SMAC project: wind energy supporting the use of electric vehicles

On 20 May 2019, in the presence of Philippe Monloubou, Chairman of the Management Board of Enedis, and Jérôme Fournier, Nexans’ Corporate VP Innovation Services & Growth, Hélène Milot, Enedis Regional Director in Champagne-Ardenne, Annie Chéenne, Strategy and Innovation Director at Nexans EVSC, Julien Renoult, Director of the Vocational Training School at Y Schools, Pascal Toggenburger, CEO of Park’n Plug and Jérémy Dupuy, Vice-President of the Ardenne Metropolitan District, signed a partnership agreement for the SMAC project at the EVS32 trade show. With a trial local smart grid, the project aims to use wind energy to support the use of electric vehicles by reducing the region’s carbon footprint.

Technical innovation in Champagne-Ardenne

The SMAC project is a technical innovation linked to energy transition. By trialling a local smart grid in the Champagne-Ardenne region, the project aims to optimise the recharging of electric vehicles during periods of high production of wind energy through an energy-management solution designed for recharging points. 

More specifically, the project aims to:     

• Create synergies between the local production of renewable energy and recharging points for electric vehicles;
• Foster a community of environmentally aware users around the use of electric vehicles;
• Inform and raise awareness within the community on a major lever for energy transition;
• Determine the technological feasibility and measure the social engagement for the use of renewable energies for electric vehicles. 

A project built through a public-private partnership 

Alongside Enedis and Nexans – both key players in energy transition – Park’n Plug, the Y SCHOOLS group in Troyes and the Ardenne Metropolitan District are providing their expertise to introduce the new technology trialled in France for the first time. 

The joint project, backed by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Grand-Est regional council, represents an ideal opportunity to bring together all local actors – individuals, businesses and local authorities – around a forward-looking social issue. The project also promotes the specific characteristics of Champagne-Ardenne (France’s leading area for wind energy production) within the Grand-Est region.