As part of its CSR approach known as “Mieux” (in english, “Better”), the ready-to-wear company Gémo has become the first supermarket chain to specialise in photovoltaic self-consumption, combining a storage technology with second life batteries from electric vehicles.
It was in Trignac (France), near Saint-Nazaire, that this pilot project was born and inaugurated in October 2019, after 2 years of development and 4 months of work. The aim of this project is to take the brand further in its ecological transition by improving the way it consumes energy.
For example, the car park of the Trignac shop now houses a 306 m² shading area, equipped with 185 photovoltaic modules, with a total production capacity of 47,000 kWh per year (approximately the annual consumption of 10 households).
The innovative aspect of this project lies in the use of reconditioned storage batteries from electric vehicles (developed by our partner SNAM), connected to the AEH cabinet from Sirea, which converts and controls the energy flows of the installation. The 42 kWp of photovoltaic panels and the 40 kWh of storage cover 40% of the shop’s energy needs !
AEH cabinets once again demonstrate their ability to integrate and federate energy from several sources to deliver a highly energy-efficient power supply. Associated with an energy manager that ensures the monitoring and safety of the batteries, the control of energy flows as well as the piloting and monitoring of the installation, AEH cabinets prove to be the ideal solution whenever it becomes necessary to implement photovoltaic, electrical network and batteries.
Trignac’s project was also designed to make our customers aware of the energy transition. We have developed an educational system with in-store workshops and awareness-raising tools because we believe it is necessary to have a local impact, in line with our DNA as a peripheral retailer.
Luc Robet, Head of Environment and Energy Gémo
A significant step in Gémo’s energy transition with this innovative and pioneering self-consumption project in its sector, which has been able to benefit from the support of the Brittany and Pays de la Loire regions through the SMILE bi-regional collaborative project