Michael Satterfield
Renault is launching the world’s biggest solar energy project in the global automotive industry by installing solar roof panels at its French plants. When operational, the solar panels will cover a total area of 450,000 sq m and offer an installed power capacity of 60 megawatts, which is equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of a town with a population of 15,000.
The panels will cover the roofs of the delivery and shipping centres at Renault’s Douai, Maubeuge, Flins, Batilly and Sandouville sites, and the staff parking lots at Maubeuge and Cléon.
The start date for installation is mid-June 2011 and completion is scheduled for February 2012. The project is a partnership with Gestamp Solar, which took over the project started by Eiffage, and part of Renault 2016 – Drive The Change, Renault’s strategic plan to reduce its carbon footprint by 10 per cent by 2013 and by a further 10 per cent between 2013 and 2016. By using renewable solar energy, Renault will cut CO2 emissions by 30,000 tonnes a year.
[Source: Renault]
