Inauguration of Air France’s first solar energy facility at Valbonne

As part of its environmental policy, Air France decided to participate in the establishment of a photovoltaic energy production plant at its information technology center at Valbonne, in France’s Alpes Maritimes region.

The project, named “Helios,” is deployed on the site with the highest production potential among Air France sites located on the French mainland. It allows many of the benefits of photovoltaics to be obtained including the use of a free and abundant energy source that is sustainable and helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The facility is composed of solar panels integrated on six parking structures in the center’s main parking lot. The electricity produced is then sold to French utility company, EDF.

The plant includes 3,540 photovoltaic modules, with 5,855 m² of cells, eventually 1 GWH / year, representing 10% of the site’s annual electricity consumption, equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of 400 households.

Air France partnered with specialized companies to complete the project.

Aware of its responsibility for sustainable development, Air France strives to be a benchmark reference in the airline industry. The company is ISO 14001-certified for its airline activities and all of its facilities in France. This certification, earned as part of the company’s voluntary commitment to improved performance, is the internationally recognized benchmark for environmental management.

Air France-KLM also was recognized as the leader in the airline industry for 2011 in the area of corporate social responsibility in both the Dow Jones Sustainability Index Index (DJSI) World and Europe. In recognition of its performance, Air France was ranked first in the airline industry for the seventh time and was named, for the third time, the leader for broader “Transport and Leisure” sector category.

Source: Air France-KLM