New generation of sustainable car park solutions: installation of photovoltaic solar canopies
The Thales Group has installed photovoltaic solar canopies over the car park at its Toulouse site to limit the consumption of electricity from the national grid and meet 6% of the site's annual electricity requirements.
Main project's drivers for reducing the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
Energy and resource efficiency
Energy Decarbonisation
Energy efficiency improvements
Improving efficiency in non-energy resources
Emission removal
Financing low-carbon issuers or disinvestment from carbon assets
Reduction of other greenhouse gases emission
Project objectives
Reduce the site's GHG emissions by replacing part of the electricity sourced from the national grid with electricity generated by the photovoltaic solar canopies. Improve well-being of employees and better protect their vehicles.
8,100 m² of photovoltaic solar canopies have been installed over 640 parking places in the employee car park at the Thales Alenia Space site in Toulouse. The photovoltaic solar canopies meet of 6% of the facility’s annual electricity requirements. The electricity generated is consumed by the site itself.
Emission scope(s)
on which the project has a significant impact
Scope 1
Direct emissions generated by the company's activity.
Scope 2
Indirect emissions associated with the company's electricity and heat consumption.
Scope 3
Emissions induced (upstream or downstream) by the company's activities, products and/or services in its value chain.
Emission Removal
Carbon sinks creation, (BECCS, CCU/S, …)
Avoided Emissions
Emissions avoided by the activities, products and/or services in charge of the project, or by the financing of emission reduction projects.
Scope 2 – Replace part of the electricity sourced from the national grid with electricity generated by the photovoltaic solar canopies.
- Quantification: 25 tCO2eq/an
Annual electricity production by the solar panels is estimated at 1,798 MWh/year. The estimated LCA emission factor of the solar panels is 48 kgCO2/MWh.
The average annual emission factor of the French power grid is approximately 62 kgCO2/MWh.
The installation of the solar panels therefore generate savings of approximately 25 tCO2/year.
Key points
Invested amount
NA
Starting date of the project
October 2020
Project localisation
Toulouse, Haute Garonne
Project maturity level
Prototype laboratory test (TRL 7)
Real life testing (TRL 7-8)
Pre-commercial prototype (TRL 9)
Small-scale implementation
Medium to large scale implementation
Economic profitability of the project (ROI)
Short term (0-3 years)
Middle term (4-10 years)
Long term (> 10 years)
Illustrations of the project
By producing green energy for consumption by the Thales site itself, the project contributes to the following SDGs :
- SDG 7: Clean, affordable energy
- SDG 13: Climate action
A study is under way for an equivalent project at the Thales Alenia Space site in Toulouse.
Similar initiatives are in progress at other Thales sites in France and other Thales Alenia Space sites in Europe (Cannes in France, Charleroi in Belgium, L’Aquila and Turin in Italy).
The conditions of success of a project of this type are as follows:
- Maintenance management support and guaranteed annual production rates
- Ability to resolve technical issues and failures over the long term.
A partnership has been set up with LVS (subsidiary of EDF ENR).
Contact the company carrying the project
communication.web@thalesaleniaspace.com
