Total has announced plans to install solar panels on 5,000 of its service stations around the world over the next five years, which it claims will save US$40 million (£32.2 million) per year from its electricity bill.
The oil and gas giant will install around 200MW of solar capacity, representing an investment of around $300 million, with each installation expected to deliver and average of around 45 MWh per year for each station.
Philippe Sauquet, president of gas, renewables & power at Total, said: “The project is fully aligned with Total’s ambition of becoming the responsible energy major and its commitment to developing solar power. It will reduce our carbon emissions by 100,000 tons per year and cut our electricity bill.”
Total has yet to reveal the details of where the installations will take place, stating only that 800 of the installations will take place in its native France.
The company operates in more than 130 countries and a spokesperson told Clean Energy News that around half the installations will take place in Africa, up to 30% in Europe and the remainder being installed in the other regions including the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and the Americas.
Total sold off the bulk of its UK service stations in 2012/13 and pulled out of the market completely earlier this year.
The existing stations carrying the Total brand are operated by a number of other companies, including Shell and Rontec, and are therefore unlikely to benefit from the solar programme.
