Photovoltaic solar energy for industrial self-consumption, a clean, sustainable and highly profitable energy commitment
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EDF Solar (Energy, Innovation and Photovoltaic Development) is the leading Spanish firm in photovoltaic solar energy installations for industrial self-consumption with more than 11 years of experience in the renewable energy sector and more than 1600 projects executed throughout its extensive business trajectory With eleven delegations throughout the national territory, EDF Solar offers clean, efficient and highly profitable energy solutions, contributing to the transition of the business fabric towards a new clean energy model based on renewable energies and the fight against climate change. Its self-consumption systems place the consumer at the center of the service, since it is he who decides the production and energy consumption to be carried out, achieving savings of up to 60% of the energy bill.
In an increasingly sensitized world in relation to the state of climatic emergency, what is the main value of the EDF Solar energy model for the preservation of the planet?
The activity of EDF Solar has been a benchmark in changing the energy model, being in line with the current approach of the Spanish Government and European institutions. We are living a new industrial revolution marked by the transformation in the energy sources used. The challenge is to reduce the presence of fossil fuels and increase the use of clean and green energies, such as photovoltaics, in order to establish a more balanced and sustainable distributed generation model, in which the consumer has a greater weight and decision power
Under this scenario, the main mission of EDF Solar is to contribute with its activity and leadership to the change in the energy model, favoring the transition to a clean, renewable and non-polluting source of energy, such as photovoltaic solar energy. In the same way, the company contributes to productive and socioeconomic development with the promotion and implementation of sustainable and profitable energy, generating employment and wealth.
What have been the most significant changes they have observed in the consumer profile throughout their 11 years of business experience?
The first years of our activity, in 2008, coincided with the beginning of the crisis in the sector after the abolition of premiums and the imposition of administrative obstacles that hindered the development and implementation of photovoltaics in Spain, while in other European countries its weight was consolidated and increased in the energy mix.
Photovoltaic energy was demonized for years. There was mistrust and much misinformation about the sector among society, which prevented progress in the installation of solar panels, both at the corporate and private level. The work of EDF Solar was, at that time, to clean the image of photovoltaics, normalize the product and sell its benefits, against messages directed by administrations and political parties with draft errors such as the name of the “tax on Sun".
In these last two years there has been a turning point in the sector in Spain. The approval of RD 244/2019, which regulates self-consumption and involved administrative simplification and elimination of obstacles, has been a shock for the sector. Self-consumption is already a known reality and demand, between companies and domestic, has had an exponential growth.
Do you think that the Spanish business fabric is receptive enough to assume a change in the energy model?
It is not a choice or option, but an obligation. The energy transition concerns us all: administrations, companies and individuals. It is a joint responsibility that requires actions in all areas. In this sense, companies are assuming a relevant role in changing the energy model and have made a commitment to improve carbon emissions management with the aim of reducing air pollution.
Today, investment in photovoltaics is already a necessity for companies that seek to reduce their energy costs and their environmental footprint. Self-consumption has become an attractive investment for all types of companies, regardless of size or business activity, due to the numerous advantages it presents.
In the field of photovoltaic self-consumption, what is the portfolio of comprehensive services that they offer to their customers and what added value distinguishes them from their competition?
In EDF Solar we offer our clients an integral service in self-consumption projects under the “turnkey” modality. We are an engineering, consulting and installation company, and this allows us to support you in all phases of the project. We take care of the preparation of the previous feasibility study of the photovoltaic installation, technically advising the client on the best solution for your company. To this is added the engineering project, its execution, the legal processing of the installation and the after-sales service, which includes maintenance operations.
Our main competitive difference lies in customer service. We prioritize closeness, personalization of the service and adaptation to your needs. The quality of our products and the after-sales service are also one of our distinguishing signs of identity. This marks the steps to be followed by the sector among the other companies, which see us as the role model.
Energy is one of the key factors in the income statement of companies. What are the main advantages of photovoltaic solar self-consumption in this regard?
Industries have, simplifying it a lot, two ways to expand their benefits: increase production or decrease expenses. And we know that energy is one of the most representative expenses within the activity of a company. Self-consumption is the way to save on the electricity bill and thus maintain competitiveness in the market. It is an improvement for all types of customers and industries, especially in those companies with more intensive consumption, such as automotive, metallurgy, canning companies, etc.
Given the increase in the price of energy in recent years and the lowering of solar panels and components (about 20% cheaper compared to last year), photovoltaic self-consumption is already a necessary investment for companies seeking to reduce Your energy expenditure. With a photovoltaic installation, companies can reduce their costs by 40-60%, depending on their activity. The amortization of the investment is 4-5 years.
What are the different options of self-consumption systems that they offer to their customers and to which profiles is each one oriented?
In EDF Solar we provide the customer with the best photovoltaic alternative, adapting to the consumption needs of each company. In this way, we differentiate between self-consumption installations connected to the network and isolated. The most common are those connected to the network, which can already benefit from the compensation of surpluses. Installations isolated from the network with accumulation systems allow energy self-sufficiency. These types of solutions are used in the case of companies located in remote areas with no access to the electricity grid.
In EDF, we were responsible for the first large insulated self-consumption facility with storage in Spain: Almendras Pliego (Murcia), among many other milestones that we have been accumulating since the first industrial self-consumption facility in Spain in 2011.
Could you highlight any of the most relevant projects they have developed in recent years?
In these 11 years of activity we have carried out almost 1,600 self-consumption installations throughout Spain that add up to 60 MW of installed capacity. Our clients include companies such as BBVA, El Pozo, Primafrío, Cepsa, Nueva Pescanova, Froiz, UPS or Amazon.
In addition to photovoltaic self-consumption, what other business lines does EDF Solar develop and what are its future projections?
Another of the pillars of activity of EDF Solar are the photovoltaic generation plants on the ground. Throughout our career we have participated in the direction and technical management of numerous photovoltaic generation projects worldwide, reaching 1 GW installed.
Within this business unit, we currently have more than 300 MW under development that we hope to execute in the next 3 years. In addition, we have projects in our portfolio for different funds and family offices that total about 100 MW.
Among the last projects executed, the solar garden of Cauchari (Jujuy) in Argentina, one of the largest in Latin America, stands out. EDF Solar is part of the technical direction of the project.
Where does EDF Solar walk?
We are in the process of leaving the MAB (Alternative Stock Market). We have already completed the first audits and assessments and developed the business plan for the coming years. We are now focused on the pre-departure investment round.
Looking ahead to 2020, we set two main objectives: to continue consolidating our position as leaders in industrial self-consumption in Spain with a turnover forecast of 30 million in self-consumption, and to strengthen our new business line based on photovoltaic generation projects through PPA's ( long-term energy purchase and sale agreements) in which we expect a turnover of between 20-25 million.
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