The municipality of Perthes, in France’s Haute-Marne region, is the epicenter of floating solar generation in Europe, with the inauguration of Les Ilots Blandin, a 74.3 MWp floating solar plant built by Q ENERGY and Velto Renewables on former gravel pits.
The floating solar plant Les Ilots Blandin
With more than 135,000 photovoltaic modules installed on 127 hectares of water, this facility takes advantage of abandoned industrial sites to generate renewable electricity that will be able to supply 37,000 people annually. According to the promoters, the project will make it possible to avoid the emission of some 18,000 tons of CO₂ per year.
The project began planning in 2019, with a clear objective: to convert industrial sites into sustainable energy generators. The quarries, which were scheduled to cease operations in 2020, offered an ideal location with good solar irradiation and low land use conflict.
The final plant design included a combination of overwater solar platforms and a 2 MW ground-mounted system to optimize overall performance. Ciel & Terre was responsible for supplying and installing the floating structures, while Solutions30 managed the cabling and grid connection. Finally, Perpetum managed the procurement of the electrical components.
Despite the higher cost of construction and maintenance compared to onshore facilities, the plant successfully competed in tenders regulated by the Energy Regulation Commission(CRE) in France, thanks to a lean financial model and the backing of key players.
Q ENERGY, with a presence in several European countries and more than 25 years of experience, led the initiative from its inception. In 2025, Velto Renewables acquired 50% of the project as part of its strategy to consolidate its presence in France. The financing, closed in 2024, exceeded €50 million, backed by institutions such as Crédit Agricole Transitions & Energies and Bpifrance.
Velto is accelerating its development in France with a clear objective: to consolidate a lasting presence in France over several decades.
We are here to stay. Our mission is to develop, operate and support long-term projects, in harmony with local specificities.
This is one of the reasons why we are proud of our partnership with QENERGY in France.
Lucas de Haro, CEO of Velto Renewables.
The floating solar technology is a viable alternative to expand renewable capacity, without competing for agricultural or urban land. Les Ilots Blandin thus becomes a replicable example for other territories with unused industrial spaces.
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Source and photo: Q ENERGY
