Solarplaza Summit France

Wednesday 28 June 2023

18:30

Pre-Conference Networking Event

As a warm up to the Summit, enjoy facilitated networking with fellow attendees, speakers, partners and advisory board members, in a more relaxed, informal atmosphere.

The Networking Event will take place in Bofinger Paris

Thursday 29 June 2023

Program

Simultaneous translation will be available throughout the conference

08:30

Registration & Welcome coffee

30 min.

Session Topics:

09:00

Welcome Remarks by the Host

10 min.

Ramses Struijker Boudier

Solarplaza

Session Topics:

Recap of Solarplaza in France
Outline and objectives of the day

Session 1

The Latest Updates on French PV

09:10

Setting the Right Pace for the Energy Transition in France

presentation

10 min.

France is finding ways to catch up on its Multiannual Energy Plan Objective. In February, the National Assembly and the Senate passed the Renewable Energy Acceleration Bill, introducing several measures to boost solar development prospects. What are the key objectives of this bill, and how will the effectiveness of the bill be guaranteed? Gain exclusive insights in the ministerial opening keynote, setting the tone for the rest of the day.

Sophie Mourlon

Ministère de la Transition énergétique

Session Topics:

The role of solar in the government’s decarbonization ambitions
Updates on the PPE: Tariffs, tenders and auctions
National and international trends that are impacting project development outlook

09:20

Solar as the Backbone of 2050’s Integrated, Autonomous and Resilient Energy System

presentation

10 min.

This session will turn from the regulatory framework and PV targets toward operational objectives and strategies. Join Enerplan - the National Solar PV Syndicate - to hear more about how solar will become the backbone of France's new energy system.

Amaury Korniloff

Enerplan

Session Topics:

A breakdown of the opportunities in residential, commercial & industrial (C&I and utility-scale solar)
The impact of the launch of “Plan d’Urgence Solaire”
How is solar creating economic, social and environmental impact in 2050?

09:30

Leading Strategies to Accelerate Decarbonization: Reviewing the Value Chain

panel

45 min.

The target has been set, and the strategies are being shaped. But how does the industry respond to the new objectives? How are the economic, environmental, and societal concerns being addressed? In this session, leading stakeholders in the French PV market will debate where the opportunities in France's solar industry are arising and which pitfalls merit further attention.

moderator

Cécile Fontaine

FNCCR

Christine Delamarre

Crédit Agricole Leasing & Factoring

Eric Magistrello

Sungrow

Pascal Richard

Carbon Solar

Xavier Daval

Kilowattsol

Alexandre Soroko

Greensolver

Session Topics:

Positioning solar PV in France’s future energy mix
Supply chain issues, inflation: how to navigate turbulent market circumstances
Optimising stakeholder management & strategies to strengthen the competitiveness of the solar industry

10:15

Morning Networking Break

Last year's conference was a resounding success, with 97% of attendees reporting that they made valuable business connections. As you plan your attendance this year, remember to leverage Solarplaza networking app to ensure that you make the connections you want to make.

Session Topics:

Session 2

Financing The Ever Tightening Business Case

11:00

Capital Pathways to Boost Solar PV Developments

panel

35 min.

This block will outline the financial tools and capital necessary to continue the healthy growth of the PV industry. Join seasoned experts from banking, investment, and legal experts to hear how finance can be improved to accelerate PV projects in France.

moderator

Sylvie Perrin

De Gaulle Fleurance & Associés

Philippe Garrel

Sienna Investment Managers

Pierre Millot

Andera Partners

Salima Hadjer

Banque des Territoires

Session Topics:

Case studies related to successfully coupling capital to projects in the French PV market
Dissecting the financing strategies of banks and investment funds
Available financing schemes for new business models

11:35

Breaking Down the Components of a Successful PPA

panel

40 min.

As renewable electricity production grows, consumers increasingly seek to buy green electricity at pre-determined prices. Moreover, guarantee funds have been announced by the state to facilitate the establishment between producers and offtakers. As the PPA contracts continue to grow, there are still several questions. This panel brings together all PPA actors to address the main uncertainties and give their outlook on PPAs in France.

moderator

Alexandre Soroko

Greensolver

Sylvie Perrin

De Gaulle Fleurance & Associés

Julien Lupion

BPI France

Fabien Trevaux

Leroy Merlin

Thomas Aubagnac

Photosol Group

Bénédicte Vignoboul

TSE Energy

Session Topics:

The types, benefits and outlook of different types of PPAs in France
Digging into the new PPA structure, as proposed by the government to scale up PV
Negotiation strategies for power producers
Assessing the counterparty risks in corporate PPAs

12:15

Unlocking Solar PV Projects: An Asset-level Opportunity & Risk Analysis

presentation

15 min.

This presentation will zoom in on the economics of PV projects, highlighting the key considerations of developing PV projects across its timelines. It will take a comparative approach, positioning France against other European markets.

Victor Signes

Rystad Energy

Session Topics:

Overview of the existing opportunities and upcoming challenges for the solar PV market
Sensitivity analysis on the economic performance of a solar PV asset in France

12:30

Lunch Break

Mingle with the mixed crowd of local and international stakeholders, developers, service providers, investors, and more!

Session Topics:

Session 3

Land Availability & Supply Chain: Turning Obstacles into Opportunities

13:50

Building back Europe's Local Solar Supply Chains: Could it slowdown the pace of the Energy Transition?

presentation

10 min.

Having discussed the policy and financial landscape, the day looks at opportunities and potential bottlenecks for (large-scale) solar PV development. We will kick off with a major topic on the European solar agenda. Boosting the resilience and independency of the European PV supply chain has become a top strategic priority. The EU’s Energy Commissioner states that the EU will do “whatever it takes” to reestablish a viable PV manufacturing industry. This presentation will highlight the paths to competitiveness for European companies that want to build a long-term position in the PV supply chain.

Francesco D'Avack

S&P Global Commodity Insights

Session Topics:

Outlook on the European Solar PV Supply Chain
Decreasing dependencies by boosting the EU manufacturing capacities

14:00

Large-scale PV Projects: Successfully moving from Project Concept to Project Execution

panel

45 min.

The conceptualization of a large-scale PV project comes with its questions and challenges. Beyond the previously-discussed supply chain, there are also numerous complex issues around permitting, as the planning of projects needs to be coherent with the territorial procedures under the new law. The EPC process will in turn also impact the operational phase of assets, and emphasizes the need for optimized stakeholder management. Learn from the experts about tips and red flags in scaling and running large-scale PV projects.

moderator

Alex Metz

Apricum

Alex Metz

Director

Apricum

Alex Metz is a director and head of the green mobility practice at Apricum – The Cleantech Advisory. Mr. Metz has expertise in strategy development with a focus on green mobility and solar energy. As head of Apricum's Paris office, he serves as point of contact to France- based clients' management teams to ensure the quality of communications, strategic recommendations, and deliverables. He speaks at major cleantech conferences worldwide and regularly contributes to publications and studies covering the entire electric mobility space as well as solar energy. Before Apricum, Mr. Metz worked for consultancy Guidehouse where he advised corporations and governments on adopting and implementing electric mobility alternatives in North America and Europe. During his time there, he created and led the firm’s electric mobility strategy offering, ranging across strategic roadmapping, go-to-market strategy, market sizing and mapping, business model assessment, and financial modelling. Prior to that, Alex worked for strategy consultancy Oliver Wyman, TotalEnergies’ solar division, and electric utility EDF. Mr. Metz holds an MSc in sustainable energy from Imperial College London and a MEng Grande École in science and engineering from École Polytechnique. Fluent in English and French, he has lived and worked in France, the UK, and the U.S.

Marceau Leroux

Enerparc AG

Ignacio Granda Lutz

RatedPower

Christophe Rohel

Huawei

Eric Dewasmes

Elum Energy

Pauline Ganivet

Bouygues

Session Topics:

Maximizing asset management: successful O&M practices
Key considerations around permitting and licensing in France
The EPC & Asset Management Dynamics for French utility-scale PV plants

14:45

Harvesting Solar and the Soil: Advancing Agrivoltaics in France

panel

60 min.

moderator

Pierre Guerrier

Solvéo Énergie

Jean-Michel Lamothe

Fédération Française des Producteurs Agrivoltaiques (FFPA)

Jeanne Rooy

Green Lighthouse Developments (GLHD)

Camille Oliveau

TSE Energy

Violaine Tarizzo

Direction générale de l’énergie et du climat (DGEC)

Christophe Thomas

ENGIE

Isabelle Decombeix

Enoe Énergie

Antoine Nogier

France Agrivoltaïsme

Antoine Nogier

President of France Agrivoltaisme

France Agrivoltaïsme

Antoine Nogier, 52 years old, is a graduate engineer from the French Engineering School Ecole Polytechnique and an energy and environmental economist. He began his career in the photovoltaic industry in the mid-1990s by actively tackling water and energy access issues for southern countries. In 2000, Antoine launched with some business partners a research and consulting company specialized in strategy and innovation in the sustainable development and renewable energies industries, and provided their services to large French corporations such as Total, EDF, ENGIE, Areva, etc. In 2007, he founded the Sun’R Group specialized in photovoltaic energy production and launched in parallel from 2009 a new research program called Sun’Agri dedicated to Dynamic Agrivoltaics. Sun’Agri was established as a company in 2019 and became a subsidiary of the Sun’R Group. As leader of Agrivoltaics in France, the company develops partnerships with Independent Power Producers (IPPs) who believe in Agrivoltaics creating positive impacts. Together with both competitors and partners, Antoine launched in 2022 France Agrivoltaisme, a professional association dedicated to promoting Agrivoltaics and making recommendations for the setting-up of a fair and sustainable framework for the development of the industry.

Session Topics:

The position of agrivoltaics in the law of the acceleration of renewable energies
Scoping the different Agri-PV applications: livestock and crops
Turning solar into a complementary tool for sustainable agriculture: the farmers perspective

15:45

Afternoon Networking Break

Don't miss out on the chance to learn from industry leaders and forge new connections that could open doors for you and your business.

Session Topics:

Session 4

Designing a Future-Proof Electricity Market Network in France

16:30

Developing Green Hydrogen as a Decarbonization Tool: Economics of Green Hydrogen in France

presentation

10 min.

Hydrogen remains a flagship topic in the energy transition. Learn more about the projects and ambitions of hydrogen in France, to meet its net zero objectives.

Alexandre Danthine

Aurora Energy Research

Session Topics:

What is the current electrolyzers pipeline in France and Europe?
Which are the main business models for hydrogen electrolyser investments?
How to deliver the lowest green hydrogen in France?

16:40

France's New Electric Era: Facilitating the Deployment of Renewables to the Grid

presentation

10 min.

Join the DSO to hear the latest unveiling about the capacity tool of the distribution network. This is especially relevant for developers, looking to connect their new assets to the grid.

Géraldine Jammy

Enedis

Session Topics:

Identifying the right connecting areas

16:50

Balancing the Future’s Energy Supply: From Storage to Smart Grids

panel

40 min.

How to connect renewables faster, cheaper, and still ensure a reliable grid? And what is the capacity of the grid network to integrate new means of energy production? Grid balancing and flexibility will be at the core of France's new electrical system. Find out more from leading associations, institutions and players how to to safeguard the French electricity net of the future.