New major solar facility will produce electricity for Solvay’s plants in Tavaux and Saint Fons (France) as the Group accelerates its decarbonisation
Solvay and Iberdrola are teaming up on a new project that will provide green electricity for Solvay’s plants in Tavaux and Saint Fons, France. Under the agreement, 172 hectares of land will be used to build a ground-mounted photovoltaic facility. The companies plan to sign a 20-year corporate power purchase agreement to sell green electricity to Solvay plants.
The solar facility, built and operated by Iberdrola Renouvelables France, will occupy 77 hectares and comprise around 100,000 photovoltaic modules. It will produce nearly 75 gigawatts (GWh/a), making this facility one of the largest such installations in Europe. Sixty percent of the green electricity produced will be destined for Solvay’s industrial sites in Tavaux and Saint Fons in France.
“We are delighted to partner with Iberdrola on this clean energy project that will significantly reduce the energy footprint of our Specialty Polymers and Aroma businesses in France,” said Ilham Kadri, CEO of Solvay. “It’s another important step in our Solvay One Planet roadmap as we continue to raise the bar and accelerate progress towards our goal of achieving carbon neutrality.”
Ignacio Galán, Chairman and CEO of Iberdrola, said: “Building cross-sector alliances to deliver new clean energy projects continues to be an important pillar of Iberdrola’s global strategy, based on electrification through renewables, networks and storage. Businesses are taking a leading role in the energy transition and this major new solar project will deliver significant environmental and economic benefits. We look forward to working with Solvay and to grow our relationship further in the years to come.”
The land that Solvay has dedicated for this project includes two rehabilitated settling ponds from its former Soda ash plant, located in the Herbitzheim-Willerwald-Sarralbe municipalities on both Bas-Rhin and Moselle departments, in the Grand Est region of France. The fact that this plan gives a second industrial life to brownfield land for the generation of renewable energy is also important as it accelerates the ecological conversion of the economy.
The project will also positively affect the local economy and boost employment in the area as industrial supplies for the construction will include an important local component. Local jobs will be created during the construction and operation phases. The plant is expected to go into operation by the end of 2025.
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Solvay is a science company whose technologies bring benefits to many aspects of daily life. With more than 21,000 employees in 63 countries, Solvay bonds people, ideas and elements to reinvent progress. The Group seeks to create sustainable shared value for all, notably through its Solvay One Planet roadmap crafted around three pillars: protecting the climate, preserving resources and fostering a better life. The Group’s innovative solutions contribute to safer, cleaner, and more sustainable products found in homes, food and consumer goods, planes, cars, batteries, smart devices, health care applications, water and air purification systems. Founded in 1863, Solvay today ranks among the world’s top three companies for the vast majority of its activities and delivered net sales of €10.1 billion in 2021. Solvay is listed on Euronext Brussels and Paris (SOLB). Learn more at www.solvay.com.
Iberdrola is one of the world's biggest energy companies and a leader in renewables, spearheading the energy transition to a low carbon economy. The group supplies energy to almost 100 million people in dozens of countries. With a focus on renewable energy, smart networks and smart solutions for customers, Iberdrola’s main markets include Europe (Spain, the United Kingdom, Portugal, France, Germany, Poland, Italy and Greece), the United States, Brazil, Mexico and Australia. The company is also present in growth markets such as Japan, Taiwan, Ireland, Sweden and Poland, among others. With a workforce of nearly 40,000 and assets in excess of €141.7 billion, the company posted revenues of €39 billion and a net profit of over €3.9 billion in 2021. Across the world, Iberdrola helps to support 400,000 jobs across its supply chain, with annual procurement of €12.2 billion. A benchmark in the fight against climate change, Iberdrola has invested more than €130 billion over the past two decades to help build a sustainable energy model, based on sound environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles. www.iberdrola.com/home
