Saint-Nicolas des Glenan

Saint-Nicolas des Glénan Island, which hosts up to 1000 visitors per day in the summer, is not connected to the mainland power grid. However, it is on its way to becoming self-sufficient in energy: the project’s partners, the town of Fouesnant (the island’s municipality) and Enedis, are counting on making this “laboratory” a showcase for the energy transition. This project seeks to renovate the energy interconnection network and the operating system to improve the grid’s energy efficiency of the island’s micro-grid (small electricity grid). With its entirely isolated energy value chain, this island is a perfect example of a micro-grid (distributed energy sources, hybrid batteries, flexible uses, smart metering and overall management of the energy system). The project aims to reach a coverage of 90% of renewables as early as April 2019 and then 100% in 2021.

Added value of the project :

• Technical: renovation of the power distribution network, development of energy management system (EMS), deployment of the Linky smart meter and access to data and use flexibility. Phase 2 includes integration of supply-demand forecasts in the EMS to reach the target of 100% renewables and adjust storage capacities, if needed.
• Energy-related: Control the energy consumption of cafés and restaurants
• Environmental: Target of zero greenhouse gas emissions and elimination of fuel oil transportation between the island and the mainland (roughly 7000 L not including CIP)
• End-user involvement: specific actions targeting visitors (raising awareness on ecological footprint, developing the site, etc.), cafés & restaurants (appropriation of monitoring tools, etc.) and support in obtaining consent to share data on consumption.
• Industrial: to become the go-to solution for micro-grids
• Commercial: development of a model that can be applied elsewhere (for sub-contractors or Enedis)