• Horizeo is a mega solar power plant project of 1,000 hectares, which should see the light of day in southern Gironde, in the middle of a cultivated forest made up of Landes pines.

  • A four-month public debate was organized at the end of 2021 with several public meetings with residents, worried about this sprawling project.

  • The promoters of the project, in particular Engie, announced on Tuesday their desire to go to the end, even if they are reviewing some aspects of the initial project.

The Horizeo project, in Saucats in southern Gironde, continues.

Five months after the end of the public debate which was held between September 2021 and January 2022, the project leaders announced on Tuesday in Bordeaux that this giant photovoltaic park project, which is to see the light of day on an area of ​​1,000 hectares in middle of the pines, would see the light of day, even if it will be reviewed on the margins.

Horizeo is a large-scale renewable energy project, with in particular a 1 GW photovoltaic park which would make it possible to produce “green and competitive” energy, and which would make it the largest solar power plant in Europe.

Led by Engie, Neoen and the Banque des Territoires, the investment is around one billion euros.

A project "consistent with the climate challenge that is before us"

“We are approaching a new stage of the Horizeo project,” explains Jérôme Fernandez, project director at Engie, who assures that “the public debate has helped to feed our reflection for the continuation of this project: we have heard the main subjects of concern from the public , and we have taken into account all the recommendations of the special commission for public debate (CPDP), so we are going to incorporate changes.

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For the project leaders, however, there was no question of abandoning this project, despite opposition, particularly with regard to the surface area of ​​the future power plant.

“The energy context has been turned upside down, recalls Jérôme Fernandez, and this project can contribute to France's energy independence;

no doubt that if the debate had taken place a few months later, it would not have been the same.

This is why “even more than yesterday it seems necessary to us to develop it, and we confirm the power of 1GW, which remains relevant.

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Horizeo is also, still according to the project leaders, “consistent with the climate challenge that is before us.

The energy produced by Horizeo represents the annual electricity consumption of 740,000 people, would save "three million tonnes of CO2 per year" and would represent "15% of the additional renewable energy needs of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region by 2030. . »

A project that "is not frozen"

Among the changes to the project, "we have chosen to move the data center (data center) outside the scope of Horizeo" explains Jérôme Fernandez.

Regarding the storage batteries and agri-energy, “we confirm their size and their relevance in the project, but on the agricultural part we will assess the opportunity to increase the area dedicated to agricultural activities within the site.

The electrolyser, which aims to produce renewable hydrogen, will continue to be studied, but the site of its establishment could change.

“It is an activity that arouses interest but the project has not yet succeeded in finding its uses.

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Today, the Horizeo project "is not frozen" insists Engie, which aims to file authorization requests within a year, in order to be able to start work on the plant in 2025. Until then, environmental studies must continue, and a new consultation will be organised.

The subject of fire and flood risks was indeed widely discussed during the debate, as well as the impact of the project on the climate.

"We have launched two studies to measure the impact of the project on the local micro-climate", indicates Mathieu Le Grelle, director of development at Engie.

Reforestation of 2,000 hectares of forest

Another subject that caused debate: the clearing of 1,000 hectares of forest.

Mathieu Le Grelle announces that “we will physically reforest 2,000 hectares, ie double the area that would be cleared, and we are going to implement a call for expressions of interest to identify reforestation as close as possible to the site.

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Finally, the last point that should change, the supply of green electricity should no longer be exclusively reserved for industrialists in the Gironde, but should also be open to individuals, for the residents closest to the project.

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