Europe’s Largest Floating Solar Power Plant Under Construction in Haute-Marne

The installation of anchors is complete, the first panels and floats have been delivered, and the assembly of modules has begun for Europe’s largest floating solar power plant. Located on a 127-hectare site of former gravel pits owned by Établissements Blandin de Recy, the project is poised to transform the renewable energy landscape.

With a capacity of 74.3 MW, including 2 MW on the ground, the installation spans 45.5 hectares within the limits set by the building permit, adhering to environmental studies to preserve biodiversity. The plant comprises six islands with 134,649 DAS Solar MD10 panels of 550 and 555 Wc, connected to 156 inverters. Upon commissioning in early 2025, the plant will supply electricity to approximately 37,000 inhabitants and prevent the release of about 18,000 tonnes of CO2 annually.

Initiated in 2019 by Q ENERGY, the “Les Îlots Blandin” project won the CRE’s PPE2-2 call for tenders in August 2022. The developer, in partnership with Établissements Blandin de Recy under a 40-year lease, teamed up with a consortium of companies for the project’s execution and maintenance. Solutions 30 Sud-Ouest handles earthworks, civil and electrical engineering, Perpetum Energy is responsible for electrical engineering and some equipment supply, and Ciel et Terre International oversees the floating structure.

The “Îlots Blandin” plant is capable of producing twice as much energy as Europe’s current largest floating solar park. “We are working on large floating parks globally, including a 296 MW plant in Taiwan. With ‘Les Îlots Blandin,’ we are reaching a new milestone, proving floating solar’s place in Europe,” said Vincent Grumetz, Director of Ciel & Terre EMEA.

The project presents unique logistical challenges due to its scale. “Given the plant’s size and the volumes to be managed, we developed a specific logistics chain to prevent our teams, who work simultaneously on three reservoirs, from overlapping,” explained Vincent Pinchou, project manager at Ciel & Terre EMEA.

The project aligns with the local aquatic ecosystem, with regular on-site visits by ecologists. It has been well-received by neighboring communities, who benefit from royalties collected on electricity production.

This ambitious project demonstrates the potential of floating solar power in Europe and highlights the collaborative effort required to bring such a large-scale renewable energy project to fruition.