Veolia to build 300MW of solar capacity across its landfill sites in France

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Veolia plans to install 400MW of renewable capacity across the land and buildings under its management. Image: Veolia

French land management firm Veolia has launched a project to build 300MW of solar capacity on its landfill sites in France, as the French energy sector looks to decarbonise its operations, despite growing concerns over the availability of land.

Veolia plans to build 40 solar farms over the course of the initiative, and aims to bring the first projects online in 2027. The initiative follows in the footsteps of a similar scheme in the UK, which saw Veolia fund a 59MW solar farm on a landfill site in Essex, and considering Veolia is neither a solar manufacturer, nor developer, will likely have to partner with other firms to complete the work, as it did with REG Power Management in the UK.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

“For several months, we have been screening all our sites in order to use every appropriate space to maximise energy production,” said Veolia CEO Estelle Brachlianoff, who pointed to other clean power projects installed at Veolia facilities that have an annual power output of 800GWh. “From now on, our landfills, most of which already produce biogas or biomethane, will also be able to produce solar energy.”

Projects such as these could help France realise its ambitious clean energy goals, and its solar targets in particular, with the latest draft updates to the country’s National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) setting a target of adding 5.5-7GW of new solar capacity a year until the end of the decade.

Considering that solar met just 4.2% of France’s energy demand in 2022, meeting such targets would radically alter the country’s energy mix, and could well require the support of companies outside of the energy sector, such as Veolia.

Veolia’s work also aims to overcome what it called a “significant land shortage” in France, where a combination of arduous permitting processes and the designation of only a small percentage of the French land as available for human development, including energy projects, has cast doubt over the future of the French solar sector. Speakers at Solar Media’s Solar Finance & Investment Europe event last week discussed this, and the “tension” that has arisen from this situation.

21 May 2025
London, UK
The Renewables Procurement & Revenues Summit serves as the European platform for connecting renewable energy suppliers to the future of energy demand. This includes bringing together a community of European off-takers, renewable generators, utilities, asset owners, and financiers. The challenges ahead are complex, but through collaboration, innovation, and a shared vision, we can navigate uncertainties and forge a sustainable energy future. Let us harness our collective knowledge to advance the renewable energy agenda.
3 June 2025
Messe Stuttgart Stuttgart, Germany
Meet battery manufacturers, suppliers, engineers, thought leaders and decision-makers for a conference and battery tech expo focused on the latest developments in the advanced battery and automotive industries. Stay plugged in for all the latest information on The Battery Show Europe 2024 including: Keynote Speakers & Conference Overview Show Features Floor Plan & Exhibitor News Travel & Transport information
2 December 2025
Málaga, Spain
Understanding PV module supply to the European market in 2026. PV ModuleTech Europe 2025 is a two-day conference that tackles these challenges directly, with an agenda that addresses all aspects of module supplier selection; product availability, technology offerings, traceability of supply-chain, factory auditing, module testing and reliability, and company bankability.
3 February 2026
London, UK
Returning in 2026 for its 13th edition, Solar Finance & Investment Europe Summit will bring together the brightest minds representing funds, banks, developers, utilities, government and industry across Europe and the UK on a programme that is solutions-focused from top to tail. The event is designed to enable leaders at the forefront of solar investment and deployment in Europe to scale, learn and land themselves industry defining partnerships.
10 March 2026
Frankfurt, Germany
The conference will gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing out to 2030 and beyond.

Read Next

April 29, 2025
Reassessing the role distributed solar operators have to play in minimising cybersecurity risks is key to Europe's solar cybersecurity.
Premium
April 29, 2025
“There is an adjustment in the industry [where] there are cycles,” explains Laura Fortes, senior manager for access to finance at GOGLA.
April 28, 2025
Fraunhofer ISE has developed a solar cell which uses “one-tenth” of the amount of silver as a standard cell.
April 28, 2025
Swiss renewable power developer Axpo and EDF Renewables Hellas have signed a power purchase agreement (PPAs) for 102MW of solar capacity.
April 25, 2025
Austria has announced a 'Made in Europe' bonus of 20% to government funding for PV and storage projects that use components made in Europe.
April 25, 2025
Technique Solaire has raised €302 million (US$343 million) in senior debt financing to build its European PV portfolio.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Media Partners, Solar Media Events
May 7, 2025
Munich, Germany
Solar Media Events
May 21, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
June 17, 2025
Napa, USA
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK