The idea is to develop renewable energy projects managed by local communities across France.
To achieve this, Energie partagée uses two tools. The first is associative and allows for organizing training, advocacy, and awareness-raising so that citizens and local authorities are equipped and supported to develop these renewable energy projects with shared governance, such as solar rooftop projects, hydroelectric plants, wind energy...
And then there is an investment tool. The ambition is to attract savings from those who want to contribute to the construction of various renewable energy assets.
Today, there are over 500 projects underway in France, initiated by citizens and local authorities, or even private developers.
“Our capacity is to listen to all stakeholders and ensure that a collective project is defined where everyone can find their place,” explains Erwan Boumard. “It’s important to know that in the early 19th century, it was indeed the local communities that electrified and developed the networks. It was after the war that everything became centralized. Today, there is a desire to regain power, to choose the type of renewable energy we want.”
An informed choice that was not possible regarding the development of nuclear energy, which is part of the demands of Energie partagée, for whom it is up to the local communities to decide what they want to do, in collaboration with citizens. The association has also established a charter to ensure that everyone is represented in the choices and management of projects with a minimum governance structure.
“We are committed to long-term processes since developing renewable energy projects takes 6 months, 1 year, or 2 years just to bring the idea to life,” explains Erwan Boumard. “And then it’s about a decade of development, and around twenty years of operation. This timeframe allows people to meet, to create connections, by carrying out a concrete and transparent project, which means that the energy transition is understood within the communities.”
