OPHELIA, the first real-life MVDC long linear PV demonstrator in France, is now fully operational! Commissioning tests were successfully completed at the end of November. The photovoltaic park is now operational, paving the way for a promising trial period until 2028. Watch this video to discover the key stages of the project, and the MVDC technological components developed by our project partners, showcasing innovation and collective commitment!

How can we develop solar energy without impacting farmland, forests, natural areas or other biodiversity reserves? OPHELIA avoids land-use conflicts and brings power generation closer to demand sites, by leveraging existing linear infrastructure, reducing the need for costly new grid reinforcements. However, collecting photovoltaic energy over long distances, while respecting existing uses and limiting electrical losses and reducing the environmental impact represents a significant technical challenge!

To meet this technical challenge, the OPHELIA partners (CNR, Nexans, Schneider Electric, SNCF and SuperGrid Institute) have developed an innovative electrical architecture that enables the transmission of as much electricity as possible with minimal losses, by replacing alternating current (AC) with medium-voltage direct current (MVDC).

These innovations are being tested on an experimental photovoltaic park installed above the “ViaRhôna” cycle route in Caderousse (France,). It consists of 800 meters of solar canopies equipped with 6 structures, each 5 meters wide and 4.5m high supporting 1,620 photovoltaic modules, representing a capacity of 1 megawatt.

5 electric substations make it possible to collect, step up the voltage, transmit and deliver electricity to the distribution grid.

The OPHELIA demonstrator makes it possible to gain real, hands-on experience of newly developed equipment.

• SuperGrid Institute designed the electrical installation and created 3 PV DC transformers to raise the photovoltaic voltage to 10 000 volts direct current.
• Nexans has designed the cable system suitable for medium-voltage direct current (MVDC) and monitoring its ageing.
• Schneider Electric has developed protection devices to safely interrupt direct current at each electrical substation.

Thanks to its scalable deployment, a cost-effective electrical system and cutting-edge MVDC technologies, OPHELIA is paving the way for developing projects on long linear land – stretching over dozens of kilometres!

Across Europe, installing PV along roads and railways, including vertical bifacial systems, could unlock up to 403 GWp* of technical potential.

In France, infrastructures such as waterways, riverbanks, roads and cycle paths alone represent a potential of 35 GWp if equipped with solar power plants.

The French National Railways (SNCF), has launched an ambitious plan to map solar potential across its network and identify high-potential PV zones along railway lines. Over the next 10 years, SNCF aims to deploy 1,000 MWp of solar capacity to cover 20% of its electricity consumption.

* Source: UE Guidance on designating renewables acceleration areas, SWD(2024) 333 final