Photosol

What Photosol does

Photosol is a French independent solar power producer founded in 2008 and headquartered at 206 rue La Fayette, Paris, that develops, finances, builds, owns, and operates photovoltaic installations across France with emerging operations in Spain, Italy, and Poland. The company is a majority-owned subsidiary of Rubis Group (70-80% stake acquired in December 2021) operating within the Rubis Renewables division. Photosol manages the full project lifecycle — land securing, permitting, financing, construction, operation, and maintenance — with internalized AMO and O&M functions through subsidiary Photom Service. Its portfolio spans large ground-mounted plants, agrivoltaic installations, commercial and industrial rooftops (via the Mobexi and ENER 5 acquisitions), and parking canopies, with add-on offerings in energy storage and EV charging.

The company's technology stack centers on photovoltaic generation assets. Its flagship agrivoltaic offering combines solar production with agricultural activity (sheep grazing, fruit cultivation, crop protection) and integrates Insolight's Insolagrin semi-transparent panels with climate-sensor-driven automatic shading and insol'insights monitoring software. Photosol serves three primary customer segments: agricultural operators and cooperatives (vertical), local authorities and municipalities (vertical), and commercial/industrial businesses including corporate PPA offtakers (vertical and horizontal). Named enterprise offtakers include Leroy Merlin (retail, two sites in Nouvelle Aquitaine, 45 GWh/year), Groupe ADP (aviation, 31 MWp Chevagnes plant), Fruits Rouges & Co (agriculture), OPCA (aerospace), and entertainment venues such as the Petit Prince Theme Park and Montluçon Exhibition Center.

Photosol's revenue model is anchored on long-term (typically 20-year) Power Purchase Agreements under which it retains asset ownership and sells electricity to offtakers, supplemented by corporate PPA contracts, O&M service fees, and one-time project development/construction revenue. Distribution is via direct enterprise field sales to landowners, municipalities, and corporate offtakers, complemented by national CRE tenders (where Photosol won 17% of the PPE2 round) and acquired installer channels. As of 2025, the company operates 93 sites with 1.4 GWc in exploitation, construction, or ready-to-build, ranks among France's top 5 solar producers, employs nearly 300 people across regional offices and maintenance centers, and avoids 272,800 tonnes of CO2 annually.

Name

Photosol

Legal name

PHOTOSOL DEVELOPPEMENT

Website

https://photosol.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Photosol is a French independent solar power producer founded in 2008 and majority-owned by Rubis Group, developing, building, and operating ground-mounted PV, agrivoltaic, rooftop, and canopy installations across France and into Spain, Italy, and Poland, selling electricity primarily via long-term corporate and grid PPAs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Solar Power Generation

NAICS

Solar Electric Power Generation (221114), Electric Power Generation (22111), Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211)

SIC

Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)

akta.pro primary industry

Solar Project Development & IPP (Utility-Scale & Rooftop) (EUAMABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Renewable Distributed Generation (Rooftop/Onsite Solar, Small Wind, Small Hydro) (EUACALAJ), Operations, Maintenance & Asset Management (O&M, Vegetation, Spares, SCADA) (EUACAGAH), Renewable Energy Industrial Facilities Construction (Solar, Wind, Storage) (IMAFADAD)

Keywords

• Photovoltaic energy production
• Solar power generation
• Agrivoltaic solutions
• Ground-mounted solar plants
• Corporate PPA electricity

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Electricity sales via PPA: Photosol develops, builds, and operates solar installations and sells electricity to offtakers under long-term Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs). The company retains ownership of all parks and receives recurring revenue from electricity sales over contract durations typically spanning 20 years.
2. Corporate PPA electricity supply: Direct electricity supply agreements with corporate customers like Groupe ADP (31 MWp Chevagnes plant) and Leroy Merlin, where Photosol sells electricity at negotiated rates under long-term contracts.
3. O&M services: Operations and maintenance services for solar parks through subsidiary Photom Service, providing ongoing revenue from asset management and maintenance contracts.
4. Project development and construction: Photosol develops solar projects from conception through construction, handling land acquisition, permitting, financing, and commissioning. Revenue is generated from the development and construction phase of new installations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Photosol is an independent French photovoltaic energy producer that develops, finances, builds, and operates large-scale ground-mounted solar plants, agrivoltaic installations, rooftop photovoltaics, and parking canopies. The company manages the entire project lifecycle from land acquisition and permitting through construction, financing, long-term operation under Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), and ongoing operations and maintenance through its subsidiary Photom Service.

Product overview

Photosol is a leading French photovoltaic energy producer offering a comprehensive portfolio of solar solutions. The core offerings include ground-mounted photovoltaics, agrivoltaics (combining agriculture with solar), rooftop installations, and parking canopies. Add-on capabilities encompass energy storage and EV charging stations. Services include solar electricity resale via PPAs and O&M services for solar parks. Photosol operates the entire project lifecycle from land securing and development through construction, financing, operation, and maintenance. The company serves diverse segments including agricultural operators, commercial/industrial businesses, communities, and local authorities. Photosol is a subsidiary of Rubis Group and has expanded internationally into Italy, Spain, and Poland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ground-Mounted Photovoltaics (Photovoltaïque au sol) Large-scale ground-mounted solar installations deployed on land, including brownfield rehabilitation and former military base conversions. Photosol develops projects from land securing through construction, operation, and maintenance.
• Agrivoltaics (Agrivoltaïsme) Combined solar energy production and agricultural activity on the same land. Photosol pioneers agrivoltaic solutions that enable sheep farming, crop protection, and other agricultural activities alongside photovoltaic power generation.
• Rooftop Photovoltaics (Toiture photovoltaïque) Solar installations on commercial, industrial, and agricultural rooftops ranging from 100 kWc to 3 MWc. Photosol offers development, financing, construction, and operation services for new and existing rooftops.
• Parking Shade/Canopy (Ombrière photovoltaïque de parking) Photovoltaic canopy structures covering parking areas, providing vehicle protection while generating solar electricity. Photosol has built some of France's largest parking canopies.
• Solar Electricity Resale (Revente d'électricité solaire) Power purchase agreement (PPA) services for selling solar electricity. Photosol arranges long-term electricity resale contracts, including corporate PPAs with major commercial clients.
• O&M Services (Services O&M) Operations and maintenance services for solar parks including monitoring, analytics, and performance optimization. Photosol's subsidiary Photom Service provides integrated O&M across their portfolio.
• Charging Stations (Borne de recharge) Electric vehicle charging infrastructure deployed alongside solar installations. Photosol integrates charging stations with their solar energy systems for sustainable mobility solutions.
• Energy Storage (Stockage d'énergie) Battery storage solutions integrated with solar installations to optimize energy usage and grid stability. Photosol offers storage as part of their comprehensive renewable energy solutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 272,800 tonnes of CO2 avoided in 2025
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fruits Rouges & CocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 January 2025Partnership to develop agrivoltaic demonstrator at Campus Fruits Rouges in Aisne. Photosol deployed Insolight's insolagrin technology for sustainable red fruit production. Includes 20-year renewable energy purchase agreement for campus electricity needs. Project aims to triple Fruits Rouges & Co's share of French red fruit production by 2028.
• InsolightcoreTechnology or Integration · 15 January 2025Technology partner providing innovative insolagrin semi-transparent solar panel solution for agrivoltaic applications. Developed 'positive energy fruit' brand for fruits grown under agrivoltaic installations. Technology includes climate sensors, automatic shading adjustment, and insol'insights monitoring software.
• SorenminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 December 2024Photosol subscribed to Soren's capital increase and joined its Board of Directors. Soren is the eco-organization for reuse and recycling of solar panels in France. This investment demonstrates Photosol's commitment to responsible panel lifecycle management.
• EnerplanminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 December 2024Photosol was partner of the 1st Carrefour de l'Agrivoltaïsme organized by Enerplan, the professional solar energy association. Event brought together agricultural and solar professionals to discuss the future of agrivoltaics in France.
• HoloSoliscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 November 2024Photosol has partnered with HoloSolis along with other solar producers (Technique Solaire, CVE, Tenergie) to develop the French photovoltaic manufacturing industry. HoloSolis aims to build one of Europe's largest photovoltaic cell and module manufacturing facilities in Moselle, with production launching in 2026, creating 2,000 jobs and producing 10 million panels annually. This partnership supports European energy sovereignty and reduces dependence on panel imports.
• MiiMOSAminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 January 2024Crowdfunding platform partnership for €1.5 million campaign to support research and innovation in agrivoltaics. Funds agrivoltaic demonstrators for new sectors (small fruits, fodder, cattle) and scientific agronomic monitoring.
• Ministry of Armed Forces (France)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 October 2023Project initiated through call for expressions of interest (AMI) led by Ministry of Armed Forces for repurposing former Creil military base. Photosol developing 200 MWc project on 147 hectares of decommissioned military land under 'Place au Soleil' plan.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Neoen: French-headquartered independent renewable energy IPP developing solar, wind, and storage across Europe and beyond. Directly comparable as a French solar/agrivoltaic IPP with corporate PPA capabilities and a similar pipeline-to-operation conversion model.
• Voltalia: French renewable energy IPP operating solar, wind, hydro, and storage projects globally. Comparable as a vertically integrated solar developer with utility-scale projects and PPA sales, including agrivoltaic initiatives.
• Akuo Energy: Independent French renewable energy producer active in solar, wind, and storage across Europe and emerging markets. Comparable as a French solar IPP pursuing corporate PPAs and integrated value-chain operations.
• Technique Solaire: French solar IPP co-developing the HoloSolis manufacturing consortium with Photosol. Highly comparable in scale, project mix (ground-mount, rooftop, agrivoltaic), and customer base within the French solar market.
• CVE: French renewable IPP and co-developer of HoloSolis. Comparable as a mid-sized French solar developer with similar exposure to utility-scale ground-mounted projects and corporate PPAs.
• Tenergie: French solar IPP and HoloSolis co-developer. Directly comparable as a French developer of utility-scale and rooftop solar projects targeting agricultural, industrial, and municipal customers.

Broad incumbents

• EDF Renewables: Renewable energy arm of EDF, one of France's largest solar developers with utility-scale, agrivoltaic, and rooftop projects. Overlaps broadly with Photosol's portfolio but operates as part of a much larger, incumbent utility group.
• Engie Green: Subsidiary of Engie developing solar, wind, and biomethane in France. Competes directly for CRE tenders and corporate PPAs but benefits from the broader Engie group's balance sheet and customer base.
• TotalEnergies Renewables: Renewables arm of TotalEnergies with utility-scale solar, wind, and storage globally. Competes with Photosol for French and European utility-scale projects but as part of an integrated oil major with substantially larger resources.

Regional players

• BayWa r.e. German-headquartered global renewable energy developer active in solar, wind, and storage across Europe. Comparable as a European utility-scale solar developer and IPP, though geographically centered outside France.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/photosol

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Photosol