Inauguration of LACTOSOL solar thermal plant in Verdun

Newheat inaugurates the LACTOSOL solar thermal plant in Verdun, in partnership with Lactalis

An historic milestone was reached last Friday in Verdun (55) with the inauguration of France’s largest solar thermal power plant by Newheat, in partnership with Lactalis. This revolutionary plant will supply heat to the Verdun dairy site for the next 25 years, marking a major milestone in the large-scale deployment of solar heat.

Significant reduction in CO2 emissions at the Lactalis site in Verdun

With a surface area of 15,000 m², the solar thermal power plant will reduce CO2 emissions from the site’s drying tower by 2,000 tonnes a year, or around 7% of the site’s total emissions.

Renewable heat for the production of whey powder:

Lactalis France’s whey powder, manufactured in Verdun, will now be partially produced using the sun’s rays, marking a major step forward in the production of sustainable dairy ingredients.

The 2nd largest solar thermal power plant in Europe, supplying an industrial site:

The Verdun solar thermal  plant, financed and developed by Newheat, becomes the second largest in Europe to supply an industrial site, reinforcing Newheat’s position as a leader in renewable heat.

Hugues DEFREVILLE, Chairman and co-founder of Newheat, said:

‘We are very proud to be inaugurating this emblematic facility today! In 2020, the Lactalis site in Verdun was still a pioneer when it chose solar thermal energy to decarbonise the activity of its future drying tower. Today, the renewable heat sector, and solar thermal in particular, is booming. Let’s hope that the example set by Lactalis, the world leader in dairy products and renowned for its industrial excellence, will encourage other manufacturers to consider these virtuous solutions as part of their decarbonisation projects!

The solar thermal plant will not only help to reduce CO2 emissions, but also cut the site’s gas consumption.

The inauguration took place in the presence of all the key players and funders of the project:

• Hugues Defréville, Chairman of NEWHEAT
  Jean-Luc Bordeau, Managing Director Corporate Lactalis Ingrédients
  Sylvain Waserman, Chairman of ADEME
  Jérôme Dumont, Chairman of GIP Objectif Meuse
  Philippe Mangin, Vice-President of the Grand-Est Region
  Samuel Hazard, Mayor of Verdun
  Xavier Delarue, Prefect of Meuse

Thank you all so much!

If you want to find out more, read the press release on our website.