Floating solar project converts former gravel pit into 20 MW power generating pond

The first large-scale floating solar PV plant in Eastern France has been completed at a former industrial site and will now generate electricity equivalent to the needs of over 7,000 homes.

Construction of the 20MW floating solar PV installation was completed between French independent electricity producer Générale du Solaire and leading French floating solar company Ciel & Terre.

Marking the first floating solar project to be completed by Générale du Solaire and the first floating installation of its kind in Alsace, in the northeast of France, the project is built on a former gravel pit that has been turned into a pond.

The Leutenheim floating solar PV project, consisting of two floating solar islands, is expected to produce 21,750MWh of electricity each year, generating power equivalent to the needs of 7,250 homes and avoiding the emission of the equivalent of 1,392 tonnes of CO2 per year.

The installation and its pond are helping to rehabilitate the former industrial location, providing a source not only of renewable energy generation but also of ecological benefit.

In constructing the project, Ciel & Terre utilised the latest version of its Hydrelio technology, aiR Optim, which utilises a new float design that facilitates cable management and other infrastructure and helps to simplify maintenance.

The aiR Optim solution is also billed as being highly modular, ensuring that floating solar PV installations can be installed in any configuration necessary, helping the technology adapt to each project’s particular requirements.