At a press conference held on 11 December 2017, Jean-Bernard Lévy, the EDF Group’s Chairman and Chief Executive, announced the launch the EDF Solar Power Plan.
Over the period of 2020 to 2035, the EDF Group – through its subsidiary EDF Energies Nouvelles – intends to develop and build solar plants in France totalling 30GW of installed capacity, in addition to its other renewables development initiatives in France and worldwide. This volume is four times greater than France’s current solar energy capacity1
This ambition is aligned with the government’s goal of rebalancing France’s energy mix through the massive expansion of renewable energy capacity across the country. EDF’s Solar Power Plan is also expected to create tens of thousands of jobs in France during the construction period2.
The EDF Group will leverage all its resources in order to sustain a vigorous rate of expansion:
- Identification and use of land from its portfolio of land assets: locations close to nuclear power plants, reconversion of industrial wasteland or dismantled sites, development of floating solar plants on hydroelectric sites;
- Use of internal resources;
- Involvement of industrial and financial partners.
Along with the above, EDF will also be working together with the public authorities to identify suitable parcels of land for the construction of new solar facilities.
Statement from Jean-Bernard Lévy, EDF Chairman and Chief Executive: “The Solar Power Plan is of an unparalleled scale and marks a real turning point in EDF’s development of solar power capacity. It is a concrete illustration of the goals outlined in the Group’s CAP 2030 strategy, which was initiated in 2015 and aim to double the Group’s installed renewable energy capacity by 2030. EDF now has a new roadmap in renewables for the next fifteen years”.
Statement from Antoine Cahuzac, Group Executive Director in charge of Renewable Energies and Chairman-Chief Executive of EDF Energies Nouvelles: “The EDF Group is recognised for its expertise both in France and abroad when it comes to developing all forms of renewable energy. We are proud of our pivotal role in the development of new solar power capacity in France. This effort comes in addition to our plans for expanding on wind and hydro capacity. It is a further sign of the Group’s commitment to the energy transition”.
1 As at 30 June 2017, France had 7.4GW of installed solar capacity. Source: Public statistics for the ministry in charge of environmental and social affairs.
2 1MW accounts for 5 to 10 jobs during the construction period. Source: ADEME.
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