The system of collective self-consumption solar power plants in France

The concept

Collective self-consumption is a scheme that will allow municipalities to decentralize their energy production, thus promoting the local production and consumption of renewable energy. It is a new concept whereby all or part of the energy produced is consumed in the immediate vicinity. It is said to be “collective” if the places of consumption are linked together within the same legal entity (community, association, cooperative, joint ownership, etc.).

Energy benefit

This operation will allow the town of Fourmies to increase the share of renewable energy in its energy mix, while saving around 92 MWh on the town’s electricity bill, which adds up to about €15,000 per year. These installations make good on the municipality’s ambition to achieve its energy transition through local energy production. They are among the first 35 collective self-consumption installations in France.

PV in the neighborhood

In 2019, the city of Fourmies received the go-ahead to build two 103-kWp photovoltaic power plants on sports complexes, for a self-consumption rate of 99%. This collective self-consumption operation will supply eight municipal buildings in the neighborhood with renewable energy: the City Hall, the public pool, the Léo Lagrange Stadium, the Léo Lagrange Gymnasium, the Marie-José Pérec Gymnasium, the Jean Juge Complex, the Chaperon Rouge preschool, and the Early childhood center.