QAZAQ GREEN.  Spanish renewable energy group Iberdrola has been awarded its first floating solar power project in France, to be developed at Alsace region located in northeastern part of the country Offshore Energy reports.

The floating solar power plant will be developed, built and operated by Iberdrola on the basin of the Bischwiller gravel pit, owned in part by the municipality of Kurtzenhouse, which issued a call for tenders for the project in June 2022.

The gravel pit is currently operated by the company Eqiom Granulats, which extracts and markets sand and gravel of alluvial origin. During the construction and operation phase of the plant, Iberdrola said it will consider the presence of these activities and ensure their continued operation.

The floating solar power plant will occupy an area of approximately 13.5 hectares of the 28 hectares available on the site.

Starting in January 2023, Iberdrola has launched environmental and technical studies to determine and choose the most suitable technological solution for the project and the site. These studies will be completed in early 2024, according to the company.

The application for a building permit is expected to be submitted in spring 2024 and commissioning in late summer 2026.

The operating period is 30 years, and the plant will have an installed production capacity of 25MWp.

It will be able to produce approximately 27GWh of green electricity per year that will be injected into the distribution network to be consumed locally by nearly 10,000 Alsatian households.

Marc Moser, mayor of Kurtzenhouse, said: “The implementation of this floating solar plant represents a real opportunity for our region. This green energy project contributes to the region’s energy self-sufficiency while fighting against global warming in a context marked by soaring electricity prices.”

At the end of the plant’s operation life, Iberdrola will be responsible for 100% of the dismantling and restoration of the site.