 and could be completed by the end of 2019.

EDF itself has massive solar plans. In December 2017, it revealed its solar target of 30 GW to be deployed in France between 2020 and 2035 (see EDF Targets 30 GW In France). By 2035, it has to close down 8 nuclear power stations with a cumulative capacity of 8,918 MW.