Here are some inspiring project ideas focused on renewable energy production and energy efficiency.

Citizen Energy Efficiency Project:

La Prêteuse Abraysienne: A Tool Library Contributing to the Energy Transition

Encouraging collective actions that contribute to the energy transition is the goal of the Centre-Val de Loire Region through the LIFE_LETsGO4Climate project. This initiative aims to accelerate renewable energy production and reduce collective and individual energy consumption by fostering the emergence of citizen-led projects focused on renewable energy and energy efficiency.

But what does a collective action for the energy transition look like? To inspire citizens in areas engaged in LIFE_LETsGO4Climate, we visited Saint-Jean-de-Braye, near Orléans, to meet the volunteers and users of La Prêteuse Abraysienne — a tool library that provides a wide range of tools for shared use.

Learn more about La Prêteuse Abraysienne: ↙️ https://www.preteuse.fr

Citizen Renewable Energy Production Projects

Citizen-Inclusive Methanation Project

Méthamoly: A Biomethane Production Site with Citizen Participation

Méthamoly is a biomethane production site located in the Monts du Lyonnais Community (42). A distinctive feature of this site is its governance: alongside farmers and industrial players, local authorities and citizens (through the Energie Partagée investment fund) hold equity in the project and participate in its management.

Each year, Méthamoly produces 14 GWh of renewable gas from 20,000 tons of local waste. The gas is injected into the GRDF distribution network, while the digestate, an organic byproduct of methanation, is used as a natural fertilizer by partner farmers. Since 2020, the site has also been supplying a BioGNV (biomethane) station for vehicles, particularly school buses.

Méthamoly is a community-driven project supported by local authorities and led by a group of 12 farmers, the OSER Investment Fund of the Rhône-Alpes Region, SEM Soleil, Engie Bioz, and citizen investors through Energie Partagée.

Saint-Benoît-la-Forêt Photovoltaic Park

In Saint-Benoît-la-Forêt (Indre-et-Loire, 37), the Energies Renouvelables Citoyennes en Rabelaisie (EnRCR) collective and its partners inaugurated one of France’s largest citizen-driven photovoltaic power plants (2.8 MWc) on October 6, 2023.

This project came to life thanks to the relentless determination of a handful of local residents. The EnRCR collective took over a ground-mounted solar farm project on a former industrial landfill, which had been abandoned by a private developer. More information is available on Energie Partagée’s website.

In early April, around twenty representatives from the LIFE_LETsGO4Climate project partners visited Méthamoly to learn more about its collaborative governance model and its impact on local energy production.

Collective Self-Consumption Solar Panels (Azay-sur-Cher)

Azay-sur-Cher has become the first municipality in Touraine to locally produce and consume its own energy through collective self-consumption. Thanks to 140 solar panels installed by Enedis, 24% of the town’s energy needs are now met with local renewable energy.

This initiative aligns with Azay-sur-Cher’s commitment to energy renovation for public buildings. It addresses the aging infrastructure of energy-intensive community centers built in the 1990s and the increasing need for spaces dedicated to local associations.

The €2.4 million project includes:
The expansion and energy-efficient renovation of Jacques Revaux Hall and Alain Foucher Gymnasium
550 m² of additional space for community activities
Solar panels on the new section for self-consumption

This high-performance renovation project, known as the “Revaux-Foucher Leisure Space”, serves as a demonstration building for energy efficiency (BBC renovation level).

Blais’Watt: A Citizen-Led Solar Energy Project Recognized by Notre Temps

In November 2022, Notre Temps magazine produced and broadcasted a video report showcasing the work of Energie Partagée through the example of the first photovoltaic installation by the Blais’Watt collective.

What is Blais’Watt?
Blais’Watt is a citizen collective dedicated to the energy transition. It produces renewable energy in the Blois region while raising awareness about energy efficiency. The collective has just completed its second photovoltaic project, installing solar panels on the roof of a local farmer’s warehouse, which supplies both a CSA (AMAP) and a school cafeteria.
More information on Energie Partagée ‘s website.

Brut – Sidonie, Co-Owner of a Wind Farm That Powers Her Home

Together with 380 fellow citizens, Sidonie co-owns a wind farm that powers her home and 10,000 other households. This initiative showcases how collective investment in green energy can make a real difference.

For more information on local renewable energy projects supported by Energie Partagée, visit:
🌍 https://energie-partagee.org (Partnership between ADEME and Brut, June 2020)