Akuo, a renewable energy producer and developer, has commissioned a new floating solar power plant in Cintegabelle, near Toulouse in southern France.
The 8.7MWp floating solar plant in Cintegabelle is located on Cap Vert lake on the southern edge of the village, a 19-ha man-made lake created when a gravel quarry ceased operations.
The plan is Akuo ’s second floating solar installation to become operational, following the 17MWpp O’MEGA1 plant in October 2019 in Piolenc in southern France, whose output was expanded to 22MWp during the summer of 2022.
The new floating solar power plant provides local and decentralized renewable energy to more than 2,000 homes, thus avoiding over 900 metric tons (1,000 tons) of CO2 emissions annually, according to Akuo.
Akuo signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the electricity supplier Octopus Energy (formerly Plüm Energie), which committed to buying electricity from the Cintegabelle floating solar farm at a specified price over 20 years.
The plant will be inaugurated in September, Akuo said, unveiling plans to launch a third floating solar power plant in Gouts this fall as well.
Eric Scotto , Akuo’s chairman and co-founder, said: “It is a source of immense pride for Akuo and all its teams to see this second floating plant become operational. Floating solar technology is crucial to meeting the energy challenges we must rise to together. At Akuo, we are accelerating this through our latest commissioning.
“We are also delighted to help a new production business model emerge, hand in hand with a longstanding partner, Octopus Energy, and our financial partners”.
Vincent Maillard , co-founder and CEO of Octopus Energy France, added: “We have been working with Akuo for several years to bring about a new economic model that allows the development of new local production facilities while offering clients the possibility of benefiting from stable price terms over the long term. The current crisis shows just how directly useful this business model is locally.”