Agrivoltaics in New Caledonia

• The 16-greenhouse Focola project has actually been created by French renewables developer Akuo and also neighborhood utility firm Enercal Energies Nouvelles on the Pacific Ocean region.

French renewables business Akuo Energy as well as the Enercal Energies Nouvelles subsidiary of New Caledonian electrical power system driver Enercal have actually established an agrivoltaic installment which will certainly create an approximated 2 GWh each year throughout 16 greenhouses.

The 22,000 m ² Focola project, developed by farmer Jean-Christophe Niautou, is anticipated to boost yearly plant return which presently rests at an approximated 200 lots, significantly by safeguarding plants from cyclones in the extreme-weather-proof frameworks.

" Beyond the technological expertise, this project adds to 2 significant social aspirations: food self-sufficiency and also electrical self-sufficiency for this area," claimed Akuo.

New Caledonia, which depends greatly on coal and also hefty gas oil imports from Australia as well as New Zealand, has actually introduced an aspiration to resource all its public power from renewables by 2030.

' Unprecedented'

" This project, extraordinary in the Pacific area, combines our placement on island areas," stated Akuo head of state and also founder Eric Scotto. "This technical expertise permits [excellent-] high quality farming task while having a high pressure system necessary for this area, as well as additionally adding to the development of work in the area.".

Early in 2014, Enercal Energies Nouvelles appointed the Wi Hache Ouatom installment, a 10 MW/7 MWh solar-plus-storage center which will certainly be the initial of its kind in New Caledonia. At the end of the year, the Total Quadran renewables business had by the French oil and also gas significant was completing its Hélio Boulouparis 2 project, which integrates a 16 MW solar plant with a 10 MW/10.6 MWh storage space system, as well as which will certainly be an expansion of the 11.2 MWp Hélio Boulouparis 1 project appointed in May 2017.

Nicolas Cazé, technological supervisor of Enercal Energies Nouvelles, claimed: "As the bulk investor, Enercal Energies Nouvelles has actually given its competence and also knowledge to make sure that this project is adjusted to neighborhood restraints as well as is completely according to plan ... on the power shift. As the driver, we will certainly make certain that the system pays and also fulfills its power manufacturing targets. The initial months of procedure [have actually maintained that] pledge because the annual production target of 2 GWh was gotten to in 8 months.".