Lure photovoltaic power plant: French government and Boralex condemned on appeal

The French state and Boralex have been condemned for failing to find alternative sites less harmful to biodiversity for their photovoltaic plant on the Lure mountain.

Share:

Condamnation photovoltaïque Lure

The Marseille Administrative Court of Appeal recently condemned the French state and the Canadian company Boralex, responsible for operating a photovoltaic power plant on the Lure mountain in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence region. This decision comes after several environmental associations, initially rejected by the court of first instance, appealed against the 2020 prefectoral decree. This order granted Boralex an exemption for the destruction and intentional disturbance of specimens and habitats of protected species. The judges found that “no alternative solution for siting the project beyond the municipal territory had been sought”, despite the fact that the area identified by the municipality had not been artificially developed. They also pointed out that the existence of several photovoltaic park projects in the immediate vicinity suggested that alternatives existed.

Environmental impact and project progress

The construction site for the photovoltaic power plant, almost complete and already impacted by environmental activists, covers an area of 17 hectares near Cruis, at the gateway to the Luberon Regional Nature Park. The plant, equipped with 20,000 solar panels, is designed to produce 26 GWh of green energy per year, equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of around 12,000 inhabitants. However, the project required the felling of hundreds of trees in a protected area, classified as a biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 2010. The cancellation of the derogation by the administrative court does not, however, call into question Boralex’s right to operate the power station or the finishing work in progress. In response, Boralex stated that “the cancellation of the protected species exemption does not call into question our presence on the site or the finishing work on the power plant”. However, Boralex’s lawyer, Antoine Guiheux, has indicated that the company, which is also active in the wind power sector in France, is considering appealing to the French Supreme Court.

Futurist Reactions and Perspectives

For environmental associations, this court ruling represents a major victory against the State and industrial interests. Pierre Lavoie, a member of Amilure’s board of directors, declared that alternatives were possible on already degraded land, thus avoiding sacrificing remarkable biodiversity. For his part, Pierrot Pantel, an environmental engineer and coordinator of environmental struggles, asserted that the ruling is suspensive, preventing Boralex from continuing to operate the plant for the time being. Looking ahead to a possible favorable decision by the Conseil d’Etat, Pierrot Pantel suggested that the associations could ask for the site to be restored, although this process could take some time.
This case highlights the growing importance of environmental considerations in the planning of energy projects. Industry professionals need to take these concerns on board to avoid similar conflicts and promote a sustainable energy transition that respects biodiversity.

EDP Renewables North America and California Water Service have entered into a 20-year agreement to supply solar energy to a strategic Bakersfield site, reducing grid energy costs by about $1.7mn over the contract duration.
Solar growth in the European Union is seeing its first annual contraction in ten years, following reduced subsidies and shifting budget priorities in several member states.
Scatec secures the development of a 846 MW photovoltaic cluster in the Free State province, with an investment of ZAR13bn ($735mn), following the seventh round of South Africa's REIPPPP programme.
Enbridge invests $0.9bn in a 600 MW solar facility in Texas, fully dedicated to powering Meta Platforms, Inc.'s data centres through a long-term power purchase agreement.
ENGIE has announced the acquisition of 22 distributed solar projects in Pennsylvania, further strengthening its renewable energy expansion strategy while supporting the local economy and enhancing the reliability of the distribution grid.
Estuary Power commissions the Escape Solar and Storage project in Nevada, integrating 185 megawatts of solar capacity and securing enhanced financing from institutional investors to supply electricity to several major players in the leisure sector.
New anti-dumping tariffs and Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) restrictions are disrupting the US solar supply chain, while ongoing dependence on China exposes the industry to significant risks, according to Wood Mackenzie.
Sri Lanka and the International Solar Alliance (ISA) have signed a strategic partnership to accelerate solar energy deployment in the country, aiming for 70% renewable energy by 2030.
Sunrun announced the pricing of its $431 million securitization, involving leases and power purchase agreements. This marks the company’s 14th public securitization and its third of 2025.
Resalta has completed the acquisition of Statkraft’s Croatian platform, expanding its presence in renewable energy across Eastern Europe, with a portfolio of projects and a full local team.
Gaia Renewables 1 has acquired a 10% stake in two solar power plants in the Northern Cape, following regulatory approval and financial close, strengthening its portfolio of independent assets.
SOFAZ acquires 49% of a 14-plant solar portfolio held by Enfinity Global in Lazio and Emilia-Romagna, reinforcing its long-term stable investment strategy.
Entech spent €1.4mn to acquire a portfolio of photovoltaic projects under development across southern and central France, marking a first move in its external growth strategy following a recent capital increase.
A guarantee operation orchestrated by the World Bank targets the expansion of distributed energy solutions across nearly twenty African markets, involving a project portfolio led by CrossBoundary Energy and a financial collaboration with Standard Bank South Africa.
Facing chronic power outages, South African households are increasingly turning to solar self-generation, jeopardizing Eskom's pricing model and widening energy-access inequalities between affluent neighborhoods and disadvantaged areas.
Sol Systems has secured a $675mn credit facility to accelerate the development of 500 MW of solar and storage projects in Illinois, Ohio and Texas, backed by an international banking consortium.
The rapid rise of solar energy is disrupting Pakistan’s electricity sector, forcing the government to revise its tariff policy and introduce new taxes on solar panel imports.
Sabanci Renewables announces the acquisition of the Texan solar project Pepper from OCI Energy, strengthening its US portfolio to 660 MW and paving the way for an increase to 3 GW by 2030.
The results of recent Polish auctions reveal a predominance of photovoltaic solar, with 178 projects selected and a total capacity of 1.67 GW, while other segments found no takers.
The National Solar Energy Federation, launched on 21 June and formalised on 14 July, brings together installers, equipment suppliers and financiers to defend photovoltaics against political criticism as Paris prepares a new energy roadmap.