The contract for the financing, construction and operation on 20 years of the Brignoles biomass power station

For Altawest and Inova, the contract will generate a turnover of over 300 million € during the 22 years of duration of the contract. The construction works, worth 70 million €, will start in January 2014. Commissioning is expected in February 2016, at which point will start the 20 year operation contract, valued at 12 million € per annum.

The investment is carried out by Inova Var Biomasse (IVB), a joint venture between Altawest and the Caisse des Dépôts. The Altawest Group, Caisse des Dépôts and the lending banks – Caisse d’Épargne Provence-Alpes-Corse, Caisse d’Épargne Côte-d’Azur and Bpifrance – consolidate their commitment to energy transition in investing in local renewable energy generation projects.

The Brignoles power station will be fueled by 180 000 tonnes of biomass every year, supplied within 100 km of the site. It will offer a sustainable solution to increase the energy generation capacities in the Provence region. Its annual production of 168 000 MWh will supply the equivalent of 30 000 homes with renewable electricity. Biomass energy is carbon neutral.

Throughout the five years of the project development phase, Altawest and its subsidiary Inova have demonstrated a complete range of expertise, from project inception up to detailed engineering and credit arrangement.

The plant construction has been entrusted to Inova. Inova is an EPC contractor, specialised in turnkey power generation facilities for over 45 years. The boiler island, at the heart of the facility, will be supplied by Leroux & Lotz Technologies, an Altawest subsidiary, French leader on the industrial boiler and combustion systems market. The flue gas treatment system, power island and all balance of plant have been designed by Inova and abide to the strictest norms, for an environmentally-friendly energy production. The plant will be operated by Inova Énergie.