Vocation
Think Smart Grids
Leading stakeholder in the development of Smart Grids in France and abroad
Established in April 2015, Think Smartgrids aims to develop the smart grids sector in France and to promote French solutions in Europe and around the world.
Think Smartgrids federates French
Smart Grids stakeholders
With the objective of creating a “French Team” for smart grids, the professional association Think Smartgrids supports the development of the smart grids sector in France and develops international collaborations. Bringing together more than a hundred players across the entire smart grid value chain, Think Smartgrids represents a sector that creates around 2,000 direct jobs per year in France, with a turnover of around €7 billion in 2020, 50% of which will come from exports. Smart grids’ global market is estimated to be worth between €75 and €100 billion in 2020, growing at 15% per year[1].
Think Smartgrids association was created in response to the smart grids roadmap for a New Industrial France called for by the French government and presented on May 7th 2014 to the then President of the Republic, François Hollande, by Dominique Maillard (then Chairman of the French TSO RTE and leader of the “Smart Grid” plan).
[1] Source: Navigant Research and Transparency Market Research
Think Smartgrids’
key missions
Supporting businesses
To promote French smart grids solutions, The Think Smartgrids Association organises events in France and abroad. Think Smartgrids also supports SMB and ensures the representation of its Members to public authorities and European or international governmental bodies.
Serving the Sector
Simultaneously, Think Smartgrids undertakes a national inventory of the smart grids Sector, and of French demonstrators and showrooms. The association is also developing a catalogue of existing training modules and thesis on smart grids. Lastly, Think Smartgrids communicates on the topics and key issues of the smart grids sector, in France and abroad.
Think Smartgrids is responsible for :
L'association est en charge :
- de fédérer et développer la filière française des smart grids ;
- de la promouvoir en Europe et à l’international ;
- de porter la voix de ses membres vers les acteurs clés.
Ecosystem Animation and Structuring
Think Smartgrids plays a central role in the French electricity ecosystem, the association acts as a platform for connecting manufacturers, academics, startups and public institutions. This includes leading working groups, producing reference publications and sharing best practices.
International development of the sector
Think Smartgrids also acts as a key player to support French companies internationally, through support for calls for tenders, the organization of learning expeditions and the promotion of French know-how for export.
Flexibility
Deployment
Think Smartgrids is helping to define the future regulatory framework for energy flexibility. The creation of the “Flex Ready” standard prepares the ecosystem for a simple, large-scale deployment.
Committees and Working groups
To best address the needs of the French smart grids Sector, Think Smartgrids is supported by a Scientific Council and Committees, chaired by leading figures and bringing together key stakeholders in the sector.
The Scientific Council
Chaired by Professor Nouredine Hadjsaid, from the Institut Polytechnique in Grenoble, and vice-chaired by Pierre Mallet, Director of R&D and Innovation at Enedis, the Scientific Council is in charge of guiding the association in its technological choices and participates in the creation of R&D priorities in the French smart grids Sector (see the R&D Roadmap). The Scientific Council references smart grids theses and organizes a day of meetings between doctoral students and industry, as well as a thesis prize.
The International Committee
Chaired by Thomas Bazin, Strategic Account Executive of Schneider electric, it coordinates interactions with foreign delegations wishing to evaluate French expertise in smart grid solutions and the partnership agreements signed with the association’s international partners. The Committee also organizes the representation of the French smart grids industry at international events and exhibitions.
Territories and Innovation Committee
Chaired by Matthieu Terenti, head of Enedis’ Electric Vehicle Partners Department, the Territories and Innovation Commission identifies smart grids offers that promote the development and energy transition of local communities, based on efficient and replicable business models. The aim is to support local authorities that wish to develop projects around issues such as multi-energy networks, electric mobility, smart buildings, data valuation, energy comunities, etc. It published a catalog of smart grids offers in November 2020. The Commission is currently working on a new guide that references smart grids use cases and gives feedback on existing projects.
Institutional Relations Committee
Led by Marcela Mantilla, Cabinet Officer for European Industrial Affairs at RTE, this Committee defines the association’s positions on French and European legislation concerning smart grids, establishes the subjects on which the association will be called upon to express its views and addresses the sector’s requests to the institutions. In 2019, it also produced a brochure presenting the French smart grids ecosystem.
Data & Digitization Committee
Led by François Bouteyre (SopraSteria) and Thomas Lacroix (Cosmo Tech), the Committee is studying the major issues associated with the digital transformation of utilities (industrialization of data projects, cybersecurity, new AI technologies, etc.). It publishes a study every year:
- The Digital Transformation of Utilities (Nov. 2018);
- Data analytics in utilities – a review of new technologies and use cases (Nov. 2019),
- Using data for tackling energy insecurity (in French_La data au service de la précarité énergétique – Jan 2021),
Managing electricity consumption with data: energy service offerings for residential customers in France (June 2022). In 2022, the committee has been working in particular on the themes of digital frugality and cybersecurity.