The FLEXGRID programme is structured around some 40 projects. Among these projects such as Premio, Nice Grid, and Reflexe, were created even before Flexgrid was contracted by the State in March 2016. After a first wave of projects launched in 2017, new projects will be launched in 2018.
Marseille Harbor – Photo credit: Flexgrid
Several of them are part of the theme “Smart territories and Smart Cities”:
La Villette ECS (EDF Optimal Solutions)
As part of the construction of an model large district of 39,400 m2, the project aims to implement a centralised solution for the production of cooling, heating and domestic hot water from geothermal and photovoltaic renewable energies. In 2017, the contract was awarded to Bouygues Group and EDF Optimal Solutions for the Energy section. Civil engineering operations are scheduled to begin in 2018 and will be completed in 2021. A flexibility part is also provided for in the project.
Pôle Y.Morandat
The project is part of a process to convert a former mining site: it consists in setting up an intelligent electrical and thermal network to heat and cool various buildings using solar resources (thermal and/or photovoltaic) and geothermal resources from the mine’s floodwater. Buffer thermal storage systems and electrochemical storage systems are planned to promote synchronization between consumption and production as well as a global energy management system.
The first phase of the servicing work was delivered in the summer of 2017. The energy network is scheduled to be commissioned in the summer of 2018.
Serre Chevalier Renouvelable (Serre Chevalier Vallée & Compagnie des Alpes)
The project consists in improving the energy efficiency and renewable energy self-consumption of the Serre Chevalier Vallée ski area. The project envisages the deployment of photovoltaic power generation, wind farm masts and joint production facilities for growing snow/hydroelectricity, as well as storage capacities exploiting the potential of hill reservoirs. The creation of a development company and the launch of operational studies are planned for the first half of 2018.
Flexygazelec (Engie Cofely)
The project consists in setting up an intelligent system for the self-consumption of electricity and heat produced by natural gas grid cogeneration to replace an oil boiler in a 100-unit Niçoise condominium. The construction of the micro cogeneration plant could start at the end of 2018 and be commissioned at the end of 2019.
Other projects are part of the Smart Economy approach:
Smart Aéroport (Aéroport Marseille Provence)
The project concerns Aix Marseille Provence airport and its 200 companies. “The analysis and improvement of usage for the 9 million annual travellers and the 5,500 employees of the 200 companies present are the first link in the chain in favour of an energy efficiency policy. At this stage, 1,500 water and electricity meters have been installed and connected to a software platform capable of collecting and analyzing data. The airport plans to install 1,500 additional sensors to strengthen the consumption management system in order to generate new savings and electrical flexibility that can be enhanced.
Flex’entreprise Sidérurgie (Ascoindustries)
The Flex’entreprise Sidérurgie project aims to increase the self-consumption of RE, energy/power optimization, energy resilience (price and quality of electricity) and the efficiency of a steel company. The steel industry is one of the most electricity consuming activities (electro-intensive). 2018 : The forecasting and monitoring tools will be developed in 2018, as well as tests on a first battery.
Smart Agricultural Greenhouse (société Sertificap)
The project plans the deployment over 5 ha of a high-tech agricultural greenhouse concept around Berre l’Etang aimed at: the self-consumption of thermal and electrical renewable energies,
Energy management of the installations as well as the development of semi-closed greenhouses regulating plant growth parameters, brightness, hygrometry, temperature, nutrient distribution. The installations are scheduled to be built in Berre l’Etang in 2018
Smart Industrie Aromatique (Valénergies)
The project consists in the implementation of a 100 kWp intelligent solar system, supplying self-consumption to a unit producing natural extracts for the perfumery, flavours and cosmetics industries. The solar power plant, installed on the roofs of the buildings, will be coupled with an energy management system. Its construction will begin in early 2018, with commissioning scheduled for late 2018.
The theme Smart ENR producers will give rise, in 2018, to three projects:
Megagrid (CEA TECH)
The MEGAGRID project is run in coordination with the CEA Tech’s Megasol platform (38 ha platform for demonstration and experimentation of diversified solar technologies). It aims to optimize, with the use of storage units, the connection methods for renewable energy production in order to smooth the intermittency of solar production, increase transit capacities and reduce connection costs. The storage area and experimental PV plant will be installed in 2018.
Tenore (GRTgaz)
The Tenore project aims to develop a decentralized joint electricity/heat production source by recovering pressure energy lost during gas expansion, for example in the expansion stations of industrial sites. These electricity and heat productions can be self-consumed by industrial customers. In 2018, a site will soon be built (possibly Gardanne).
Aloe (Ecodelta)
The Aloe project aims to combine high-power photovoltaic and wind farms and combine them with a Li-ion storage battery to improve the economic value of generation in electricity markets, increase the insertion rate of intermittent renewable energies and provide benefits for grid operators and balance responsible entities. The wind farm will be built in 2018 as well as two PV farms.
Finally, the Smart Mobility theme will see the implementation of two new projects:
Smart IRVE 84 (Syndicat d’électrification vauclusien)
The Smart Irve 84 project consists in creating a charging infrastructure for electric vehicles linking the department of Vaucluse. The network is composed of 80 to 90 accelerated charging stations (22 kVA) spread over about thirty stations located every 20 km. The network offers advanced functions for motorists (possibility to reserve spaces and adapt the operating load…).
In 2018, a call for tenders will be launched to select the terminals and the first stations will be deployed in September-October 2018.
Smart IRVE 83 (Syndicat Mixte de l’Energie des Communes du Var)
The Smart Irve 83 project consists in creating a charging infrastructure for electric vehicles across the entire Var department. The network will consist of 120 accelerated charging stations (22 kVA per station, 2 charging points per station) connected to the ENEDIS network, combined with software that will make it possible to monitor the use and operational functioning of the various stations. The 120 terminals will be commissioned in 2018.
The Flexgrid Alliance periodically organizes meetings around Smart Grids solutions:
- On 1 December 2017, the FLEXGRID meetings were held in the Côte d’Azur-Var region (100 participants and 18 FLEXGRID project leaders),
- On 11 January 2018, the FLEXGRID meetings of the Durance-Alpes region, dedicated to smart resorts and mountain territories, were held.
- The FLEXGRID meetings of the Durance-Alpes region will be held on 11 January 2018.
ITEMS International for Think Smartgrids