MEPs voted for an amendment confirming the maintenance of EDF’s monopoly in non-interconnected small areas
The 40 shareholders of the company Ile de Sein Energies – IDSE – have seen an amendment by Senators ecologists in the draft law on energy transition. This was to enable the islands with fewer than 2,000 inhabitants to get out of EDF monopoly and produce their own electricity from different renewable energy. MEPs, however, voted for an amendment confirming the maintenance of EDF’s monopoly in non-interconnected small areas.
Despite this setback, the inhabitants did not give up. “The island of Sein, says Serge Coatmeur, one of the main protagonists of Ile de Sein Energies, is supplied by four small power plants that generate electricity from an annual consumption of 420,000 liters of fuel oil that we propose to replace it with renewable. “According to his calculations, creating onshore wind combined with photovoltaic and why not a tidal turbine at sea, would be enough to complete energy autonomy of the island.
Two onshore wind projects
At EDF, it contends that the public service obligation requires a steady supply. However, the renewable does not produce on a regular basis. To limit the consumption of the island, a series of steps for energy savings with incentives to home insulation, the provision of free energy saving light bulbs was introduced. “The public lighting network is now 100% equipped with LEDs and remotely controlled,” says Vincent Denby-Wilkes, Regional Director of EDF. Dominique Salvert mayor of Sein, believes that “IDSE presents little financial guarantees. For the energy transition we work with EDF. “The group planned the installation of two wind turbines that would cover around 25% of energy needs. A study is under way to describe the wind conditions.
Both wind turbines would be supplemented by storage batteries. For its part, the HLM Habitat 29 will build 4 social housing which will be equipped with photovoltaic panels. The rule is that renewable does not exceed 30% of the energy needs of small islands. “This is a precaution taken by the regulator, but we are not opposed to changes in regulations,” further said Vincent Denby-Wilkes. Members of Ile de Sein Energies find that the price per kilowatt from the fuel is 45 cents against 12 cents for kilowatt intermittent wind and 34 cents for the tidal energy.
