Neoen Launches 101 MW Across Four French Sites as France Crosses 2.5 GW Milestone

Neoen has broken ground simultaneously on four renewable energy projects across France, adding 101 MW of combined capacity and pushing the independent producer's French portfolio past 2.5 GW in operation or under construction. The company made the announcement in Paris on 24 September 2026, describing the move as part of a broader construction surge that has seen more than 500 MW launched in the country over the course of this year alone.

France's Annual Push Toward a 2 GW Global Target

Xavier Barbaro, Neoen's Group CEO, framed the four new projects within the context of the company's worldwide ambitions, noting that the French team's output of over 500 MW launched this year represented a major contribution to Neoen's global annual construction target of 2 GW of new capacity. A further 300 MW is expected to enter construction in France within the next 12 months, the company said, indicating that the pipeline of activity extends well beyond the current quartet of sites. Of Neoen's total French capacity exceeding 2.5 GW, 1.8 GW is owned outright by the company, while 700 MW is managed on behalf of third parties.

Christophe Desplats-Redier, CEO of Neoen France, described 2026 as an important year for the company in France given the launch of what he called several landmark projects, crediting the hard work of the French team as well as local stakeholders, grid operator Enedis and Neoen's industrial partners.

Wind Turbines in Haute-Vienne Will Be First to Come Online

The earliest of the four projects to reach commissioning will be the Moulin à Vent Wind Farm in the Haute-Vienne region, scheduled to begin operating in late 2027. The site will comprise three wind turbines producing a combined output of 14 MW. Neoen projects the farm will generate approximately 28.5 GWh of electricity per year, which the company equates to the annual consumption of around 12,000 people, describing that figure as more than half the population of the Haut-Limousin en Marche area.

Construction of Moulin à Vent has been awarded to a consortium made up of Vestas, Atlas Fondations and Colas. As part of its engagement with the surrounding community, Neoen is also supporting a local cultural centre in the Haut-Limousin area in connection with the project.

Île-de-France's Biggest Solar Farm to Rise on a Former Military Base

The highest-capacity of the four projects is the BA 217 Solar Farm, a 41 MWp installation to be developed at the Bretigny-sur-Orge military base in Essonne, south of Paris. The site spans the municipalities of Plessis-Pâté and Bretigny-sur-Orge, and was originally awarded to Neoen in 2021 through a tender process conducted by the French Ministry of the Armed Forces under its "Place au Soleil" initiative. Construction at the site could not begin until after an extensive clearing operation to remove unexploded ordnance.

Eiffage Energie Systèmes has been contracted to handle both construction and ongoing maintenance. The farm is scheduled to enter operation in the first half of 2028, at which point it will hold the distinction of being the largest solar farm in the Île-de-France region.

Two Agrisolar Projects Pair Electricity Generation with Sheep Farming

Two of the four new sites are agrisolar farms designed to run agricultural and renewable energy operations side by side. The Saint-Just Solar Farm, a 30 MWp project located in the Cher department, will incorporate the construction of a new sheep pen to accommodate a flock of 150 sheep. Sireos has been appointed as contractor for both the construction and maintenance phases of the Saint-Just site, which is also set for commissioning in the first half of 2028.

The second agrisolar development, La Ferme des Cros Solar Farm in the Charente department, has a capacity of 16 MWp. Eiffage Énergie Systèmes, which is also leading the BA 217 project, has been named as the construction and maintenance contractor for La Ferme des Cros, with commissioning likewise targeted for the first half of 2028. Neoen has said that both agrisolar projects were developed through close consultation with landowners, farmers, local stakeholders and government authorities, with the aim of integrating the installations into their surrounding communities.

Company Cites Broader Significance of French Acceleration

Barbaro said Neoen is proud to be accelerating the transition to a low-carbon, competitive and reliable energy future in France and globally. The four projects, spanning three solar farms and one wind farm across several French departments, collectively represent 101 MW of new capacity being added to the company's construction roster in a single announcement.