- General
- September 22, 2018
- 7 minutes read
Renault unveils ‘Smart Island’ packed with innovative electric ecosystems
Groupe Renault Renault, The French auto giant and major player in the world of electric ecosystems has now partnered with…
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| Groupe Renault |
Renault, The French auto giant and major player in the world of electric ecosystems has now partnered with the likes of Morbihan Energie, Les Cars Bleus, Enedis, 3 renewable energy focused firms for an initiative dubbed FlexMob’île aimed at complementing the the energy transition on the French island of Belle-Île-en-Mer while delivering a smart electric ecosystem founded on 3 core activities.
These core activities are centered around sharing of electric vehicles, stationary storage of solar energy and smart charging aimed at developing its principle of “smart islands” marking its second location after Portugal’s Porto Santo.
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| Groupe Renault |
This brand new joint project is aimed at facilitation of energy transition on the French island of Belle-Île-en-Mer marking a unique process geared with the footsteps of the Smart Fossil Free Island programme which began last year February on the Portuguese island of Porto Santo in the Madeira archipelago.
Renault and its partners will work on developing a smart electric ecosystem crafted to reduce the island’s carbon footprint while increasing its energy independence.
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| Groupe Renault |
“We are thrilled to be collaborating with the Belle-Île-en-Mer Community of Communes, Morbihan Energie, Les Cars Bleus and Enedis on this project which is unprecedented in France. Our goal is the same as with Porto Santo. That is to say the implementation of global solutions that meet local needs using both tried-and-tested and more recent technologies. It will be possible to carry over the Belle-Île-en-Mer system not just to other islands but also to cities and suburban areas,” Gilles Normand, SVP, Group Electric Vehicle Division for Renault stated.
The island will gain access to a fleet of EVs through a self service program featuring Renault ZOE and Kangoo Z.E vehicles. These vehicles will draw power from a network of charging stations located in proximity with the island’s main attractions.
The new car-sharing service launched as part of this initiative will leverage surplus energy produced by solar panels mounted on roofs of the island’s major public buildings.
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| Groupe Renault |
“The smart charging system will let us activate electric car charging whenever a building produces more energy than it actually needs,” Normand explained. For an example, solar panels mounted on the island’s school rooftop provide heat and lighting for classrooms during the week while producing for charging of cars by weekend.
The FlexMob’île program stands to bring about enhanced flexibility while promising substantial savings for the island’s residents and economic stakeholders.
