After power supply deals for French retailer Boulanger, state-owned railway SNCF and financial services provider Crédit Mutuel, solar developer Voltalia has secured its fourth deal for an unsubsidized solar plant in France.
The French developer will supply energy generated at two solar plants with a total generation capacity of 61 MW in the south of the nation to Auchan Retail under a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) signed by the energy offtaker. The contract follows deals related to 5 MW of solar generation capacity with Boulanger, a 150 MW agreement with the railway and a 10 MW arrangement with lender Crédit Mutuel, with those three PPAs running for 25 years.
Construction of the two plants, which are expected to generate 97 GWh per year for Auchan, is due to start next year with commissioning set for 2022.
Partnership
“Auchan is committed to a proactive approach to reducing its electricity consumption, which has fallen by 18% since 2014, in France,” said Voltalia. “Helexia, a subsidiary of Voltalia, contributed to this strategy through a multi-site energy management contract.”
Sébastien Clerc, CEO of the developer, said: “This partnership is a new illustration of our leadership in the production of competitive renewable power through corporate PPAs on the French market. We are pleased to work with Auchan Retail, building on the cooperation developed with our subsidiary Helexia in the fields of self-generation and energy management.”
Multinational retailer Auchan has also signed agreements with Boralex and Eurowatt to extend the production of two wind farms with 13 wind turbines in Hauts-de-France and in Center-Val de Loire. When those plants stop receiving public incentives, they will continue generating for the energy offtaker until December 2023.
Auchan Retail plans to draw 16% of its electricity from clean power in 2022, rising to 100% by 2030.
