Rhodia is planning to install 12,000m² of PV panels at the Rhodia Belle-Etoile site in Rhône, France. Solairedirect, the solar module manufacturer, and OFI Asset Management will partner Rhodia on the project, which will boast a peak capacity of 2MW and produce two million kilowatt hours of electricity per annum.
Solar panels will be incorporated in the roof design of all of Rhodia's warehouses, making the facility one of France's largest industrial rooftop solar power projects. Construction is due to start in December 2010 and scheduled for completion in late 2011.
“We are particularly happy to enter into this innovative partnership with Solairedirect that will allow Rhodia to reduce its carbon footprint still further,” said Rhodia's president, Philippe Rosier.
“The Belle-Etoile site is one of our largest photovoltaic projects installed on the roofs of factory buildings. It represents an important step that will help us achieve our target of installing photovoltaic panels with a peak generating capacity of more than 80MW between now and the end of 2011,” added Thierry Lepercq, chairman of Solairedirect.
