Toucan — French Guiana

Solar power plant in French Guiana, French Guiana. Approximate location 4.8937, -52.5007.

SolarFrench GuianaFrench GuianaPV

Toucan is a 5 MW solar power plant in French Guiana, French Guiana. It is operated by EDF Renewables [100%]. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 2.1k homes (estimated). It ranks #5 of 6 French Guiana power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2014, it is around 12 years old — relatively modern. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, solar supplies about 6.1% of French Guiana's electricity; the national grid averages 245 gCO₂/kWh (65.3% low-carbon) (2023).

5MW installed capacity
2,127homes powered (est.)
2014commissioned (~12 yrs)

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WKS0065694.

Data status

Known data

FacilityToucan WRI
CountryFrench Guiana · French Guiana WRI
Coordinates4.8937, -52.5007 WRI
FuelSolar WRI
MW installed capacity5 MW GEM · 2026 · L100000808289; part of a generating complex
Verification noteQuality label backfilled from existing source-backed capacity provenance on 2026-07-05; capacity value was not changed. source-verified
OwnerEDF Renewables [100%] WRI
Commissioned2014 WRI
TechnologyPV WRI

Calculated from dataset

Capacity rank in country#5 / 6 calculated
Fuel-specific rank in country#1 / 1 calculated
Homes-powered equivalent2,127 calculated
Climate25.8°C · HDD 0 derived from coordinates
Environmental severityC5 · 48/100 derived from coordinates

Not available

GWh reported / yrNot available not in dataset
CO₂ emissionsnot applicable not applicable

Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000808289; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

Technically it is described as PV. Solar PV converts sunlight directly into electricity with no moving parts or fuel; output varies by time of day and weather, so it pairs with storage or flexible backup.

Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.

Owner

Operated by EDF Renewables [100%].

Local climate & thermal context

This solar plant converts sunlight directly into electricity with photovoltaic panels. It sits in a tropical rainforest climate (Köppen Af) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 4.9°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

25.8°Cannual mean temp
0heating degree-days (base 18°C)
2,830cooling degree-days (base 18°C)
33 melevation

Monthly mean temperature

J: 25 °CJF: 25 °CFM: 26 °CMA: 26 °CAM: 26 °CMJ: 25 °CJJ: 26 °CJA: 26 °CAS: 26 °CSO: 26 °CON: 26 °CND: 26 °CD26 °C

This site has effectively no heating season (tropical/equatorial climate), so winter heat loss is not the driver here. The thermal concern shifts to year-round process heat and humidity/heat-driven corrosion of hot equipment.

Solar PV loses ~0.35%/°C above 25°C cell temperature — roughly 0.5% at warm-season highs here (estimate).

Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.

Site climate & environmental severity

This site sits in an aggressive, high-corrosion environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C5 — Very high), with marine salt corrosion the leading environmental stress.

C5ISO 9223 corrosivity (indicative)
48/100environmental-severity index
1.2°Cseasonal temperature swing
35 kmdistance to coast

Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.

How it compares & nearby plants

French Guiana has 1 solar power plant in this dataset, together about 5 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

Location

Coordinates 4.8937, -52.5007 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions

What type of power plant is Toucan?

Toucan is a 5 MW solar power plant in French Guiana, French Guiana, commissioned in 2014.

Who operates Toucan?

Toucan is operated by EDF Renewables [100%].

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