Community of self-consumption of renewable energy
SerenySun, created in 2018 by Donald François, based in Aix-en-Provence is supported by major partners : Région Sud, Bpifrance, Energie partagée, Capenergies.
For its first year of operation, the balance sheet is positive for SerenyCalas, launched by SerenySun, the largest community of self-consumption of renewable energy.
In Cabriès-Calas, in the Bouches-du-Rhône region, where the first project of such a scale on the French territory was born, the bills of more than 70 self-consumers have been lightened, and their carbon footprint has strongly decreased in the town. 17% savings on average for individuals and more for professionals and the community.
How does Self-Consumption work?
The green energy produced locally is shared between several participants of different profiles within a perimeter of 2km, and up to 20km in rural areas. The maximum power is 3MWp per loop in partnership with the public electricity network manager.
We all consume kilowatt hours, but not at the same time. And when energy is produced locally, as it is here in a short circuit, the abundance of consumers is interesting to have. The energy that is not consumed on one side will go to the other consumers to supply their daily needs or to the companies that are on the territory. The surplus energy is therefore shared and replaces the energy purchased from traditional energy suppliers.
SerenyCalas covers 36% of the participants’ energy needs with locally produced green energy. The profiles of the participants are diverse : individuals, communities (school groups), professionals, retirement homes … grouped within the same community of self-consumers of renewable energy.
These are the different profiles of self-consumers as in Cabriès-Calas that allow to optimize the collective self-consumption. Knowing where the energy comes from, the simplicity of access or the advantageous tariffs have seduced the consumers.
The consumer becomes an actor of his consumption. And if he wishes, shareholder of the project while respecting the landscape.
Informing and sensitizing the public in each operation of self-consumption developed is part of the actions of SerenySun. A better understanding of the energy consumption of the future consumers helps the good results of the project. For example, for a photovoltaic project, programming your household appliances during sunny periods allows you to optimize your energy consumption.
“In this context of energy crisis and energy price inflation, collective self-consumption and short energy circuits are more relevant than ever. (…)” says Donald François, CEO and founder of SerenySun. “SerenySun’s dream is to be able to produce 30 to 50% of the energy where we live, where we work, where we study, for us it is one of the solutions to this huge challenge of the energy transition.”
Renewable energy
The bill on renewable energy strongly encourages the solarization of companies, public parking lots, school roofs …
Driven by these results, SerenySun is now working on extending this principle of sharing renewable energy to other territories. Because the collective self-consumption model can be duplicated throughout France. The goal is for other municipalities to adopt this type of project on a neighborhood scale.
SerenyCalas is a collective project between neighbors. It is not only the ecological dimension that is important, but also the societal dimension. This project gives access to green energy to those who could not invest in solar panels. SerenySun makes the transition inclusive.
Eventually, SerenySun wants to cover 40 to 50% of energy needs thanks to nature.
To learn more about this project: https://serenysun.fr/