Neoen, a major player in renewable energy, has publicly appealed to the French government to expedite the approval of its long-delayed Horizeo photovoltaic power plant project. The project, developed in partnership with Engie, has been stalled for over a year due to debates surrounding the artificial alteration of natural land.

The Horizeo project, representing a €600 million investment, aims to construct an 800-megawatt (MW) photovoltaic park. Situated on 680 hectares of forest land, 20 kilometers south of BORDEAUX in the Massif des Landes de Gascogne, it is poised to become one of the largest solar energy facilities in Europe.

“we have to let us move forward. Everything is ready,both the project and the reforestation areas.What we are missing are zero -artificial authorizations clear “ (Zan), said the CEO of Neoen, Xavier Barbaro, during a press event at the Cestas solar power plant (Gironde), which is currently the largest in France and celebrating its tenth anniversary.

“The ball is in the government’s camp”

“Today, the ball is in the government’s camp. (…) There is a possibility of unlocking this at the national level and that’s what we expect “, he added, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.

Horizeo’s primary obstacle is the “Zero net artificialization” (Zan) objective, which has been in effect as 2021, mandating careful land management. This objective gained prominence following a recent prohibition on photovoltaic park projects exceeding 25 hectares in forested areas.

The sheer size of the XXL power station “Woudl come to grew the envelopes of all local communities, which need it to carry out public service or job creation projects”, warned Alain Rousset, president of the New Aquitaine region, also citing concerns about the impact on new high-speed train lines (LGV) in the Southwest.

“Today, the ball is in the government’s camp.(…) There is a possibility of unlocking this at the national level and that’s what we expect.”

Relaunch the solar panels sector

Catherine Macgregor,director general of Engie,a co-financier of Horizeo,voiced her concerns before the Senate in late April,criticizing the “State contradictory injunctions”,which wishes to “develop renewable energies” while concurrently impeding a project “Taken in the complexities of the Zan”.

Project proponents argue that Horizeo, beyond its renewable electricity production slated for 2028, would also provide a significant boost to the solar panel manufacturing sector in France.

However, the project faces local opposition from various groups, including silvicultural and agricultural unions, hunters, and environmental organizations. These opponents express concerns about increased risks of fire and flooding,as well as the potential monopolization of forest land.