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Q ENERGY Nears Completion of Europe’s Largest Floating Solar Park

Published in: Solar, Digital Blog

Q ENERGY Nears Completion of Europe’s Largest Floating Solar Park image

The Les Ilots Blandin floating solar park is poised to become a milestone in European renewable energy. Spearheaded by Q ENERGY and its consortium partners, this 74.3 MWp installation—spread over five disused quarries—is redefining the scale and feasibility of floating solar power in Europe. After six years of development, the project is now in its final phase.

Project Overview

  • Location: Northern France
  • Footprint: 127 hectares across five disused quarry ponds
  • Modules: Approx. 135,000 solar panels
  • Capacity: 74.3 MWp
  • Unique Design: Modules installed on water using custom floating platforms

A Complex Engineering Challenge

Installing a solar plant of this magnitude on water introduced significant logistical and technical hurdles:

  • Concurrent site use: Gravel mining continued on parts of the site during construction.
  • Logistics management: Over 8,000 floating elements delivered weekly.
  • Minimal land use: Most construction and storage occurred directly on water due to limited on-site space.
“A project of this size on land would be challenging—on water, it required a completely different level of expertise,” said Jean-Luc Lopez, EPC Director, Q ENERGY France.

Key Partners and Responsibilities

A specialized consortium was formed, including:

  • Q ENERGY: EPC main contractor, module procurement, and financing
  • Ciel & Terre: Developer/manufacturer of floating platforms, anchoring, and module installation
  • Solutions 30: General contractor, responsible for cabling, electrical connections, and commissioning
  • Perpetum: Procured inverters and transformer stations, and built a complementary 2 MWp ground-mounted PV array

Technical and Design Innovations

  • Custom floating platforms produced in France specifically for this project
  • Sungrow inverters designed for high-humidity environments, mounted directly on water
  • Centralized cabling system: Cables grouped on floaters and routed to land in large bundled cross-sections—first of its kind in France
  • Output Increase: Original design expanded from 60 MWp to 74.3 MWp through successive tender wins and design enhancements

Local and Environmental Benefits

  • Favorable site conditions:
  • Community engagement:
  • Environmental stewardship:
“Environmental integration was a core focus. This is not just a power plant—it’s part of the ecosystem,” said Corentin Sivy, Head of Development at Q ENERGY.

Financing and Ownership

  • Total external financing: €50.4 million
  • Financing institutions: Crédit Agricole Transitions & Energies and Bpifrance
  • Project acquisition: In March 2025, the park was acquired by Velto Renewables, a pan-European IPP owned by global investor CDPQ
“Les Ilots Blandin sets a benchmark for innovative renewable solutions. This is exactly the type of project that accelerates Europe’s energy transition,” said Lucas de Haro, CEO of Velto Renewables.

Project Execution and Legacy

  • Construction timeline: 1.5 years to substantial completion
  • Workforce: Up to 60 employees on-site, with many more in production and logistics
  • Knowledge transfer: Strengthened network of experienced suppliers and contractors across France

Q ENERGY and its partners have demonstrated how a complex floating PV project can be executed efficiently and responsibly. The success of Les Ilots Blandin not only boosts France’s solar capacity but also creates a replicable model for future floating solar initiatives across Europe.

🔗Learn more about Q ENERGY: www.qenergy.eu

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