The Energy Transition: a Major Challenge for Innovation

In Paris, on May 16-18, the third edition of the Viva Technology conference was held. Viva Technology is the world’s rendezvous for startups and leaders to celebrate innovation. 

The energy transition is underway via a number of initiatives, most significantly the Smart City. Today, the challenge faced by large metropolitan areas is to sustainably urbanize tomorrow’s cities. In his conference, CEO Philippe Wahl highlighted the commitment of Groupe La Poste towards developing smart and sustainable cities. Among the transformations with which the French mail delivery giant must now contend, e-commerce is without doubt one of the most profound. Faced with the boom in online sales, the CEO affirmed that “e-commerce is not only transforming our lives, but also urban life at large.” Given the urgency of the energy transition, pollution in towns and cities, and road congestion problems, Groupe La Poste has opted to co-develop ecological, low-carbon distribution via electric vehicles and bikes with major cities and communities. “Our mail men and women now use some 9,000 electric vehicles throughout all of France”, states Philippe Wahl. This model is set to be generalized: the Group has already signed agreements with 18 French cities to implement alternative solutions tailored to each one’s requirements.

A key player in carbon-free mobility, ENGIE was present at the Mobility Park, where this leading energy player showcased its innovations in carbon-free mobility. ENGIE presented actions on clean mobility systems, tested or deployed.

In fact, electric mobility was omnipresent at this year’s event, and the ENGIE stand was no exception. A speaker from ENGIE Réseaux, a subsidiary of ENGIE Energie Services, presented the network of recharging terminals which is very much akin to ENGIE’s core-business district heating network. Large-scale projects have already been deployed, such as the operation of 4,000 electric vehicle charging points in Rotterdam, the Netherlands’ second-biggest city.

Two levers can be implemented for this purpose: firstly, in the short term, ENGIE is trying out curtailment; in case of any mismatch between the supply and demand for electricity, the energy dedicated to charging vehicles can be reduced. Secondly, ENGIE is looking into the Car to Grid concept, where the electricity stored by vehicles can be returned to the grid in the event of consumption spikes, and vice versa.

One of the green mobility solutions developed by ENGIE is SMATCH innovation, to intelligently manage electric charging. Via this product, ENGIE reconciles the load control requirements of vehicle drivers with those of site managers. Power peaks are reduced by spreading them out in line with demand via a communication software solution, which displays the battery’s recharging in real time. SMATCH is thus intended to relieve electric vehicle users’ anxiety concerning the efficiency of their vehicle charge. Using data provided by the user beforehand, the vehicle’s recharge is optimized and scaled suitably.

Set up in Belgium in 2015, SMATCH can lead to significant installation cost savings, thereby furthering the deployment of electric vehicles and, more generally, the energy transition.

With the energy transition now clearly under way, the various issues addressed reflect the growing concerns of the different players regarding the sector’s upheavals. Solutions and innovations are on the rise across the entire energy value chain. To underpin this transition, the transformations engaged must go even further: devising smart cities with low-carbon mobility services, integrating electrical storage in the use of renewable energies, and adopting new technologies to reduce energy consumption.

In this year’s edition of the Viva Technology event, EDF was present at its Discovery by EDF space, in which it showcased the innovations of more than 40 startups. In the space’s central arena, EDF placed these avant-garde startups under the spotlight.

African Tech was very much at the forefront of the Africatech space, dedicated to innovative African startups and players. A series of conferences was organized with a host of personalities to discuss the potential for innovation in Africa.

These talks emphasized the challenges facing the African continent, with the energy transition high up on the list. Engaged in this respect, Total presented its solutions to guarantee better access to energy in Africa. Through its Total Access to Energy program, the group is developing projects in cooperation with a network of startups to promote local initiatives. Access to energy involves developing micro-grids, i.e. electricity production and distribution networks intended for a small number of consumers. A range of services and solar products has also been developed for populations without access to electricity. In fact, a solar kits offer has already been deployed, with micro-payment possibilities that are becoming increasingly democratized. The goal is to ensure sustainable access to energy for the most vulnerable communities.