VEOLIA TRANSFORMS ITS LANDFILLS INTO SOLAR POWER PLANTS

Veolia is accelerating its rollout of local decarbonizing energy by installing solar panels on its restored landfills in France. This initiative is part of the Group's ongoing ambition to make its services energy self-sufficient in France.

Veolia plans to launch the development of over 40 solar projects on its selected non-hazardous restored landfills, for an overall installed capacity of 300 MW of renewable energy. Photovoltaic panels will cover a surface area of around 400 hectares which will provide enough energy for the consumption of 130,000 inhabitants. The first plants will be operational by 2027.

Veolia is pursuing feasibility assessments for solar power plants on its hazardous waste landfill sites, as well as on the sites it manages on behalf of its industrial clients. In all, over 400 MW of renewable energy could be installed across France.

This solar energy program is being carried out amid a significant land shortage, which remains a major challenge for the expansion of solar projects in France. With the growing demand for clean, renewable energy, the need to locate and secure suitable land for solar farms is becoming ever more pressing. This limited availability of sites, combined with the complexity of the permitting process, creates major obstacles. This issue underlines the need for public and private players to work together to ensure the rapid and effective deployment of solar energy in France.