Banque des Territoires (Caisse des Dépôts) and Voltalia inaugurate the solar-plus-storage power plant of Savane des Pères and celebrate 10 years of partnership in French Guiana

Sinnamary, October 14, 2019

Banque des Territoires (Caisse des Dépôts) and Voltalia announce the commissioning of the Savane des Pères power plant in French Guiana, which combines a 3.8 MW solar plant with a 2.6 MW / 2.9 MWh battery storage system.

Jointly held by Voltalia and Caisse des dépôts, via Banque des Territoires, the Savane des Pères project was won in June 2016 during the call for tenders launched by the Ministry of Ecology, Energy and Sustainable Development. This call for tenders aimed at fostering the development of solar energy in the overseas departments. Battery storage enables to improve the level of predictability and the stability of electricity production.

The Savanes des Pères power plant is a 3.8 MW solar power plant associated with a 2.6 MW / 2.9 MWh storage unit, using lithium-ion batteries. The solution provided enables to inject electricity into the grid when the demand for electricity is highest, between 7.00 PM and 9.00 PM.

The Savanes des Pères power plant is a good illustration of Banque des Territoires' and Voltalia's common desire to fight against global warming by promoting local economic development. Located on a former communal landfill of 4.75 hectares belonging to the city of Sinnamary, the power plant rehabilitates a degraded site, creates jobs and contributes to the energy autonomy of Guiana.

10 years of partnership in French Guiana

"It's been 10 years since the Caisse des dépôts supported the development of renewable energies in French Guiana. Alongside Voltalia, we have invested in the Mana hydroelectric power plant, in the first biomass plant of the territory located in Kourou, in the Cacao biomass power plant, currently under construction, and in the solar-plus-battery storage facility of Savane des Pères. This partnership once again demonstrates the ability of the Caisse des dépôts, via Banque des Territoires, to support companies that contribute to the development of French territories and make Overseas territories more sustainable. As a major player in the energy transition in Guiana, we will happily maintain this long-standing support for Voltalia's broad portfolio of projects, fully aligned with the objectives of Guiana's multi-year energy program "declares Eric Lombard, General Manager of the Caisse des Dépôts, which inaugurated the plant during a trip to French Guiana.

"The Banque des Territoires became our partner 10 years ago. Voltalia had only 20 MW of capacity in operation and under construction, compared with more than 1,000 MW today. Its support in Guiana, the birthplace of Voltalia, has been important to us. It is therefore a pleasure to inaugurate with this historical partner the solar-plus-storage plant of Savane des Pères. The innovative feature of this project is to add battery storage to a solar power plant in order to smooth the renewable electricity production and bring increased stability to the grid "declares Sebastien Clerc, CEO of Voltalia.

About Voltalia

Voltalia is an international player in the renewable energy sector. The Group produces and sells electricity generated from wind, solar, hydraulic, biomass and storage facilities that it owns and operates. Voltalia has generating capacity in operation and under construction of more than 1 GW and a portfolio of projects under development representing total capacity of 7.1 GW, of which 0.6 GW is secured. 

Voltalia is also a service provider and supports its investor clients in renewable energy projects during all phases, from design to operation and maintenance.  

As a pioneer in the corporate market, Voltalia provides a global offer to private companies, ranging from the supply of green electricity and energy efficiency services to the local production of their own electricity.

The Group has 697 employees and is present in 18 countries on 4 continents and is able to act worldwide on behalf of its clients.

Voltalia is listed on the regulated market of Euronext Paris, compartment B (FR0011995588 - VLTSA) and is part of the Enternext Tech 40 and CAC Mid & Small indices. The Group is also included in the Gaïa-Index, an index for socially responsible midcaps.

About Banque des Territoires

Set up in 2018, Banque des Territoires is one of Caisse des Dépôts' five areas of expertise. It brings together within a single structure all of our in-house expertise for local areas. As a one-stop shop for customers, it provides bespoke solutions in terms of consulting and financing through loans and investment to meet the needs of local authorities, social housing bodies, local public undertakings and the legal professions. It has been set up to serve the interests of all local areas alike, from rural municipalities to large cities, with the ambition of combating social inequality and territorial divisions. Banque des Territoires is also rolled out across Caisse des Dépôts' 16 regional managements and 35 territorial offices so as to resonate more meaningfully with our customers, in their neighbourhoods.

For more attractive, including, sustainable and connected territories.

www.banquedesterritoires.fr   @BanqueDesTerres

Press contact

Voltalia

Press relations - Jennifer Jullia, Actifin : [email protected] ; +33 (0)1 56 88 11 11

Investor relations Voltalia: [email protected] ; +33 (0)1 81 70 37 00  

Press contact :

Banque des Territoires Antilles-Guyane - Groupe Caisse des Dépôts

Cynthia Repaul: [email protected] ; +33 (0)5 96 72 84 08