Solar Diffusion integrated 1,084 polycrystalline solar modules from Biohaus onto the farm's two chicken coup roofs, which will earn Bresteaux 60 Euro-cents for every kilowatt hour produced since it was connected at the beginning of the month. In France, systems which are integrated into buildings earn an especially high feed-in tariff.
To finance and operate the solar plant, Bresteaux and his wife founded the company Solar Production Lassay together with Solar Diffusion. "For investments of roughly Euros 100,000 and more it is more attractive in France for farmers to operate their solar power plants as corporate entities," explains Michel Milhavet, a Solar Diffusion employee.
500 visitors attend open day to see plant
In early April, the project partners invited the public to visit the farm and inspect the PV installation. 500 people attended included manufacturers, suppliers, customers, journalists, regional politicians and bank representatives. "As a second source of income, PV is ideal for farmers," said Daniel Bellanger, the managing director of Solar Diffusion. "The installation here in Lassay is the second largest of its type in Bretagne and a good example of how a farmer can improve his income by using solar power."
But what motivated Bresteaux and his wife to install a solar power plant?
“Before I began breeding chickens, I worked as an electrician”, he said. “I am sensitive regarding energy-related questions. Since the storm of the century in 1999, I began to really think about the changes in our climate and the warming of the earth. Back then I thought that one should use wind to produce energy rather than suffer under its power.” However, Bresteaux was unable to build a wind power plant on his farm, because of objections by neighbours, so he searched for an alternative. “It seemed quite interesting to cover both stall roofs with solar modules – especially since they point to the south and are free of shadows. In addition, the use of PV is financially interesting.”
As well as solar power, the farm also has a pellet heater to avoid using conventional gas. “In my community we founded the organisation SCIC Haute Mayenne Bois Energie, which manufactures wood pellets here on site. That shortens the transport routes, which is also environmentally friendly”, explains Bresteaux.
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