BayWa r.e. completed the construction works in November 2017, and will continue to provide ongoing operation management of the solar park through its locally based operation and maintenance team.
BayWa r.e. sold three parts of the project,with a capacity of 31.8 MWp, to the independent solar power producer Sonnedix. The three PV plants, located adjacent to each other, are Bourg d’Hourtin (11.1 MW), La Redoune (12.0 MW) and Gartiou (8.7 MW). These acquisitions expand Sonnedix’s operating capacity to 189 MW in France and more than 750 MW worldwide.
The fourth part has been sold to the Allianz Renewable Energy Fund II (AREFII), a closed-end fund of Allianz Global Investors.
“We are happy to announce that we have successfully sold this project to two major players in the renewable energy sector,” said Benedikt Ortmann, Managing Director at BayWa r.e. Solar Projects GmbH.
“We are delighted to be able to continue our close relationship with BayWa r.e.,“ said Thomas Engelmann, CFA, Head of Transaction Management at Allianz Global Investors. At the beginning of 2017, Allianz Global Investors acquired a solar park portfolio in Great Britain from BayWa.r.e. for the Allianz Renewable Energy Fund II (AREFII) and entrusted it with operational management.
The sale completes a successful year for BayWa r.e. in France. Benoît Roux, Head of Solar Development and Acquisition at BayWa r.e. France SAS, added, “Renewable energy is meeting an ever increasing amount of France’s energy demand. With nuclear’s share due to reduce from its current 70 percent, to 50 percent by 2035, there are significant opportunities ahead and we are delighted to be playing our part in France’s energy transition.”
Part of the solar park is a nature trail that was built on the compound of the plant after its completion. This trail provides visitors with information on the power plant, on solar energy and its benefits as well as on the flora and fauna in the area. In addition to visitors from the region, the path is also intended for educational purposes by local schools.
Since the area had been used as an industrial forest, the solar park also contributes to the soil regeneration and will enable the development of the biodiversity. The ecological management plan will make a valuable contribution to the preservation of the environment and the recovery of the terrain within the next few decades.
