Ciel and Terre
Ciel et Terre International SAS, founded 2006 in France, designs and manufactures floating photovoltaic systems (Hydrelio, Fusio, WattRack) and delivers custom-engineered FPV projects across 30+ countries. It serves water utilities, agriculture, mining, industrial, and hydropower clients with hardware, engineering, construction, and O&M services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersSainghin-en-mélantois, France
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Ciel and Terre does
Ciel et Terre International SAS is a French private company founded in 2006 and headquartered in Sainghin-en-Mélantois, France, that designs, manufactures, and deploys floating photovoltaic (FPV) systems for water bodies. The company pioneered the floating solar category in 2010 with Hydrelio Classic, the world's first patented and industrialized FPV solution, and now sells three core product lines: Hydrelio aiR Optim (modular, typhoon-proof up to 210 km/h, UV-stabilized for 30 years), Fusio (honeycomb-structured high-density system with integrated cooling targeted at gigawatt-scale plants, launched October 2025), and WattRack (2.2 MW/hectare density with east-west orientation and trolley-based maintenance, launched December 2025). The underlying technology uses HDPE floats, polypropylene connection axes, and aluminum PV panel fixings, with customized anchoring and mooring systems adapted per site conditions.
Ciel & Terre generates revenue through four streams: hardware sales of its proprietary floating structures and anchoring systems manufactured in ten countries (France, USA, Brazil, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, India, Malaysia, Taiwan, China); project engineering and design services including bathymetric studies and environmental assessments; construction management and supervision; and ongoing O&M services with optional extended warranty beyond the standard 10-year product warranty. Projects are sold on a custom-engineered, project-based quotation basis with a minimum 8-week manufacturing lead time. The company serves five primary verticals — water utilities and municipalities, agriculture and irrigation, mining and quarrying, industrial facilities, and hydropower operators — across more than 30 countries with 350+ projects completed and a team of 100+ engineers.
The company operates a direct enterprise field sales motion through regional offices in France, Singapore (ASEAN HQ), Taiwan, Japan, India, USA, and Brazil, targeting project developers, investors, and EPC contractors. Distribution is direct with no channel intermediaries identified. Customers include Tata Steel (multi-site India deployments), NTPC, US municipal water treatment facilities (Sayreville, Signal Hill, Altamonte Springs), Hanaoka Ike Irrigation in Japan, and the Leutenheim quarry site in France. Key certifications include Bureau Veritas design method certification (renewed 2023), BS 6920:2000 drinking water compatibility, and Solar Impulse Efficient Solution approval. The firm has no external private equity or venture capital backing and is structured as a French SAS with registered share capital of EUR 588,300.
Ciel and Terre firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ciel and Terre
- Legal name
- Ciel et Terre International SAS
- Website
- https://ciel-et-terre.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Ciel et Terre International SAS, founded 2006 in France, designs and manufactures floating photovoltaic systems (Hydrelio, Fusio, WattRack) and delivers custom-engineered FPV projects across 30+ countries. It serves water utilities, agriculture, mining, industrial, and hydropower clients with hardware, engineering, construction, and O&M services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ciel and Terre industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Floating Photovoltaic Systems
- NAICS
- Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)
- SIC
- Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Solar EPC & Construction (Utility-Scale, Rooftop, Balance of System) (EUAMABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Solar Balance-of-Plant EPC (Piles/Foundations, Trenching, Combiner Networks) (EUAEADAJ), Utility-Scale PV EPC (Engineering, Procurement & Construction) (EUACAGAB), PV Balance of System (BOS) & Electrical Infrastructure (Inverters, Transformers, Cabling, Substations) (EUACAGAC)
Keywords
Where Ciel and Terre is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sainghin-en-mélantois
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices7 records
Markets served
Ciel and Terre business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Floating Solar Hardware Sales: Sale of proprietary floating solar structures (Hydrelio aiR Optim, Fusio, WattRack) and anchoring systems. Products are manufactured in France, USA, Brazil, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, India, Malaysia, Taiwan, and China. Custom engineered per project requirements.
- Engineering Services: Project engineering and design services including FPV plant design, anchoring design, bathymetric studies, environmental impact assessments, and technical documentation. Full-scope services from preliminary feasibility to detailed engineering.
- Construction Services: Construction management and supervision services for floating solar plant installation. Includes site preparation, anchoring installation, floating island assembly, PV module installation, and commissioning.
- Operation and Maintenance (O&M): Ongoing maintenance services for floating solar plants including preventive and corrective maintenance, panel cleaning, and component replacement. Extended warranty offerings available beyond standard 10-year product warranty.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Ciel and Terre product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ciel & Terre designs, manufactures, and installs proprietary floating photovoltaic (FPV) systems—HDPE-based float structures with aluminum PV panel fixings and customized anchoring—for utility-scale solar projects on water bodies. The company delivers three product lines (HYDRELIO® aiR Optim, Fusio®, WattRack®) and offers full-scope engineering, construction management, and operation & maintenance services.
Product overview
Ciel & Terre provides bold and innovative floating solar solutions consisting of three main product lines: WattRack® (high-density system with innovative trolley-based maintenance), Fusio® (honeycomb-structured system with enhanced cooling for maximum power output), and HYDRELIO® aiR Optim (robust, modular platform evolved from the world's first industrialized floating solar solution). The company also offers comprehensive services including project development, engineering, construction, financing, and operation & maintenance support, along with customized anchoring and mooring solutions adapted to site characteristics. All products are designed to adapt to various pond types with reliable and bankable floating solar technology, backed by a team of 100+ engineers and 15+ years of field experience across 350+ projects worldwide.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Fusio®: High-performing floating PV technology combining honeycomb strength with power of cooling for gigawatt-scale FPV plants
- WattRack®
- HYDRELIO®
- aiR Optim
Products and services
- HYDRELIO® aiR Optim Robust and reliable floating solar system evolved from the original Hydrelio Classic. Features modular designs that adapt to site needs, typhoon-proof and wave-resistant construction, UV-stabilized for up to 30 years, and is compatible with high water level variations and dry pond conditions. Configurations include 1, 2, 4 in a row, and reverse duo pitch.
- Fusio® High-density floating solar technology combining honeycomb structure strength with the natural cooling effect of water proximity to deliver high energy output. Designed for efficient, gigawatt-scale FPV plants with emphasis on power output optimization through thermal management.
- WattRack® High-density floating solar racking system with east-west module orientation and a new rail mounting system. Fits 2.2 MW of solar power per hectare of water and replaces traditional maintenance walkways with a 300 kg capacity trolley traveling over solar modules at up to 5 km/h for faster, simpler, and safer maintenance operations.
- Customized Anchoring and Mooring Solutions Tailored anchoring and mooring solutions adapted to each site's characteristics including bathymetry, soil type, water level variations, and environmental loads. Technologies include percussive driven earth anchors, screw anchors, plate anchors, and hybrid systems. Designed for FPV plants exposed to wind, waves, snow, and varying water levels.
- FPV Engineering Services Full-scope engineering services including FPV plant design, anchoring design, bathymetric studies, environmental impact assessments, and technical documentation, delivered from preliminary feasibility through detailed engineering. Serves project developers, EPCs, utilities, and industrial off-takers.
- FPV Construction Services Construction management and supervision for floating solar plant installation, including site preparation, anchoring installation, floating island assembly, PV module installation, and commissioning. Regional construction managers in Taiwan, Japan, India, and EMEA lead execution.
- Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Services Ongoing maintenance services for floating solar plants, including preventive and corrective maintenance, panel cleaning, and component replacement. Extended warranty offerings are available beyond the standard 10-year product warranty.
Quantifiable outcome
- 5-10% higher energy yield compared to rooftop solar due to natural cooling effect from water proximity
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Ciel and Terre
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Ciel and Terre technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Ciel and Terre partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Trina SolarcoreStrategic partnership for floating solar project delivery. Trina Solar selected Solutions30 to work with Ciel & Terre on a 14 MWc floating solar project at Lescheroux on a reconverted quarry. Trina Solar supplies solar modules while Ciel & Terre provides floating structure technology.
- Solutions30minorEPC partner selected by Trina Solar for the Lescheroux 14 MWc floating solar project. Solutions30 handles construction implementation with Ciel & Terre's floating technology.
- RENAC (Renewable Energy Academy)minorBerlin-based organization providing renewable energy project developer certification. Ciel & Terre employees have obtained project developer certifications through RENAC training covering project financing, evaluation methods, support mechanisms, and large-scale PV system planning.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Ciel and Terre competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Sunseap (Engie Group): Singapore-based solar developer under Engie with significant floating PV installations in Southeast Asia. Comparable project geography and customer base; competes on ASEAN utility-scale FPV tenders.
- BayWa r.e. Large global renewable energy developer and EPC contractor with floating solar project experience as part of a broader solar, wind, and storage portfolio. Competes on utility-scale tenders but does not specialize exclusively in FPV.
- Scatec: Norwegian solar developer with multi-GW utility-scale portfolio that has entered floating solar in hybrid hydropower configurations. Comparable on customer base (developers, utilities) and EPC integration but operates a much broader technology mix.
Others
- Trina Solar: Top-tier global PV module manufacturer with growing FPV project pipeline and active partnership with Ciel & Terre (e.g., Lescheroux). Adjacent as a module supplier that also competes in downstream FPV development.
- JA Solar: Major Chinese PV module manufacturer offering floating solar-compatible modules and project packages. Comparable on the solar value chain; occasionally partners with or competes against FPV structure specialists like Ciel & Terre on integrated bids.
Direct peers
- Ciel & Terre Italy competitors / Isifloating: Spanish FPV engineering and structure provider focused on European utility and irrigation projects. Comparable product offering (HDPE-based floats) and serves similar municipal, agricultural, and industrial water-body use cases.
- Ocean Sun: Norwegian FPV specialist using membrane-based floating PV technology for hydropower reservoirs and near-shore sites. Directly comparable to Ciel & Terre as a pure-play floating solar hardware and engineering company with utility-scale references.
- Sungrow FPV: Chinese inverter and FPV systems provider offering integrated floating PV solutions with significant utility-scale deployments in Asia. Competes head-to-head with Ciel & Terre on EPC tenders and is a key cost-pressure competitor.
- Suntree Technologies: Chinese floating PV structure manufacturer with high-volume HDPE float production and global project references. Directly competes on the hardware side of utility-scale FPV installations.
Emerging players
- Adtech Systems: India-based FPV structure manufacturer and EPC provider serving the rapidly growing Indian floating solar market. Overlaps with Ciel & Terre on Tata Steel-style industrial and reservoir deployments in South Asia.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ciel and Terre social profiles
Digital presenceCiel and Terre compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Ciel and Terre financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ciel and Terre leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Ciel and Terre funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ciel and Terre M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ciel and Terre
What does Ciel and Terre do?
Ciel & Terre designs, manufactures, and installs proprietary floating photovoltaic (FPV) systems—HDPE-based float structures with aluminum PV panel fixings and customized anchoring—for utility-scale solar projects on water bodies. The company delivers three product lines (HYDRELIO® aiR Optim, Fusio®, WattRack®) and offers full-scope engineering, construction management, and operation & maintenance services.
Is Ciel and Terre a public or private company?
Ciel and Terre is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Ciel and Terre founded?
Ciel and Terre was founded in 2006. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Ciel and Terre based?
Ciel and Terre is headquartered in Sainghin-en-mélantois, France, in the Europe region.
How does Ciel and Terre make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Floating Solar Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are engineering Services, construction Services and operation and Maintenance (O&M).
Who are Ciel and Terre's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Sunseap (Engie Group), BayWa r.e. and Scatec. Others are Trina Solar and JA Solar. Direct peers are Ciel & Terre Italy competitors / Isifloating, Ocean Sun, Sungrow FPV and Suntree Technologies. Adtech Systems is listed as an emerging player.
Does Ciel and Terre have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ciel and Terre.
What industry is Ciel and Terre in?
Ciel and Terre's product category is Floating Photovoltaic Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAMABAB, Solar EPC & Construction (Utility-Scale, Rooftop, Balance of System), with a secondary code of EUAEADAJ, Solar Balance-of-Plant EPC (Piles/Foundations, Trenching, Combiner Networks). Its NAICS code is 221114 and its SIC code is 3600.