Voltalia breaks ground on 5-MW solar-plus-storage plant in French Guiana

French renewable power producer Voltalia SA (EPA:VLTSA) has started the construction works on a 5-MW solar farm combined with a 10.6-MWh lithium-ion battery storage unit in French Guiana.

Named Sable Blanc, the photovoltaic (PV) plant should be able to generate 7,430 MWh annually, enough to meet the electrical demands of 3,090 people in Western Guiana, Voltalia announced on Wednesday.

The solar-plus-storage facility should help replace existing diesel generators in Saint Laurent du Maroni, a border town in northwest French Guiana.

Voltalia expects Sable Blanc to go online by end-2022.

Once up and running, it will increase the capacity of the Toco energy storage complex to 19.3 MW/25.6 MWh. Voltalia noted that Sable Blanc benefits from a 20-year guaranteed tariff.

At present, Voltalia operates 31 MW of solar, hydro, biomass and storage power plants in French Guiana, covering close to 10% of the main electricity grid consumption.

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