How to bring polluted sites back to life thanks to solar energy ?

Thousands of hectares of soil are now considered polluted in France. They represent a direct threat to the environment and to the population. Damaged by the storage of waste or the release of chemicals, their exploitation is now impossible and their rehabilitation by the public authorities very expensive. However, these sites can have a new life thanks to solar installations. Discover how to transform your polluted site into a profitable photovoltaic power plant.

What are the sites considered polluted? 

In France, the former base of polluted soils (Basol) now replaced by the site georisks brings together all the sites known to be polluted on the territory. According to the official definition, “a polluted site is a site which, due to former waste deposits or infiltration of polluting substances, presents a pollution likely to cause a nuisance or a lasting risk for people or the environment.” The pollution of these soils can have different origins. It can indeed be old waste deposits, sites that have been the subject of leaks or spreading chemicals, old industrial land contaminated with toxic waste, etc. As a citizen, it is possible to know if a polluted site has been detected near home. To do this, it is possible to consult the georisk site by simply indicating the municipality or the cadastral plot to check. Due to their dangerousness for the environment and/or for the population, these sites require action on the part of the State to rehabilitate them. Most of the time, they cannot accommodate crops or dwellings, so they are often abandoned. However, free plots are becoming increasingly rare and it is important to be able to optimize them. This is why many projects are emerging today to take advantage of these polluted sites by installing photovoltaic power plants on the ground.

Why bet on photovoltaics to convert these sites?

According to the Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME), pollution is one of the 4 major threats that French soils have to face. More than 9,000 polluted sites were thus identified in 2021. Soil pollution caused by human activities and in particular by the release of toxic products (pesticides, chemicals, plastics, etc.) due in large part to wild waste deposits, non-releases controlled or chemical accidents. This pollution gradually degrades the soil and is rapidly diffused in waterways, groundwater and in the air before being absorbed by plants as well as by animals and humans. Polluted sites in France therefore represent a major environmental issue. Among the rehabilitation projects envisaged, the production of solar energy seems to be the most interesting. Indeed, solar installations make it possible on one side to produce clean and sustainable energy and on the other, to finance the depollution of these sites. These unused lands, sometimes abandoned for decades, can thus find a use. The installation of solar panels is revaluing these sites which provide green electricity to residents but also to local authorities and businesses. Enough to offer these dangerous lands the opportunity to contribute to the country’s energy transition.

What are the concrete solutions?

The installation of a photovoltaic power plant on the ground is now one of the most suitable solutions for the rehabilitation of polluted sites. Before embarking on such a project, it is however important to carry out an impact study in order to determine the risks and constraints of a solar installation on degraded land. Once all the parameters have been analyzed, it is simply necessary to size the project to meet the desired needs. If you are a local community, a farmer or a company, you can, thanks to solar, rehabilitate an old landfill, an industrial wasteland or an old contaminated land. By opting for solar you benefit from a new source of income that will allow you to make your investment profitable and perhaps eventually decontaminate the site. If you want to operate a polluted site with solar panels, Irisolaris accompanies you. We help you analyze all the essential parameters and choose the most suitable type of installation according to the surface of the land and the desired performance.

Solar is a perfect opportunity to improve your land that has been dormant for too long. To find out more, we invite you to contact one of our IRISOLARIS experts and discover all our turnkey solutions.