EDF Renouvelables, the renewable energy arm of French energy conglomerate EDF, is adding floating solar power to its energy portfolio with the beginning of construction of its first project. To come up in France on a water reservoir of Lazer Hydroelectric Plant, the floating PV project is expected to have 20 MW capacity.
EDF says the project in Hautes-Alps is part of the group's Solar Plan under which it aims to hold 30% market share in France by 2035.
The 20 MW floating solar power plant will cover an area of 24.5 hectares, covering close to 2/3rd of the reservoir. Sharing the roadmap of project completion, EDF said in spring 2021 anchors will be installed post which floats and PV panels will be deployed. It should be complete within 13 months, coming online in spring 2022 generating the clean energy equivalent of annual electricity consumption of 12,500 inhabitants 'thus adding to the production of the hydroelectric plant, which is more or less the same'.
The project was originally initiated in 2017 and was cleared after several technical, environmental and geotechnical studies to ensure continued electricity production from the hydroelectric plant.
"We are proud to start construction of EDF Renouvelables' first floating solar power plant, on the Lazer water reservoir. Thanks to this innovative technology, the same water reservoir will produce hydroelectricity and solar electricity: combining these two renewable energies constitutes an additional advantage in contributing to the development objectives of renewable energies set by the government," said French Director of EDF Renouvelables, Nicolas Couderc.
France got its maiden floating solar power project with 17 MW capacity in the form of O'MEGA 1 facility commissioned by Akuo Energy in October 2019 (see Europe Gets Its Largest Floating Solar Plant In France).