Innovative agrivoltaic demonstrator commissioned in France

Voltalia (Euronext Paris, code ISIN: FR0011995588), an international player in renewable energies, announces the commissioning of its new agrivoltaic demonstrator in Poisy, Haute-Savoie. The aim of this innovative project is to study the interactions between photovoltaic infrastructures and cattle breeding

Voltalia is committed to strengthen its dual positive impact on the environment and society. A Mission-driven company since 2021, Voltalia has set for itself the target of having 50% of its solar power plants capacity in operation located on co-used or upgraded land by 2027, compared with 39% in 2023. The development of agrivoltaics, which enables both agricultural and energy production on a given plot of land, contributes to this objective.

Having already studied and implemented projects combining photovoltaic production with market gardening and sheep farming, Voltalia has now extended its field of action to cattle farming. The Poisy demonstrator is part of this dynamic, aiming to optimize the integration of solar panels and cattle pastures in harmony with existing best agricultural practices.

The Poisy demonstrator, with a capacity of 250 kilowatts, covers an area of 7,820 m2, of which 1,152 m2 is covered by solar panels. This system, the only one of its kind in France, is designed to measure and analyze the precise impact of photovoltaic installations on cattle farming, particularly in terms of animal welfare, day-to-day animal behavior and the quality and quantity of forage production. The installation comprises six rows of solar panels arranged at different heights, enabling us to compare the effects on animal behavior, in particular their access to shade, and on the microclimate. A control area, not equipped with solar panels, serves as a reference for comparative studies.

The development of the Poisy demonstrator was carried out in collaboration with recognized scientific institutes from the livestock sector and relies on the expertise of the Centre d'élevage “Lucien Biset” in Poisy, an organization administered by the Chambers of Agriculture of Ain, Isère, Savoie and Haute-Savoie. These partners, well known for their commitment to research and training in dairy farming, are contributing their agronomic and ethological expertise, their operating skills and their participation in the implementation of monitoring protocols to the Poisy demonstrator.

Sébastien Clerc, Chief Executive Officer of Voltalia, says: ?The commissioning of this demonstrator illustrates our commitment to innovate for a sustainable future that meets the needs of farms while contributing to the development of renewable energies. It's an excellent step in our more general approach to maximize the co-use of land, one of our objectives as a Mission-driven company?.