Our areas of expertise

Research & development

Solarneo has its own Research & Development team, comprising designers, engineers and specialists in photovoltaic technology, which is developing the new concepts of plastic and glass greenhouses. The team is also responsible for optimising the two existing products – the glass greenhouse and the plastic greenhouse – and developing new concepts for prefabricated solar-powered industrial buildings.

• the agronomic qualities of the greenhouses: luminosity, aeration systems, greenhouse fittings;
• assembly of the structural and photovoltaic modules, by simplifying it;
• maintenance of the structure and the electrical and photovoltaic infrastructure, particularly by applying robotised automation.

Financing and insurance

Because photovoltaic projects are highly capital-intensive, it is essential to incorporate financial and insurance-related considerations at a very early stage. Solarneo has therefore organised its financial department in such a way as to retain control over all the financial engineering techniques used for generating plants, including senior obligations, the structuring of quasi-equity capital, and the accounting and fiscal optimisation of this financing.

Solarneo has built up close relationships with major European establishments specialising in Project Finance.

Solarneo power stations are insured with first-class companies under specific programmes.

Partnerships

The partnership area is divided into two departments:

One department for agricultural, horticultural and market-gardening partnerships, responsible for financing photovoltaic structures for agricultural operators.

One department for partnerships with local authorities, responsible for devising action to promote the relocation of market-gardening activities. Each department has its own regional representatives in the four administrative regions of the south of France – Aquitaine, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Languedoc-Roussillon, Midi-Pyrénées.

Maintenance

Construction and public works

The construction team brings together specialists in construction and public works capable of managing and controlling every dimension of a photovoltaic greenhouse project (excavating, roads and services, metal framework, electricity, photovoltaic technology, video surveillance, etc) to cover the following aspects:

• compilation of the special technical specifications and the dossier for contractor consultation,
• selection of contractors,
• supervision of working drawings,
• monitoring the work, and
• acceptance of the work

Photovoltaic studies

Our photovoltaic engineers carry out the following work:

• Studies prior to validation of the site:
• technical and economic studies (site classification, desirability study, feasibility study)
• administrative procedures (application for Technical and Financial Proposal)
• Administrative procedures:
• Procedures for connecting to the network (connection agreement, contract for access to the distribution network)
• Administrative procedures (certificate of obligation to purchase, regional department for the environment, development and housing, declaration / authorisation for operation from the national directorate for energy requirements and contracts)
• Dealings for selling the energy (application for purchase contract)
• Expertise and audits:
• Monitoring of energy performance levels

Environment and architecture

The environment experts are responsible for producing:

• studies prior to installing the greenhouses: inventories of fauna and flora, expert reports on ecosystems, studies of major landscapes;
• the documentation required by the regulations (impact studies and notices, legislation on water, installations classified for protection of the environment);
• coordination with the various State authorities.

The architects and CAD operators in the architecture department have the task of drawing up:

• the elements required for the building permit application;
• the plans;
• landscape simulations, simulations for optimising layout and location.