The CENTROSOLAR Group subsidiary Centrosolar France is the main supplier for a large-scale solar project in Northern France, in the department of Seine-Maritime. On behalf of EDF Optimal Solutions, subsidiary of the state electricity company EDF, roof-integrated solar systems with a combined output of 3.7 MWp are being installed on a total of 190 roofs belonging to the housing developer “Habitat 76”. The solar power that the 19,000 CENTROSOLAR modules generate will be equivalent to the annual power consumption of more than 1 200 households. CENTROSOLAR France was awarded the major contract not just on the strength of its photovoltaic modules’ high quality, but also by virtue of the extensive training and services that the company offers its customers, putting it in a unique position in France.
This major contract cements CENTROSOLAR’s strong position in the special field of roof-integrated PV technology and builds on the leading position that it has already carved out for itself in the French solar market over recent years. In France, PV systems that are integrated into the roof and form a water-bearing surface in conjunction with the tiles attract preferential financial incentives.
The first solar systems of the large-scale French project in Seine-Maritime were connected up to the grid in Darnetal, a small town near Rouen, at the end of February.1,975 CENTROSOLAR S-Class Integration modules generating 385 kWh of solar power annually were installed on a total roof area of 3,388 m2. Since 2007, S-Class roof-integrated modules with a total output of 80 MWp have been installed.The project is expected to be finished by June 2013. Alongside the USA and Italy, France is one of the principal international sales markets for CENTROSOLAR Group AG, which generated 62 % of its revenue internationally last year. Thanks to its high export revenue and its focus on PV roof systems, the company believes it is well-placed to be a strong participant in the worldwide growth of the solar industry, following on from the consolidation phase.