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EDF Renouvelables and the École nationale des ponts et chaussées (ENPC) have signed a partnership agreement for the creation of an engineering training program specializing in the field of renewable energies. This strategic collaboration aims to meet the growing need for expertise in energy transition professions.

The agreement provides for the establishment of a specialty within the Master's degree in "Energy" at the École nationale des ponts et chaussées, focusing on the engineering and exploitation of renewable energies. This course, structured around nine modules, will allow students to acquire multidisciplinary technical, economic and scientific expertise as well as the tools for managing complex projects, risks and quality.

The modules can be followed over two years (M1 and M2) or concentrated in a single year (M2). This year of M2 will be completed by courses from the “Energy Transition and Territories” course in order to ensure that the development of renewable energies is consistent with the challenges of energy sobriety and governance of the territories of the transition.

EDF Renewables experts will be involved in this course to share their know-how and experience. Other professionals and researchers from the School will complete the teaching team for this new specialty.

EDF Renouvelables has decided to support the creation of this specialty within the Master's degree in "Energy" at the École nationale des ponts et chaussées in order to contribute to the training of competent professionals throughout the project life cycle and to support the emergence and structuring of new industrial sectors. These offer numerous job opportunities in areas such as the design, operation and maintenance of means of production, storage and transmission of renewable energies.

For the École nationale des ponts et chaussées, this project is fully consistent with the strengthening of its research and training capacities on issues related to the socio-ecological transition in close collaboration with industrial stakeholders.

Béatrice Buffon, Chairwoman and CEO of EDF Renewables, said: : “ To successfully achieve the energy transition in the regions, a suitable training offer is essential. We are committed to working with leading higher education institutions such as the École nationale des ponts et chaussées to promote the development of renewable energies, structure new industrial sectors and ensure their sustainability.

Anthony Briant, director of the National School of Bridges and Roads, added: “ True to its tradition, the École nationale des ponts et chaussées intends to train professionals capable of supporting new energy challenges in the regions, in close connection with the industrial world. This partnership with EDF Renouvelables is a fantastic opportunity to develop a range of courses, as close as possible to the needs of our partners, drawing on the expertise of the players in the energy transition and opening up exciting professional opportunities for our students. »

Paris, September 26, 2024 – EDF Renouvelables announces the commissioning of the Mulhouse-Habsheim photovoltaic power plant with an installed capacity of 30 MWp. Located on abandoned land at the Mulhouse-Habsheim aerodrome, this solar power plant is the largest in the Haut-Rhin department. It makes it possible to develop unused land and helps support the region in its energy transition.

Located in the commune of Habsheim, the plant, with a surface area of 23 hectares and a total capacity of 30 MWc, is composed of approximately 53,000 photovoltaic panels. It produces the equivalent of the electricity consumption of approximately 15,000 people, or three times the population of the commune.
After winning the call for tenders from the airport joint syndicate in autumn 2018, the plant obtained its building permit in 2020. After the ground preparation work, the first photovoltaic panel was installed in December 2022 for production to begin on 9 February 2024. The construction of this plant enabled the creation of a maintenance antenna for the photovoltaic plants in Ottmarsheim, the Fontaine aeropark and the Mulhouse-Habsheim aerodrome. As part of the Fessenheim territorial project, it was the winner of the CRE photovoltaic call for tenders specific to Haut-Rhin

Developed in conjunction with the joint union and users of the Mulhouse-Habsheim aerodrome as well as the municipality of Habsheim, the plant has integrated biodiversity and aeronautics issues from its design. It was designed to guarantee safety on the aerodrome while respecting the easement plan. Environmental studies carried out by independent design offices have made it possible to define the appropriate measures for preserving biodiversity on the site. The presence of a protected plant species located to the north of the plant has given rise to the installation of markings, the installation of a fence and awareness-raising among stakeholders.

In the Grand Est region, EDF Renouvelables operates eight solar power plants with a cumulative capacity of around 280 MWc as well as 26 onshore wind farms (424 MW).

Jennifer MÉNAGÉ, Director of the North and East zone at EDF Renewables, said: "We are very pleased to inaugurate the Habsheim photovoltaic power plant. It is the result of close collaboration between the region and EDF Renouvelables to develop renewable energies. This photovoltaic power plant embodies the energy transition in Haut-Rhin and makes use of unused land at the Mulhouse-Habsheim aerodrome to produce low-carbon electricity."

Bourgoin-Jallieu, September 19, 2024 – CARBON and EDF Renouvelables have reached a draft agreement on the sale of the company Photowatt, a historic industrial player in the manufacture of photovoltaic panels. According to this agreement, Photowatt would be integrated into the industrial project led by CARBON and would thus be part of the dynamic development in France of a sovereign, sustainable and competitive solar sector. 

CARBON wants to make Photowatt a key building block in its industrial project, complementary and ahead of its gigafactory in Fos-sur-Mer, which will be commissioned at the end of 2026. CARBON's project to take over Photowatt includes a major investment plan of €40 million with the creation of a photovoltaic module production unit with a capacity of 500 MWc, the equivalent of one million solar panels per year. Commissioning is planned before the end of 2025. The project plans to maintain jobs at the Bourgoin-Jallieu site and increase their number to 200 by 2026.

This production unit would allow CARBON to accelerate its commercial presence and meet the increase in demand for photovoltaic panels. Made in France, particularly in the dynamic residential solar market. It would also have a pilot function, allowing the testing, testing and optimization of module production processes (automation, robotization, digitalization, etc.).

“We would be extremely proud to welcome Photowatt and all its teams into the CARBON family” says Pierre-Emmanuel MARTIN, President and Co-founder of CARBON. "Photowatt is a pioneering company for photovoltaics on a global scale, created 45 years ago. Its integration into CARBON would allow us to associate it with the most important and advanced project for the renewal of the industrial solar sector in Europe."

Nicolas Chandellier, Managing Director of CARBON, adds : "We are going to invest to transform the existing industrial tool, located in Bourgoin-Jallieu, and to permanently integrate it into CARBON's activity. The objective is to capitalize on a name, a history and skills that are unique in Europe to accelerate the implementation of CARBON."

EDF Renouvelables, owner of Photowatt since its takeover in 2012, had been looking for several months for an industrial partner with an ambitious, credible and coherent project for the company in order to promote the know-how of its 170 employees. Thanks to this draft agreement, CARBON and EDF are positioning Photowatt as a central pillar of the industrial development of photovoltaics in France. The EDF Group is committing to CARBON on an agreement for the supply of photovoltaic panels in order to support this new production Made in France. " EDF Renewables considers that the Photowatt takeover project proposed by Carbon would be likely to give new impetus to Photowatt, sustain the company's activity and secure jobs on the site," says Bruno Fyot, Deputy CEO of EDF Renewables.

The process of informing and consulting staff representative bodies is underway.

About CARBON

CARBON builds the European leader in the photovoltaic industry. The company carries the the most important and most advanced project on a European scale for the renewal of this industrial sector, in terms of scale (with a production volume of 5 GWc) and vertical integration (ingot, wafer, cell, module). CARBON will produce 100% French solar panels, efficient, reliable and very low carbon thanks to a sovereign, sustainable and competitive industrial project.

CARBON’s industrial architecture includes 3 building blocks:

• A gigafactory 5 GWc of production capacity located in Fos-sur-Mer (13), which will integrate all manufacturing stages and will be commissioned at the end of 2026,
• A 500 MWc module production unit, based in Photowatt in Bourgoin-Jallieu (38), which will be a 1^e industrial brick, ahead of schedule, with commissioning at the end of 2025,
• A center of innovation and excellence, CARBON Lab, in Istres (13), to host R&D and training activities from 2027.

CARBON is supported by France 2030, the Sud – Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur Region and the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis.

For more information: carbon-solar.com