The huge players in European solar power industry, Germany, Italy and Spain, are quite difficult to compete against when it comes to total energy generation. However, slowly but surely, others are picking up speed, showing that solar can really be a game-changer everywhere.

This time last year, France announced the launch of a massive project that aimed to bring up the country’s somewhat slow game. Now, just twelve months later, the 300 megawatt Castas solar project is all ready and connected to the national power grid. With this, it became Europe’s largest solar power plant, which is expected to begin full operation in just a few days- on 1st of December.

The massive solar PV plant is located in the Bordeaux region of France, and its construction has been completed already in September. However, the connection to the grid proved to be quite a task, as it required 25 individual 12 MW connections.

According to the consortium director of Castas Project, Patrick de Labrusse, the construction process has gone brilliantly and satisfactory for everyone, as all deadlines have been met as promised in the initial contract. Running five weeks ahead of schedule, the consortium partners- French infrastructure company Eiffage, Schneider Electric and Krinner, and the developer Neoen, can only congratulate themselves for the brilliant job.

Adding to the already existing 114 MW Toul-Rosiéres Solar Park, a government-owned solar power plant, Castas Project is bringing France a step closer to that ever-so-wanted top of the European solar leader board. Yes, it will be difficult to overtake Germany’s 37.5 GW of installed solar power, but it is not impossible. If France can start and finish such a major project within a year, there is no limit to what could be done next.

Mai Linh (Green Optimistic)