At Les 3 Cardinaux (Bordeaux Bacalan), a road transport hub is being transformed into a giant solar plant
On October 27, Bordeaux Métropole, Néomix, a subsidiary of Bordeaux Métropole Énergies, and GreenYellow, an international partner in decarbonization and flexible electrification, are inaugurating the second solar power plant developed as part of the metropolitan area’s parking lot solarization program.
Winners in 2023 through a Call for Expressions of Interest jointly launched by Bordeaux Métropole and the City of Bordeaux, the two companies are continuing to transform existing parking infrastructure into renewable energy generation sites.
Following the commissioning of the solar power plant at Plaine des Sports Colette Besson in Bordeaux-Lac in December 2025, the program is taking another major step forward with the development at Les 3 Cardinaux, a truck parking and transport hub in Bordeaux-Bacalan. Dedicated to heavy-duty trucks in transit, the site now hosts a 3.65 MWp solar plant, installed across 22,000 sq. m. of solar carports designed to accommodate truck traffic and parking.
With annual renewable electricity generation of 4.38 GWh, equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of nearly 1,900 French households, excluding heating, the installation is helping accelerate local energy generation while making productive use of existing infrastructure. The solar carports also improve the comfort of the site’s users by protecting them from the sun and bad weather and by limiting the heat under the structures.
A large-scale solar plant designed for heavy-duty trucks
Les 3 Cardinaux truck transport hub is a strategic infrastructure for road freight and logistics across the metropolitan area. Its primary function as a parking facility for heavy-duty trucks presented a major technical challenge in the project’s design.
With an installed capacity of 3,648 kWp, the solar plant is expected to generate approximately 4,377 MWh of renewable electricity annually, which will be fed into the power grid.
This production is equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of nearly 1,900 French households, excluding heating. Over the life of the project, the installation will prevent 2,439 tons of CO₂ emissions.
Bordeaux-Lac: the first project commissioned in 2025
The parking lot solarization program reached its first milestone in December 2025 with the commissioning of the photovoltaic installation at Plaine des Sports Colette Besson in Bordeaux-Lac.
The solar carport installation features 1,098 photovoltaic panels covering an area of 2,193 sq. m., with a total installed capacity of 500 kWp.
It generates enough electricity to match the annual electricity consumption of 250 French households, excluding heating, and will prevent 360 tons of CO₂ emissions over the life of the project.
With Les 3 Cardinaux, the program is now scaling up, with an installation boasting more than seven times the capacity of the Bordeaux-Lac project.
Next step: P+R Pyrénées park-and-ride facility in Villenave-d’Ornon
The program will continue with the development of a photovoltaic installation at the P+R Pyrénées park-and-ride facility in Villenave-d’Ornon. The installation will have a capacity of 300 kWp and is expected to generate approximately 400 MWh of renewable electricity per year. It is scheduled to be commissioned in the spring of 2027.
Parking infrastructure transformed into energy assets
Through this program, Bordeaux Métropole and the City of Bordeaux are turning parking facilities into a practical driver of renewable energy development. Installing solar carports makes it possible to put already-developed land to productive use without converting additional natural areas, while delivering direct benefits for users. The carports provide shade and protection from the elements, help reduce heat inside vehicles, and contribute to the modernization of parking areas and associated access routes.
Across the program, the sites will feature more than 23,800 sq. m. of photovoltaic carports and more than 8,000 solar panels, providing covered parking for nearly 400 vehicles.
“Bordeaux Métropole is pursuing an ambitious energy transition strategy and expanding renewable energy generation. Installing solar carports over parking lots enables us to produce local electricity while making better use of land that has already been developed. With Les 3 Cardinaux, we are taking another important step toward our goal of reaching 265 MWp of installed photovoltaic capacity across the metropolitan area by 2028 and making the region energy-positive by 2050.” Catherine Fabre, Chair of the Board of Directors of Bordeaux Métropole Énergies
“Les 3 Cardinaux demonstrates that a photovoltaic project can be tailored to the realities of a local area and to particularly demanding operational requirements. The design of this installation had to account for the specific constraints of heavy-duty truck traffic and parking. Together with Néomix, we are pleased to bring our local expertise and ability to develop tailor-made solutions to this next phase of the solarization program.” Audrey Dugal, CEO of Bordeaux Métropole Énergies and President of Néomix
“With Les 3 Cardinaux, we are taking the program to a new scale. Deploying 3.65 MWp across 22,000 sq. m. of solar carports while meeting the operational requirements of a heavy-duty truck facility clearly demonstrates the potential of existing infrastructure to accelerate the energy transition. GreenYellow is proud to support Néomix and public-sector stakeholders across the entire project lifecycle—from design and financing to construction, operation and maintenance—turning these spaces into high-performing energy assets.” Romain Butte, General Manager of GreenYellow France
