With the ongoing development of a new range of photovoltaic solutions, ADEO is taking another step towards the positive home. Eric Marchant, Business Development Leader for the energy transition, explains.
ADEO is developing the market of energy renovation. How does photovoltaic technology fit into this development strategy?
As a leader in home improvement, we need to be present in the renewable energies market to help people make their homes more energy-efficient, using products and solutions from our retail brands.
It’s at the heart of our purpose – “We make home a positive place to live”. Our stores already offer a full range of solutions to reduce our carbon footprint: insulation (windows, blinds, etc.), heating and air conditioning, and temperature control via home automation. We want to go even further by developing the photovoltaic market, enabling local inhabitants to consume less and produce their own electricity.
Is the economic climate conducive to this transition towards photovoltaic energy?
We are on the cusp of a paradigm shift, with solar energy being rapidly deployed as a response to a dual emergency: an economic emergency with soaring energy costs, and a global environmental emergency, with governments committing to reducing energy consumption to move towards carbon neutrality.
Other positive factors include the willingness of consumers to produce and consume locally (short supply chains) and a decrease in the cost of photovoltaic equipment. The solar roofing market is becoming more accessible to everyone, and the market is moving towards self-consumption, because today it’s possible to produce according to your needs. It’s not a question of installing solar panels covering the entire roof, but of having enough panels to cover your own consumption.
How will ADEO companies address this market?
We’re not starting from scratch, as already in Spain our companies Bricomart and Leroy Merlin offer solar panels on a self-service basis. Other companies will follow suit this year with the launch of four solutions:
• a self-service Plug & Play offer that is accessible to all, easy to use and does not require any specific electrical skills;
• DIY kits prepared by an external company and sold in-store or over the internet for experienced DIY enthusiasts who want to assemble their own system;
• a range of self-service components (solar panels, transformers, cabling) for professionals and serious DIY enthusiasts;
• a range of turnkey projects sold by ADEO and installed by an external company for those inhabitants seeking full support, from diagnosis to installation and including State aid.
This means that our offers will be able to address every possible type of use!
And to speed things up, we’re working with our partner Voltalia, who provides all its business know-how on these technologies and associated services (administrative and business support, installation, maintenance, etc.).
It’s a new market, so what are the challenges for ADEO companies?
With a new market comes the need to adapt and provide support for teams at central purchasing and in stores. We will be training our teams in these new technologies and new sales business models. Our main challenge will be to make this offer visible on our e-commerce sites and physically in our stores, which will require display and storage areas that respect the safety of customers and employees. We’re also going to offer a seamless customer experience by providing tools for configuration, drawing up quotes, applying for financial aid, etc.
What is the growth potential for ADEO?
Photovoltaic technology will enable us to strengthen our position in the energy transition and renovation market, which is huge! We’re going to create both economic and environmental value by promoting decarbonising solutions that will enable inhabitants to consume more efficiently and reduce their carbon footprint.
A word in conclusion?
It’s a gigantic undertaking, and we’re just at the start of this fantastic adventure in support of the energy transition.
We will be offering new solutions for producing electricity that encourage self-consumption, making renewable energy accessible to everyone, becoming the benchmark in the residential housing market and marketing environmentally-friendly products (95% of a photovoltaic panel is recyclable).
And tomorrow, solar power will open up new markets, such as charging vehicle batteries using solar panels!