Solar photovoltaic energy

Total's growth strategy in solar energy leverages our long-standing presence in the solar photovoltaic industry. We are active at both the upstream and downstream ends of the value chain through our subsidiaries Photovoltech and Tenesol.

In June 2010, we acquired an equity interest in U.S. start-up AE Polysilicon, which has developed a new technology to produce solar-grade polysilicon.

We are also expanding our R&D activities, especially through the signature of a number of partnership agreements with international laboratories and research institutes. In addition, we are actively developing innovative new solar energy technologies.

Lastly, we are installing solar panels at various facilities in France to showcase the technology, while at the same time taking part in decentralized rural electrification projects in other countries.

 

Total’s solar photovoltaic energy activities

• Photovoltech: Total is a shareholder of Photovoltech, which manufactures high efficiency photovoltaic cells. We own 50% of this company, alongside GDF Suez.
  
  In 2009, Photovoltech pursued the expansion of its plant in Tirlemont (also known as Tienen) in Belgium, with a decision to boost capacity from 80 MWp/year to 150 MWp/year by end-2010.
  
  Photovoltech reported revenue of €80 million in 2009.
  
  
• We are also planning to build a silicon wafer plant in Carling, eastern France. 
  
  
• Tenesol: Total has a 50% interest in Tenesol, alongside French electric utility EDF.
  
  Based in Lyon, France, Tenesol designs, manufactures, markets and operates photovoltaic energy systems.
  
  The joint venture operates in the main grid-connected markets in France and its overseas departments and territories and in Europe. It is also active in off-grid applications, such as telecommunications and oil and gas sites.
  
  Tenesol has two solar panel production plants, one in Cape Town, South Africa, and one in Toulouse, France, for a combined production capacity of 170 MWp/year.
  
  Tenesol reported sales of €249 million in 2009.
  
  
• AE Polysilicon: In June 2010, Total acquired a 25.4% interest in AE Polysilicon, a U.S. start-up based in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia.
  
  Founded in 2006, AE Polysilicon has developed an advanced technology to produce solar-grade polysilicon for photovoltaic panels.
  
  Purified silicon is used to produce the photovoltaic cells that make up solar panels. It is therefore crucial to control this key stage in the process to secure the supply of solar-grade silicon for downstream production.
  
  This innovative new technology has already reached the commercial production phase, with a production unit scheduled to come on stream in the near future.
  
  

Research & Development

Total's solar energy R&D has three main objectives: reducing costs, improving solar-electric conversion efficiency, and expanding existing and potential applications.

• IMEC: In September 2009, Total, Photovoltech and partner GDF Suez signed an R&D partnership agreement with IMEC (Interuniversity MicroElectronics Center) to significantly reduce the amount of silicon used in photovoltaic cells while increasing their efficiency.
  
  
• LPICM: We have also partnered with Laboratoire de Physique des Interfaces et des Couches Minces (LPICM), a joint research facility of the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the Ecole Polytechnique engineering school, to create the Nano PV team to explore silicon-based thin films and nanomaterials. The team is based in Saclay, near Paris, France.
  
  
• MIT: Lastly, Total has embarked on a research program with the Massachusetts  Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States to develop a new stationary battery technology to store solar energy.
  
  The five-year, $4-million agreement falls under the MIT Energy Initiative, which Total joined in November 2008.
  
  
• Konarka: In December 2008, we acquired a nearly 25% interest in Konarka, a U.S.-based start-up that manufactures organic films for plastic solar cells.
  
  
• Decentralized rural electrification: We take part in decentralized rural electrification projects in response to tenders issued by public authorities in various countries.
  
  
• In South Africa, KwaZulu  Energy Services Company (KES), 35%-owned by Total, is pursuing its goal of providing around 30,000 households with solar photovoltaic energy.
  
  
• In Morocco, Temasol, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tenesol, is deploying decentralized rural electrification projects.
  
  Since its creation in 2001, around 25,500 households have been equipped with solar energy systems. Temasol also operates the systems.
  
  
• Solar energy showcases: As part of our contribution to France’s Grenelle Environmental program, we began installing solar panels at some of our production facilities, for instance Pau and Lacq in southwestern France, in 2009.
  
  In all, five such projects are expected to be finalized by end-2010, to showcase various photovoltaic solutions at our sites.

Concentrated solar power

• Shams 1: In June 2010, the Emirate of Abu Dhabi selected the Total/Abengoa Solar consortium to partner Masdar to build the world’s biggest concentrated solar power plant  — the first of its kind in the Middle East — baptized Shams 1.
  
  Shams 1 will help the emirate meet its target of deriving 7% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020. 
  
  The joint venture between Masdar (60%), Total (20%) and Abengoa Solar (20%) will develop, design, operate and maintain the plant, located in Madinat Zayed, around 120 kilometers southwest of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.
  
  Masdar is a government-sponsored initiative to promote the development, marketing and deployment of renewable and alternative energy technology and solutions.
  
  Find out more about Shams, the world’s biggest concentrated solar power plant

Biomass

Biomass includes plants, wood, fibers, waste and algae and is one of the most versatile renewable resources around. It is suitable for “traditional” applications, such as cooking, building, heating, textiles and pharmaceuticals, and others such as steam generation, power generation, gaseous, liquid and solid transportation and other fuels, hydrogen and an alternative feedstock for chemicals and plastic manufacturing (green chemicals).

We are exploring a number of avenues for developing biomass. Each is specific to the resource used (type, location, harvesting and transportation), the conversion processes utilized, and the type of molecules and markets targeted.

We are Europe’s leading biofuel marketer and now want to begin producing bioenergies, reflecting our strong commitment to corporate social and environmental responsibility.

We are actively taking part in a number of R&D projects to develop biofuels and molecules from non-food biomass resources. These projects include:

• France’s Futurol project to produce bioethanol by fermenting lignocellulosic biomass,
  
  
• The BioTfueL program to blend lignocellulosic biomass and fossil fuels to produce biofuels,
  
  
• DME programs to produce dimethyl ether, a clean gas suited for transportation fuel and petrochemical applications, as well as to manufacture bio-DME from black liquor, a pulp manufacturing waste product, and conduct long-term tests in a fleet of Volvo trucks in Sweden,
  
• Various biotechnology partnerships to develop new molecules (advanced biofuels, molecules for use in petrochemicals and specialty chemicals) and to produce and use phototrophic microorganisms, such as microalgae and cyanobacteria.

Marine energy

Wave power

In June 2005, Total acquired a 10% interest in a pilot project offshore Santona in northern Spain. The first buoy, with a rated power of 40 kW, was deployed in 2008. The demonstrator will assess the technical and financial potential of this technology.

Tidal energy

At end-2007, we owned a 24.9% stake in Scotrenewables (Marine Power) , based in the Orkney Islands in Scotland.

Following agreements to open up its capital to new investors in January 2008, our stake was reduced to 16%. Scotrenewables (Marine Power) is developing a tidal turbine to generate electricity.

A one-fifth-scale model was successfully tested offshore in 2009. A full-scale demonstrator will be built in 2010.