Engie chief lauds ‘prominent’ role for solar in future energy systems

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Solar is set to play a prominent role in future energy systems, according to Isabelle Kocher, the chief executive of French power company Engie. Credit: SPE

Solar is set to play a prominent role in future energy systems, according to the chief executive of French power company Engie.

Isabelle Kocher was speaking at yesterday’s SolarPower Dialogues, timed by event organiser and European trade association SolarPower Europe to coincide with the summer solstice.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

Commenting that the energy revolution was “full of opportunities”, Kocher said that Engie was fully embracing the “fundamental changes” in the energy market in a bid to position itself as a frontrunner.

“[The energy revolution] will allow us to modernise our entire energy system, and thus our economy, to tackle the climate change issue, to provide reliable and affordable energy to all including those in the most deprived regions of this world. Solar will play a prominent role in this new energy system,” she added.

Engie has been busily investing in solar power opportunities across the globe, acquiring and developing projects in Malaysia, Indonesia, China and the US since launching a US$1.6 billion (£1.27 billion) green bond in March this year.

In the UK it entered into an agreement last year to purchase all surplus power from the country’s largest private-wire solar park; the 50MW AC Shotwick solar farm in Deeside.

It is just one of a large number of major power firms to have its interest piqued by solar PV, following on from the likes of E.On, which has backed its new residential solar product to gain a large share of the UK market, and Centrica, which yesterday sold off the last of its centralised power stations to focus on distributed power.

Also speaking at yesterday’s event was Maros Sefcovic, vice president of the European Commission, who added: “Solar power is essential to make the EUs plan of providing Europe with secure, affordable and climate-friendly energy, a reality. It is a technology that puts the consumer at the heart of the energy system and as such is crucial to the delivery of the Energy Union strategy.”

Solar has indeed played an increasingly important role in the UK’s energy mix this summer and contributed towards various generation records and low carbon landmarks.

21 March 2024
4pm (GMT)
This special webinar will look at one of the most important changes impacting PV manufacturing today; how to establish and sustain new facilities around the world. For more than two decades, policy-makers have grappled with the challenges of nurturing domestic manufacturing sectors. Many countries have tried to create domestic sectors: Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, India, Europe and the U.S. But success stories have been rare. Mistakes seem to be repeated. And all the while, Chinese dominance of the industry has only increased. However, in the past 2-3 years, new drivers have emerged that suggest the dream of a global PV manufacturing ecosystem could be a reality. Join us as we shed light on this.
26 November 2024
Málaga, Spain
Understanding PV module supply to the European market in 2025. PV ModuleTech Europe 2024 is a two-day conference that tackles these challenges directly, with an agenda that addresses all aspects of module supplier selection; product availability, technology offerings, traceability of supply-chain, factory auditing, module testing and reliability, and company bankability.

Read Next

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
March 19, 2024
Texas, USA
Solar Media Events
March 26, 2024
Lisbon, Portugal
Solar Media Events
April 10, 2024
Dallas, Texas USA