Two solar panel factories expected in France

“We have two new gigafactory projects in development, in Sarreguemines and Fos-sur-Mer. Ultimately, these two factories will make it possible to produce 15 gigawatts (GW) of solar panels,” said the minister on Monday during his first trip to the field since he took charge of Energy subjects in addition to those of Industry last week.

Visiting the Marcoussis solar farm (Essonne), which covers 23 hectares above a wasteland, he underlined the virtues of the "economically profitable and ecological" project supported by Engie (60%) and the Intercommunal Union gas, electricity and local energies in Ile de France (SIGEIF) for 20%, as well as crowdfunding of 20% from residents of the region.

"It ticks almost all the boxes. Almost, because one is missing. The panels we have here come mainly from China. There is a small European part which comes from Norway. This is the major challenge we face. must respond" underlined the minister.

“Our challenge is to fundamentally transform our productive apparatus and accelerate the ecological transition. This means that we must have panels made in France, made in Europe on projects of this type” he said. he adds.

The two planned factories, if they receive a definitive green light for the planned investments, "will make it possible not only to meet French needs but to export solar panels made in France", he estimated.

Panel manufacturing in France is the missing link in the photovoltaic solar industry.

Current manufacturing capacity in France is limited to a few hundred megawatts, far from the installation needs which amounted to 3,2 GW in 2023.

The first orientations of the French Strategy for Energy and Climate (SFEC), subject to public consultation in the fall of 2023, are betting on a clear acceleration in the pace of development of photovoltaics: Achieve an installed capacity of 75 to 100 Gigawatts in 2035 requires doubling the volumes installed each year, from 3,2 in 2023 to 5 to 7 GW/year.

The Sarreguemines giga-solar factory project is carried out by the Holosolis consortium, which brings together EIT InnoEnergy, the solar developer TSE and the real estate group IDEC. Its production capacity should amount to 5 GW per year and production should start in 2025.

The capacity and schedule are similar for the giga-solar factory in Fos-sur-Mer, run by the company Carbon.