Q Energy, Velto open long-delayed 9-MWp solar park in France

European renewables developer Q Energy and Spanish independent power producer Velto Renewables have inaugurated a 9-MWp solar park in the municipality of La Tourette-Cabardes, Aude, in southern France, following more than a decade of development.

The La Gineste solar farm, officially inaugurated on Friday, features over 15,200 photovoltaic modules and is projected to generate enough electricity to power approximately 5,500 individuals annually. The project incorporates agricultural use, with the land serving as grazing grounds for livestock.

Developed by Q Energy, a subsidiary of South Korea's Hanwha Solutions Corp, the initiative has been in collaboration with the landowner and local municipality since 2011. In March, Velto Renewables, backed by CDPQ, acquired a 50% stake in the project.

The extended 14-year development timeline is attributed to delays in commissioning a regional electrical substation essential for the plant's grid connection, as well as disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, which affected supply chains and escalated costs.

Initially selected in a 2022 call for tenders by France's Commission de Régulation de l'Énergie (CRE), the project's terms became unsustainable due to inflation. Progress resumed after securing a more viable tariff through a CRE tender in March 2024.