L R AS Published on Saturday 28 November 2020 - n° 342 - Categories:French companies, self-consumption
Voltalia extends its activity to self-consumption
In addition to its activity of building large wind and solar power plants, Voltalia is launching a "self-consumption" activity. The company wants to make more accessible
the use of solar energy. It relies on recognised suppliers (JA Solar, the Goodwe and Hoymiles inverters and the European ESDEC attachment system), on complementary services such as a guarantee and after-sales service.
It has just signed an agreement with Comwatt. This provides for the digitisation of the customer path with video-conferencing of advisers and the presence of an energy analyser that indicates which equipment consumes in the home, but above all to optimise self-consumption by shifting part of the consumption to the time when it is free (during production).
The presence of Voltalia offers a guarantee to the customer, reassures users and establishes a foothold in the general public.
Tecsol 25th November
Editor's note The evolution of the company is interesting to summarise: originally, it built clean energy plants (wind, solar, biomass). It focused on wind power plants in Brazil, which provided more than 80% of its energy production. This country has not been forgotten, but the company has diversified into solar energy in Europe and of course in France, into large power plants. A few semesters ago, different contracts were obtained in other geographical areas (Egypt, Morocco). Always with large power plants.
About a year ago, the merger with Helexia, another company of the group, opened up another horizon, that of small solar installations (roofs, sheds, shading, ...). On the one hand, it recently joined forces with IKEA to install solar systems on the roofs of private homes. On the other hand, the company is creating another market, that of the complements of solar systems for private individuals, that of self-consumption and does it in association with a professional of the installation of management systems for the valorisation of energy production. Of course this new activity is still marginal, but it creates diversification. This diversification indicates that the potential of private individuals exists. It has been relatively neglected until now.
The evolution of Voltalia is different from that of Neoen, which specialises in the installation and ownership of large solar power plants around the world, and for some years now, in energy storage.
We are therefore faced with two very different strategies, which are themselves quite separate from power plant installers working on the basis of calls for tender, even if some companies are resolutely placing themselves on the international scene, such as Akuo, Total Eren and several others.
