The Parc Solaire de l'Espace du Génie
The Parc Solaire de l'Espace du Génie project is located in the community of Écrouves, Meurthe-et-Moselle, Grand Est region in north-eastern France. The solar PV park has a capacity of 11.8 MW and produces 12.8 MWh annually, representing 77% of the electricity production of the community of 'Écrouves (4,457 habitants)287 and avoiding 5,174 tonnes of CO2 per year. The project, with a total budget of EUR 9.6 million, was launched in autumn 2023. It was commissioned in the summer of 2024 and inaugurated on 13 September 2024. In 2019, the joint communities federation Pays Terres de Lorraine launched a call for expressions of interest for the solarisation of specific sites in the region. The winning consortium led by SipEnR, SCIC ENErgic (Enercoop Nord-Est) and Énergie Partagée launched the development of the Espace du Génie solar park on the polluted site of the former 15th Air Force Engineer Regiment with the objective of creating the first citizen-owned ground-mounted solar PV park in the Grand Est region. For that reason, the SAS (société par actions simplifiée) “Parc solaire de l'Espace du Génie” was created. During the consultation sessions, it became clear that local citizens and stakeholders valued the winning consortium because these organisations were receptive to community input and open to co-designing the project. The strong aspect of community engagement and benefit sharing can be seen in the involvement of the communities federation Terres Touloises in being a shareholder of the SAS in 2022, with a right of veto, while at a later stage, the capital of the project was opened up to communities and citizens who can participate in its financing through a subscription to Énergie Partagée or ENErgic.
The project has also successfully incorporated Frenchmade solar PV panels and promoted biodiversity conservation, balancing energy production with environmental concerns. Through structured consultation sessions and public outreach initiatives, it has fostered a sense of community involvement, making the project a symbol of local empowerment and sustainability.
