Hanwha Solar Supplies Largest Solar Rooftop Installation in France

Hanwha Solar, a global provider of total photovoltaic (PV) solar solutions and a flagship company of top-10 Korean business enterprise Hanwha Group, has delivered 7.7 MW of PV modules into the largest rooftop installation in France.

Solvéo Energie, French EPC and customer of Hanwha Solar, has constructed a building in the municipality of Rion-des-Landes, which is designed to create ideal cultivation conditions for a ginseng plantation. By equipping the rooftop with solar modules, the building furthermore secures the financing of the project. The plantation was officially inaugurated Sept. 21, 2012.

“The Rion-des-Landes plant demonstrates how synergies with solar energy can successfully bring innovative projects forward,” said Charles Kim, president of Hanwha Solar. “France is one of our key markets in Europe and we will continuously expand our presence and engagement here.”

The production of ginseng represents a new and promising approach within the French agricultural sector: with the plantation in Rion-des-Landes, France GINSENG, the producer of the medicinal plant, implements its third cultivation area in France. However, cultivation of ginseng is demanding, as the roots need four years before they can be harvested and the ginseng plant thrives in shady areas only. With the construction developed by Solvéo Energie, both ideal growing conditions and financing for the project could be secured: the huge roof of the building protects the plants from the sun, whereas the PV modules produce valuable energy.

“We are very proud that Solvéo Energie chose Hanwha Solar as partner for this challenging and innovative project,” said LaudDirector of Hanwha Solar France. “The collaboration with Solvéo Energie was highly professional and inspiring, resulting in a win-win situation for both parties. We look forward to future cooperation with Solvéo.”

The figures of the project are impressive: The 9 hectare rooftop is equipped with 36,900 PV panels, totaling 8.7 MW installed capacity, of which 7.7. MW have been delivered by Hanwha Solar. With an expected annual production of 10,000,000 kWh, the new home of ginseng plants will cover the average electricity consumption of 4,000 households. In view of this large scale, the short construction phase of only six months is even more striking. Besides delivering its PV modules, Hanwha Solar was able to facilitate flexible financing through its financing tool kit that is available for selected projects.

“The cooperation with Hanwha Solar made the realization of this huge project possible,” said Jean-Marc Matéos, president of Solvéo Energie. “The professionalism and responsiveness of service that Hanwha Solar displayed during the process have significantly contributed to the successful construction.”

Located in France, the EPC offers professional turnkey solutions for implementing PV or wind turbine projects and implements power plants of all sizes, overseeing planning, plant operation and maintenance.