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Hector Berlioz Conservatory – Bourgoin-Jallieu

Photowatt provides Bourgoin-Jallieu's Conservatoire Hector Berlioz with solar power

With its inauguration scheduled for next September, the Hector Berlioz Conservatory in Bourgoin-Jallieu, a cultural pillar of the Communauté d’Agglomération Porte de l’Isère (CAPI), is distinguished by its commitment to renewable energy. A total of 265 PHOTOWATT photovoltaic modules, type PW60LHT-C, were installed on the roof.

These solar panels, each with a capacity of 365 Wp, are designed to capture solar energy and convert it into electricity, helping to cover a significant proportion of the building’s energy needs. This initiative places the conservatory at the forefront of sustainable innovation, while underlining the importance of integrating renewable energies into public infrastructures.

The local community welcomes this step forward, which strengthens the image of the Hector Berlioz Conservatory as a modern, environmentally-friendly and forward-looking facility. Students and visitors who pass through its doors will discover an establishment where culture and sustainable development meet in harmony.

Facts figures

Spanning over 3800 m², the conservatory aims to accommodate around 1250 students from the start of the 2024 academic year. A total of 80 teachers will teach 45 disciplines, including dance, music and theater. Nearly 200 artistic events will be scheduled, including lectures, auditions, open stages, concerts and shows, involving students, teachers, guest artists and other participants.

Hector Berlioz Conservatory

Credits: CAPI/ Lyon drone service- J.Milani

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Fil’RSun project kick-off

Developed by Photowatt R&D, EDF Hydro, EDF R&D and the company Mécamont, this innovation project aims to provide new solutions for photovoltaic development in a context of growing scarcity of land dedicated to large-scale projects.

The Fil’RSun project was officially kicked off on Thursday February 8 in the presence of all the stakeholders. This collaborative project, supported by European LIFE funding over a 3-year period, will be developed by our R&D Department in partnership with teams from EDF Hydro, EDF R&D and Mécamont.

The purpose of the program is to develop new photovoltaic solutions in response to the current problem of access to land in France. The program involves the deployment of photovoltaic modules suspended over hydroelectric canals, whose potential is estimated by EDF at 2GWp in France.

Groupe de travail pour le projet Filsun à Carbonne

Land use conflicts are an increasingly important constraint on the large-scale development of photovoltaic solar energy. As a result, innovations such as the so-called “Agrivoltaic” installations are appearing, whose common feature is the dual use of land.

The Fil’RSun project is fully in line with this logic of installing photovoltaic systems on an already artificial surface, thus increasing the value of the land.

1st Suspended Panels Demonstrator

Prototype Filsun

The project consists of developing and installing a 1MWp demonstrator with low-carbon bifacial photovoltaic modules supplied by Photowatt and supported by cables over a canal connected to an EDF hydroelectric power station located in Haute Garonne.

EDF HSO is the project leader and will be the final operator of the photovoltaic plant. Mecamont is responsible for the structural design and installation of this industrial pilot plant.

logo FilRSun

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Our solar panels at the 2024 Games

More than 4,000 Photowatt solar panels supplied for the new Village and the Saint-Denis Aquatic Center

 

Photowatt is proud to announce its major contribution to the sporting event of the year by supplying 1.5 MWp, including over 1,600 state-of-the-art solar panels for the new sports village and around 2,500 panels for the Saint-Denis Aquatic Center, both projects led by EDF ENR.

Beyond the high-level sport celebration, the event that will take place from July 2024, represents a unique opportunity to promote sustainable development and leave a positive impact on the environment. With this aim Photowatt has committed to provide high quality solar solutions with a low carbon footprint for these installations.

Toit du Village Olympique des JO 2024
Bâtiment du Village Olympique des JO 2024
Panneaux solaires Photowat sur le toit di Village Olympique des JO 2024
Photowatt’s panels on the PV shading structure at the Athletes’ Village

Installed by EDF ENR with the innovative roof terrace and shading solutions developed by DOME SOLAR, Photowatt’s PW60LHT-C modules will supply 1/5 of the electricity consumed by the Village, housing the 14,500 athletes.

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Photowatt solar panels on the roof of the Aquatic Center of the Olympic Games in Saint-Denis, France

With a total output of 0.9 MW, the panels will ensure the Aquatic Center’s self-sufficiency with clean, renewable energy, making this project one of the largest urban solar parks in France.

Photowatt panels will provide facilities not only with clean, renewable energy, but also a reliable, high-performance, low-carbon solution.

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First images of the Ecrouves solar park

The first community solar park in the Grand Est region will feature 25,000 Photowatt panels

La SAS Parc Solaire de L’Espace du Génie, formed by SEM SipEnR, ENErgic, Énergie Partagée Investissement and the Communauté de Communes Terres Touloises,was created for the construction of a citizen’s ground-mounted photovoltaic park in Écrouves, Meurthe-et-Moselle.

Located on a former polluted site in the commune of Ecrouves, the project began construction in autumn 2023 and should be operational in summer 2024.

With an output of 12 MW and an annual production of 13.2 GWh, this photovoltaic plant will produce the equivalent of 77% of the total electricity consumption of the commune of Ecrouves and 5% of the Communauté de Comme Terres Touloises.

⚡12 MW total capacity

⚡25 000 Photowatt panels

Modules currently being installed. Photos – SEM SIPEnR – All rights reserved

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11,000 Photowatt panels at the Varennes-Changy photovoltaic power plant

A look back at the Varennes-Changy solar power plant

More than 11,000 Photowatt low-carbon photovoltaic panels have been supplied for the ground-mounted photovoltaic power plant in the commune of Varennes-Changy, in the Centre Val de Loire region.

Commissioned in summer 2023, the 5 MWc project led by EDF Renewables a has been installed on a 6.4 ha site.

⚡5 MW total capacity

⚡11,841 Photowatt bifacial panels

Photo – EDF Renewables – All rights reserved

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A new photovoltaic power plant in Flayat, Creuse

Photowatt supplies more than 12,000 low-carbon photovoltaic panels for a new 10 MW plant in Flayat, Creuse.

Installed on a surface of 10.8 ha, the new solar power plant at Flayat comprises 2 units of 5 MWp each: Flayat-A and Flayat-B. The plant, developed by the Générale du Solaire group, uses over 12,000 low-carbon photovoltaic panels supplied by Photowatt.

11,074 bifacial panels PW72LHT-CB-XF, new-generation modules that capture solar energy from both sides, front and rear, optimizing the yield of each module thanks to light reflected from the ground.

980 monofacial PW72LHT-C low-carbon panels

These two ranges of low-carbon photovoltaic panels are manufactured using French-developed, more sustainable production techniques and low-carbon footprint materials, reducing the environmental impact of the installation throughout its life cycle.

⚡10 MW total capacity

⚡More than 12,000 Photowatt panels on the Flayat B unit (5 MW)

⚡Around 2,000 households supplied with electricity per year on the Flayat B unit (excluding heating)

photovoltaic power plant in Flayat, Creuse, France

Photo – Général du Solaire – All rights reserved

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Partnership with La French Fab

Photowatt is pleased to announce its partnership with La French Fab

Launched on October 2, 2017 by Bruno Lemaire, Minister of the Economy, Finance and Recovery, La French Fab embodies the companies, economic players, institutions and industrial sites located in France that recognize themselves in the desire to develop French industry.

Proud of our contribution to the solar industry for over 40 years, we are pleased to announce our membership in this community, to continue to participate in the development of the French photovoltaic sector and its industrial expertise.

At Photowatt, we share and recognize ourselves in the values that La French Fab stands for, including:

  • The promotion of French know-how
  • Innovation and development of our production
  • The ecological and environmental performance of our production methods and products.

What are the ambitions of La French Fab?

  • Accelerate the transformation of industry in France by spreading the concepts and technologies of the Industry of the Future.

  • Networking the energy of French industrial players.

  • To give visibility to the actors who make French industry every day, and the pride of belonging to the French industrial excellence, in France and abroad.

  • Embodying the prosperous future of French industry and the attractiveness of its professions, thanks to initial or professional training.

  • Clarify public support services for industrial activities in France

Want to know more about La French Fab? Click here for more information

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Photowatt at Be Positive 2023 !

Large Format Project #1 : Enabling our 2 new huge capacity low carbon furnaces

Timelapse video ⌛ : Watch the installation in 2 minutes

The ” Large Format Project “ ? This is the ambition of becoming the first 100% European manufactured 210mm² wafers producer to anticipate the needs of tomorrow’s photovoltaïc market.

Photowatt decided to acquire new skills to optimize the performances of its new industrial production, through 5 steps that will be shared in the next few weeks.

First step : Two new huge capacity low carbon furnaces were implemented to accelerate our productivity, with below characteristics : 

  • 1.3 ton load per production cycle
  • Increasing productivity of 60% compared to old equipments
  • Decreasing the electrical consumption per kg produced

The target is to enhance the silicon crystallization performances, and to consolidate the leadership position of Photowatt in low carbon footprint.

How did our teams managed to move 12 tons furnaces ? Watch our 2 minutes explanation ! 👇

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Retzwiller Project

Project Retzwiller : 11 000 photovoltaic panels are operational in Alsace

4.6 MW of PHOTOWATT’s photovoltaic panels are powering 2000 homes daily

The whole power production is dispatched in the public network and fill 18 to 20% of the territorial yearly consumption, which is 5700 MWh per year.

The Retzwiller project started back in 2018 with the building permit allowal on the field of the old Gilardoni’s Brothers factory that was left abandoned. The Project leader Tryba Energy trusted PHOTOWATT’s experts to ensure the whole production of 11 000 photovoltaic panels PW72LHT-C.

The revaluation of this orphan space allowed to avoid the creation and use of a new field. Moreover, this wide french-based project is important economicaly and localy speaking, because it involved companies of the sector to support the development and installation of the power plant.

The PHOTOWATT photovoltaic panels are ready in Alsace
Aerial view - Progress of Retzwiller Project - April 2022
Building Terrain - February 2022
Laying piles on the ground - February 2022

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