Think Smartgrids has published a Smart Grids Recovery Plan, the result of a collaborative effort that brought together some 30 contributors who are members of the association, under the leadership of Philippe Vié, Vice President and Global Energy, Utilities and Chemicals Sector Leader at Capgemini. With 14 recommendations, Think Smartgrids proposes a recovery through energy transition, showing the central place that should be reserved for investment in smart grids.
From the integration of renewable energies to the intelligent electrification of energy uses, with the development of electric mobility and smart charging, through the improvement of energy efficiency and multi-energy convergence, Smart Grids solutions are everywhere and fundamentally contribute to the energy transition. They also create economic development and jobs.
France, a pioneer in the fight against global warming since the Paris agreement, is already among the world leaders in the decarbonized sector of electrical systems, from production to networks and energy services. The country already has a well-structured and equipped smart grid ecosystem allying industrial groups, SMEs and startup with universities, schools, research centers and labs, united under the umbrella of the Think Smartgrids association.
This is why the association wanted to make a very concrete contribution to the debate on sustainable recovery, in particular by advocating the following:
- Accelerating the deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructures;
- Acting through Smart Grids and digitalization on the decarbonization of buildings;
- Improve the flexibility of industrial consumption;
- Standardize communications to develop residential demand-side management;
- Create the energy data architecture to better develop services for the consumer;
- Develop the energy transition, energy resilience and industrial performance of territories through the combination of real-time telecom – Smart Grids;
- Deploy storage for networks and renewable energies (RE);
- Develop multi-network distribution coupling (electricity, heat, cold, H2…).
These recommendations will only be possible with the necessary evolution of regulatory and change levers. Therefore, the plan also proposes a range of changes in order to make regulations evolve, change behaviors in depth for a sustainable society, organize the increase in skills to support the development of Smart Grids in France and worldwide.
Accelerated investment in Smart Grids is also a prerequisite for the success of the green recovery, and appropriate financing tools are also essential so as not to overburden consumers’ bills.
Marianne Laigneau, Chairman of the Board of Enedis and new President of the Think Smartgrids association, concludes:
« The health crisis has once again demonstrated the essential role of the electricity network sector in the economic life of our country. After several years of Smart Grids experimentation, the maturity of digital solutions, combined with advances in energy technologies, have created the conditions for the industrial-scale deployment of smart grids. Our European companies will meet the imperative of carbon neutrality by 2050 by developing Smart Grids, and France can lead by example. ».