Wpd Combines Energy Transition and Agriculture: Wpd Solar France Develops 140-MW Solar Park in France

Champvert (France) – Wpd Solar France has started construction of the Marcy solar park in the Nièvre department. The large-scale solar project will span an area of 187 hectares and have a capacity of 140.6 MWp.

Construction is expected to take around 15 months, with the first electricity production planned for autumn 2026. According to Wpd, the plant will be able to supply solar power to nearly 78,800 people.

The grid connection was initiated by French transmission operator RTE in 2024, and the park’s own substation has already been completed. The project was developed jointly with partner Cryo, which is also responsible for integrating agricultural use. Sheep farming will take place underneath the solar panels, while cattle farming will occur in the surrounding areas. In total, around 632 hectares of land have been rehabilitated by Wpd and Cryo for this purpose.

“This project perfectly illustrates how energy generation and agricultural production can complement each other. Thanks to the parallel agricultural use, we enable farmers to earn a decent income while contributing to the energy transition. This is a new perspective on the future of rural areas,” says Damien Brunon, Co-Managing Director of Cryo.

The project also includes important compensation and replacement measures to promote biodiversity, such as the preservation and enhancement of wetlands, the protection of forested areas, and the creation of wildlife corridors.

Matthias Boll, President of Wpd Solar France, emphasized: “Marcy is a symbolic project that shows it is possible to combine renewable energy generation, the revitalization of agricultural activities, and the protection of biodiversity. We would like to express our special thanks to Cryo and all local partners for their commitment to the development and construction of this project. This is an important milestone for wpd in France.”

In addition to wind energy, solar power generation is becoming increasingly important in France. In 2024, new solar installations with a total capacity of 4,700 MW (4.7 GW) were commissioned in the country. By the end of 2024, France’s total installed PV capacity rose to 23,700 MW (23.7 GW), up from 19 GW in 2023.

Wpd is one of the world’s leading developers of wind and solar projects. The company continues to expand its activities in its home market of Germany as well as internationally across Europe, Asia, North America, and South America, with a project pipeline totaling 31,585 MW of onshore wind and 7,360 MW of solar energy.

Source: IWR Online, 15 Oct 2025