Engie and Neoen finalize a lighter version of their XXL solar park in Gironde

Called Horizeo, this project costing 600 million euros provides, in its final version, the construction of a photovoltaic park with a power of 800 megawatts (MW) on 680 hectares of forest in Saucats, 20 km south of Bordeaux, in the heart of the Landes de Gascogne massif.

Olivier Rémy, director of Horizeo, confirmed the submission of applications for building permits and environmental authorization, a few days before the implementation of a law limiting the surface area of ​​similar projects in the future.

In front of the press, he defended an "ambitious, pragmatic, energy transition accelerator" project, based on a "subsidy-free" model of over-the-counter contracts intended for companies, which "has evolved greatly" to respond to "the challenges of territory".

Of the 2.000 hectares of forest at their disposal, the project leaders announced that they would "maintain" 500 hectares for "biodiversity management" and 800 others for silviculture. They also plan for large strips of cleared land to protect against the risk of fire.

The operators have also committed to "reforesting mainly in Gironde", particularly on abandoned vineyard plots, double the forest area which will be cleared for the project.

In its first version, Horizeo planned a billion euros of investment, 1.000 hectares of solar panel park and several additional units - production of green hydrogen, storage batteries and data center - which have since been abandoned.

Locally, the project faces many opponents – forestry and agricultural unions, hunters and environmental associations – who fear an increase in the risk of fire and flooding as well as a monopolization of the forest.

The “acceleration of renewable energies” law, passed last year, will prohibit from March 10 new projects for the construction of photovoltaic parks larger than 25 hectares in forest areas.