Akuo today inaugurates the extension of the O’MEGA 1 floating solar power plant in Piolenc. The event was attended by the Prefect of Vaucluse, Violaine Demaret, the Mayor of Piolenc, Louis Driey, and Akuo Managing Director Nicolas Couderc. This extension makes the O’MEGA 1 floating solar power plant the largest in France.
Extension of the O’MEGA 1 floating solar power plant: Increased power and agricultural impact
The O’MEGA 1 floating solar power plant was inaugurated in October 2019, marking the first deployment of a plant of this scale in France. The extension, called O’MEGA 1 Bis, includes a new island with a capacity of 5 MWp, bringing the total installed capacity from 17 MWp to 22 MWp. As with O’MEGA 1, construction of this extension was entrusted to Bouygues Energies & Services, an Equans subsidiary.
Since its commissioning in July 2022, the extended park has generated a total of 25,500 GWh per year, meeting the renewable and local electricity needs of over 5,700 households. What’s more, it saves more than 2,500 tonnes of CO2 every year, equivalent to the emission of 5,750 round-trip car journeys between Lille and Marseille.
The extension of the floating solar power plant has also made it possible to develop the agricultural aspect of the project. In collaboration with Piolenc’s municipal teams, several farmers have been given 6 hectares of land to grow experimental organic crops, including thyme, rosemary, lavender, pistachio, yuzu and pomegranate. On the site, they have already installed windbreak trees, a fence and a water pump to create an environment conducive to these crops.
Ecological impact and local support: environmental monitoring of the O’MEGA 1 solar power plant and community mobilization
Ecological monitoring of the flora and fauna of the O’MEGA 1 site has been carried out by an independent consultancy since the first floats were installed. The first conclusions, to be delivered at the end of 2021 and 2022, point to positive effects. Protection of the site has transformed the area into a preserved and peaceful zone for wildlife, encouraging rapid regrowth of vegetation along the banks. The reed beds, in particular, have become important habitats for the fish and birds that frequent the lake. The plant’s floats also serve as a resting area for many birds, keeping them away from land-based predators.
The solar power plant and its extension have aroused great enthusiasm in the local community. A crowdfunding campaign began in autumn 2021 via AkuoCoop, the Akuo Group’s crowdfunding platform. The campaign raised 560,000 euros from citizens and local businesses keen to participate in the energy transition and the local economy. In all, between O’MEGA 1 and its extension, 1.185 million euros were invested in the plant thanks to this initiative, testifying to the strong mobilization of local communities.
A shared vision for a sustainable future: when the municipality and Akuo join forces for O’MEGA 1
The Mayor of Piolenc, Louis Driey, comments: “The inauguration of the extension to our power plant is the crowning achievement of a partnership with Akuo that has lasted several years. With Akuo, the municipal team is resolutely committed to the ecological transition (photovoltaic power plant, development of organic farming and initiation of future generations with the leisure center) and thus supports the advent of the law on renewable energies. I would add that the piolençois project was at the origin of the creation of the AkuoCoop participative platform.
Nicolas Couderc, Akuo’s CEO, adds: “It is a great source of pride for Akuo and our teams to inaugurate the extension of our first floating solar power plant. We are also proud to be working closely with a municipal team so committed to energy transition and local development. The success of this first project is reflected in our ability to replicate it successfully. Indeed, we are commissioning two new Akuo floating solar power plants, one in Occitanie and the other in Nouvelle-Aquitaine.”
