BayWa r.e. has successfully completed the construction of two solar parks on former military bases in central and southwestern France. The photovoltaic (PV) parks span a total area of 151 hectares and consist of five solar parks, featuring over 300,000 solar panels with a combined capacity of 136 MWp.

This marks a significant milestone for BayWa r.e. in repurposing unused land in France, giving it a new ecological and agricultural purpose. The solar parks not only generate green electricity but are also designed for sheep grazing, reintroducing agricultural use to the land. Additionally, the former military sites were thoroughly demined during their transformation.

Details of the solar parks

At the former military base of La Martinerie, near Châteauroux in central France, two solar parks will produce 82 GWh of renewable electricity annually, equivalent to the domestic electricity consumption of 38,000 citizens. The “Greenberry” solar park, with a capacity of 40 MWp, was recently commissioned. Its predecessor, “Blueberry,” became operational in 2021 with a capacity of 30 MWp.

In the former military base of Fontenet, located in Charente-Maritime, three photovoltaic parks—Fontenet I, II, and III—have been constructed, collectively generating 66 MWp of green electricity and producing 82 GWh annually, meeting the domestic electricity needs of another 38,000 citizens. Fontenet I was completed in 2014, Fontenet II in 2022, and the construction of Fontenet III has just been finalized.

A sustainable approach to land use

At both sites, BayWa r.e. has secured lease agreements with local farmers. This co-activity reduces the need for mechanical maintenance of the parks and helps preserve local biodiversity. At the Greenberry and Blueberry farms, BayWa r.e. implemented additional measures to protect orchids on-site, support reptile populations with shelters, and allow small terrestrial fauna to pass through the fence. In Fontenet, BayWa r.e. also supported the local community by installing rooftop solar panels on a municipal building.

A triple benefit for ecology, energy, and climate

"We are proud to have successfully completed these exemplary projects. The conversion of these sites brings a triple benefit: ecologically, by transforming former military installations into grazing lands; energetically, with a total of 136 MWp of installed solar capacity; and climatically, with the production of green energy that saves over 58,000 tons of CO2," explained Benoît Roux, Managing Director of BayWa r.e. France.

“This example of land rehabilitation as part of the energy transition represents another milestone in our innovative and local approach in France. With a strong regional presence, we are committed to creating positive impacts and benefits for the local community. Renewable energies are a true driver for rural and environmental development, not only through solar energy but also wind, as demonstrated by the recent 9 MW Quilly wind farm, sold entirely to the local community,” added Céline Tran, Regional Project Director for Southwestern Europe at BayWa r.e.

A rich historical context

The La Martinerie and Fontenet military bases have a rich history dating back to the early 20th century. La Martinerie, starting in 1915, hosted a pilot school and from 1920, the 3rd Fighter Regiment. The Fontenet military camp was built during the interwar period. From 1951 to 1969, these bases housed NATO forces before closing in the 2000s.

Before rehabilitating these lands, pyrotechnic decontamination was necessary. Several shells were recovered in Fontenet, and a 250 kg bomb was unearthed in La Martinerie in 2023.