Project Focus: Tenesol completes first ‘positive energy’ installation in France

December 8, 2010
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

Global electricity supplier Tenesol, owned by Total and EDF, has completed the first ‘positive-energy’ production facility in France. The project, which generates up to three and a half times more energy than it consumes, is located near Avignon, and is fully owned by Isoltop.

Tenesol provided a 1,500m2 turnkey photovoltaic solution capable of producing 228,000kWh of electricity per year when the factory only requires 75,000kWh per year. The excess energy is fed back into the grid.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

 “This Isoltop project marks a fantastic achievement by Tenesol and should serve as a benchmark for other companies looking to develop their green credentials,” says Benoit Rolland, general manager of Tenesol. “Today’s manufacturing processes are more energy efficient and more environmentally aware. At the same time, solar power continues to develop and advance. Together this means that positive-energy factories are an achievable target for any number of industries and facilities.”

 “It was critical we chose a reliable company that works on the same principles as we do,” said Patrice Riberolles, chief executive officer at Isoltop. “In addition to functional and financial considerations, we valued Tenesol’s professional approach and the company’s ideas, which were intelligent and realistic.”

“There has been a dramatic increase in the number of businesses with sizeable roof space or accessible façades that wish to investigate PV technology,” said Rolland. “But to exploit its full potential, the right solar partner must be selected. Tenesol has 27 years of experience delivering customized PV systems on a turnkey basis. We work with clients in every stage of a project – from technical and financial evaluations to installation, operation and maintenance – to deliver advanced PV solutions that suit exact customer requirements.”

Read Next

December 18, 2025
The latest edition of our print journal, PV Tech Power, is out today and available to download, where we deep dive into PV quality assurance.
Premium
December 18, 2025
PV Talk: Paul Gebhardt of Fraunhofer ISE discusses reliability issues facing advanced PV modules, an issue which isn't going anywhere.
December 18, 2025
French renewables company Voltalia has started site preparation works on a 43MW/135MWh solar-plus-storage project in French Guiana, a French overseas territory in South America.
December 18, 2025
Pivot Energy has completed three financing agreements, totalling US$225 million, while CleanCapital has raised US$185 million.
December 18, 2025
UAE-based renewables developer AMEA Power has commissioned a 120MW solar PV plant in the central Tunisian governorate of Kairouan, the country’s largest operational PV project.
Sponsored
December 18, 2025
If we imagine the development of PV industry in terms of scale and quality on a single curve, its trajectory has clearly been moving upward.

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK
Solar Media Events
March 24, 2026
Dallas, Texas
Solar Media Events
April 15, 2026
Milan, Italy
Solar Media Events
June 16, 2026
Napa, USA
Solar Media Events
November 24, 2026
Warsaw, Poland