BayWa’s renewables business has completed the construction of solar farms totalling 136MW on two former military bases in France.
At the sites in central and south-west France, which span a combined 151 hectares, the installations comprise five schemes with more than 300,000 panels in total.
BayWa r.e. designed the arrays to allow for sheep farming to occur at the sites.
Preparation works included ensuring the farms were cleared of mines.
On the former La Martinerie military base near Chateauroux, in the centre of France, two solar parks will produce 82GWh of renewable electricity each year.
The commissioning of the 40MW Greenberry site took place recently.
Its predecessor Blueberry was commissioned in 2021 and has a capacity of 30MW.
On the former Fontenet military base in Charente-Maritime, three solar parks, Fontenet 1, 2 and 3, totalling 66MW, will also produce 82GWh a year.
Fontenet 1 was completed in 2014, Fontenet 2 in 2022 and the construction of Fontenet 3 has just been completed.
On both sites, BayWa r.e. has been contracting leases with farmers.
This coactivity reduces the need for mechanical work to maintain the parks and preserves local biodiversity.
At the Greenberry and Blueberry farms, BayWa r.e. implemented additional measures to protect orchids on site, support reptile populations with shelters, and allow small terrestrial wildlife to pass through the fence.
In Fontenet, BayWa r.e. also supported the local community with the installation of solar panels on the roof of a municipal building.
Regional director of projects Europe south-west at BayWa r.e Celine Tran said: “This example for land rehabilitation as part of the energy transition represents yet another milestone for our innovative and local approach in France.
“With a strong regional footprint, we are committed to creating positive impacts and benefits for the local community.
“Renewable energies are truly an engine for rural and environmental development – not only solar energy, but also wind, as the French team just recently showcased with the 9MW wind farm Quilly, sold in its entirety to the local community.”
La Martinerie and Fontenet military bases each have a rich history, dating back to the first half of the 20th Century.
La Martinerie was home to a pilot school from 1915, then the 3rd Fighter Regiment from 1920.
Fontenet military camp was built during the interwar period.
From 1951 to 1969, these bases hosted NATO forces before closing in the 2000s.
Before rehabilitating these lands, pyrotechnic decontamination was necessary.
At Fontenet, several shells were secured, and at La Martinerie, a 250kg bomb was unearthed in 2023.