Orange is joining forces with ENGIE, a developer of solar and wind power in France, to deliver a global renewable energy supply solution in the country.
This will involve creating new solar energy production capacities, managing the production of all renewable electricity capacities contracted by Orange with other producers and supplying additional volumes to cater to Orange’s actual consumption.
The 15-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) between Orange and ENGIE covers the development of two new solar projects totalling 51 MWp in L’Epine (38 MWp) and Ribeyret (13 MWp), both located in the Hautes-Alpes region. These two solar farms will be operational by 1 January 2023 at the latest.
The regions covered by these solar projects will reap significant economic benefits: local companies will build, operate and maintain the sites, and rent will be collected and tax income generated by the facilities.
ENGIE will aggregate all of the renewable energy produced by the wind farms and solar plants for which Orange France signed a power purchase agreement. ENGIE will put its expertise in energy management to use to deploy a energy strip that caters as closely as possible to Orange’s actual consumption profile.
Fabienne Dulac, CEO of Orange France said: “Reducing our environmental footprint is a major part of Orange’s strategy. To achieve our aim of carbon neutrality by 2040, we seek to improve the energy performance of our networks and in particular by speeding up the incorporation of renewable energies into our energy mix.”
“This innovative contract demonstrates ENGIE’s expertise across the entire renewable electricity value chain and the Group’s aim to become a world leader on the renewable electricity purchase agreements market,” said Rosaline Corinthien, CEO of ENGIE France Renewables.
