A 74.3 MWp floating solar project at former gravel pits in northeastern France has been officially inaugurated by Q ENERGY and Velto Renewables, with the developers describing it as Europe’s largest floating solar park.
The Les Ilots Blandin project, located in Perthes in the Haute-Marne region, covers 127 hectares of former quarry land and incorporates more than 135,000 photovoltaic modules mounted on floating platforms developed in France.
The plant was fully commissioned in June 2025 and is expected to generate enough electricity to supply around 37,000 people annually. The developers estimate it will avoid approximately 18,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year.
Q ENERGY initiated the project in 2019, identifying the disused gravel pits as a potential location for solar generation while avoiding competition with agricultural land. Construction began in September 2023 following several years of development and planning.
Corentin Sivy, development director and deputy managing director of Q ENERGY France, said local engagement had played an important role in the project’s development.
“Understanding the local dynamics allowed us to design a project that is both technically sound and integrated into the region,” he said.
The project combines floating and ground-mounted solar, with a 2 MW ground-mounted installation included in the final design. The configuration followed an assessment of different technical options intended to balance energy output and project economics.
Floating solar remains a relatively emerging technology in France, where projects can face higher construction and maintenance costs than conventional ground-mounted installations. They also compete in the same public tender system administered by France’s Commission de Régulation de l’Énergie.
Engineering company Ciel & Terre supplied and installed the floating structures, modules and inverters, while Perpetum handled electrical infrastructure procurement and construction of the ground-mounted array. Solutions30 was responsible for cabling, grid connection and commissioning.
More than €50m in financing was secured in September 2024 through Crédit Agricole Transitions & Energies and Bpifrance. Velto Renewables, backed by Canadian institutional investor La Caisse, acquired a 50% stake in early 2025 and will retain a long-term ownership position.
Velto CEO Lucas de Haro said the company intended to establish a long-term presence in France through renewable energy projects.
