The largest floating photovoltaic power plant in Europe

Q Energy stated that it will deploy a 74.3 MW floating photovoltaic array in northwestern France. The project is expected to take about 18 months to complete and is scheduled to start trial operation in 2025.

Renewable energy producer Q Energy has started building the "Les Ilots Blandin" floating solar power plant in the Haute Marne department of France, and has stated that once completed, the plant will become the largest floating photovoltaic project in Europe.

Q Energy stated that the initial planned capacity of the power station was 66 MW, but with the advantage of floating design, it will be able to expand to 74.3 MW in the future.

The construction process of the power station is expected to last about 18 months and is planned to be put into trial operation in the first quarter of 2025. A consortium consisting of Solutions 30 Sud Ouest, Ciel et Terre International, and Perpetum Energy will be responsible for construction and operation.

In August 2022, Q Energy won the project in a bidding event with the French Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE). The power station will be built on an artificial lake located in an abandoned gravel pit owned by Etablishments Blandin.

Q Energy will deploy 134649 components on six islands and fix them on the shore or bottom of flooded mines. The company stated that the floating structure was manufactured in France and the materials used were specially designed to minimize environmental impact.

Since 2018, Q Energy, headquartered in Avignon, France, has been committed to developing floating solar projects in areas with abandoned quarries. At present, the company's floating photovoltaic pipeline development capacity has exceeded 300 MW.