Vélizy-Villacoublay, 12 October 2022 – Eiffage and EDF Renewables commission the Subligny solar power plant, the first of three to be created on disused motorway construction sites
Eiffage Concessions and EDF Renewables have announced the commissioning of the Subligny solar power plant located between Subligny and Villeneuve-la-Dondagre in north-central France. Made up of 26,000 photovoltaic panels occupying 10 hectares, this 10 MW installation will generate 10.5 GWh annually, equivalent to the average annual electricity consumption of around 4,600 people, and 25% of the electricity needs of the Gâtinais en Bourgogne municipal federation.
The Subligny power plant is the result of a partnership signed in 2017 between EDF Renewables and APRR, a subsidiary of the Eiffage group, for the development of renewable energies on abandoned motorway sites owned by APRR. This partnership enabled the construction of the Subligny power plant near the A19 as well as two other solar power plants installed near the A6, namely Col de Bessey in Côte-d'Or (21) and Nitry. in Yonne (89).
Eiffage Concession has acquired a minority holding in these plants which is part of its activity in developing, financing, constructing, maintaining and operating photovoltaic projects on disused motorway sites. Eiffage Énergie Systèmes participates in the construction of these plants.
In March 2022, residents local to the Subligny, Col de Bessey and Nitry installations, and those from surrounding areas, had the opportunity to invest in the construction of these facilities through the crowdfunding platform Lendosphere. This campaign proved highly successful, with €387,000 raised, including €187,000 for Subligny.
Environmental and technical studies guided the choice of location for the Subligny plant, in order to protect the oligotrophic pond and the palmate newt species found nearby. Additionally, the works phase was timed to avoid bird nesting season. Environmental monitoring carried out alongside the works will continue throughout the facility’s lifetime.
This project, backed by the Gâtinais en Bourgogne municipal federation during its development phase, won the call for tenders initiated by the energy regulatory Commission in 2020. Through projects of this type, Eiffage Concessions and EDF Renewables are contributing to energy transition in France. These projects also participate to the EDF solar Plan which aims to make it a solar leader by 2035.
