Blog of RENAULT NISSAN Alliance

Vast ‘fields’ of solar panels have been installed at six Renault production plants across France to help reduce the company’s CO2 emissions, lower its electricity bill… and protect new vehicles.

The panels – more correctly known as photovoltaic installations – cover a combined area of 400,000 square metres. If that’s hard to picture, consider it this way: it’s the equivalent of 60 soccer pitches.

They have been installed at Renault’s plants in Douai, Maubeuge, Flins, Batilly, Sandouville and Cléon and together are capable of producing 52,600 MWh of electricity a year. That’s enough to power a town of 15,000 people.

More significantly, the panels will help reduce the amount of CO2 emitted each year at these production sites by 200 tonnes. And that’s equivalent to wiping out the tail-pipe emissions produced by around 1,500 vehicles each travelling 15,000 kms a year. The system has been developed by Renault together with partner Gestamp Solar and, at Cléon, with Coruscant.

While this is already the world’s largest photovoltaic system in the automotive industry, it’s just the start of our sun-worshiping revolution. The plan is to roll out the system internationally and the Group is to set up nearly 100,000 square metres of panels at Renault’s Spanish plants in Valladolid and Palencia, in conjunction with Cenit Solar. There’s also a massive 300,000 square metre installation due to be in place by the end of the year at the Busan site in South Korea.

In addition, feasibility studies for similar installations are underway in Slovenia, Morocco, Brazil, Colombia, Chile and Romania. Little wonder that sustainable ratings agencies have consistently ranked Renault among the most ‘virtuous’ companies in terms of environmental management, especially on carbon strategies.

The gains are enormous. As well as significantly lowering Renault’s corporate emissions, by harnessing natural renewable energy from the sun, the company’s electricity bill and reliance on the national grid will be cut.

And there’s another more unusual benefit. At the six plants in France, the panels are placed in delivery and shipping centres as well as over the employee car parking areas. The panels are tough and are designed to resist impact from the worst the weather can throw at us… in particular hailstones. By placing the panels over new vehicles awaiting delivery to the sales networks, the chance of storm damage will be greatly reduced.

• Read the press release

Photos: Employees' parking equipped with photovoltaic panels at the Sandouville plant. Credits: Gestamp