EDF, French town of Saumur cut ribbon on 11.3-MWp solar projet

• EDF Renewables on Friday cut the ribbon on a 11.3-MWp solar energy plant located at a former landfill site in the French town of Saumur.

The Saumur Chemin Vert solar array is an initiative of the town of Saumur, which in 2017 released a call for expressions of rate of interest for the study of a solar project on its former Chemin Vert landfill that was won by French electric utility group EDF SA's (EPA: EDF) renewables arm.

After safeguarding building and construction permits in May 2019 and an electrical energy acquisition tariff from the Energy Regulatory Commission in 2020, building started in September 2021 and the plant was commissioned in August 2022. Landscaping work, consisting of the production of an educational pathway, was completed in April 2023.

Found on 9.5 hectares (23.5 acres), the project consists of 25,500 photovoltaic panels. Its generation amounts the annual demands of 5,500 people, or almost 20% of Saumur residents.

Regional residents had the chance to buy the project through a crowdfunding project, which increased EUR 96,000 (USD 103,000).

The town of Saumur and EDF Renewables are currently researching one more project ashore near the local aerodrome.