Belgian energy company Perpetum Energy recently completed the construction of a 40 MW solar carport at Pairi Daiza, a privately owned zoo and botanical garden located in Hainaut, Belgium. The project required an investment of €40 million ($43 million) and is one of the largest photovoltaic carports made of wood in the world. Using sustainable materials was a priority for the company, and they partnered with Préfabois to source durable, class-4 Douglas fir from the Ardennes for the construction of the carport.
The carport spans 200,000 square meters and features 51 inverters and 93,786 solar panels from Chinese manufacturer Longi and Canadian Solar. The materials used in the construction of the carport are certified to meet passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC) standards, ensuring sustainable forest management practices. The project was financed through third-party investment by the Green4Power SA fund and is jointly owned by Perpetum and Socofe.
Pairi Daiza will benefit from the green energy produced by the solar carport, using a portion of the electricity generated to power the park and exporting surplus power to the grid. Plans to install electric vehicle charging stations under the shade houses are expected to further reduce the surplus electricity generated. The zoo has taken steps to reduce its carbon footprint and become a significant green energy provider in the region.