The Renault group, Morbihan Energie, Les Cars Bleus and Enedis have joined together to develop FlexMobile to manage energy on the French island of Belle-Ile-en-Mer, off the coast of southern Brittany.
The smart electric system focuses on electric vehicle sharing, stationary storage of solar energy and smart charging.
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This latest project follows the Smart Fossil Free Island programme operational since last February on the Portuguese island of Porto Santo in the Madeira archipelago.
For the next two years, Renault and its partners will developing a smart electric system intended to reduce the island's carbon emissions and increase its energy independence.
"It will be possible to carry over the system not just to other islands but also to cities and suburban areas," said Renault's EV chief Gilles Normand.
From 2019, island residents and visitors will have access to a fleet of electric cars by means of a self-service hire programme offering Renault's Zoe and Kangoo ZE. These vehicles will be powered by a network of charging stations located close to the island's main attractions.
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By GlobalDataThis new carsharing service will take advantage of surplus energy produced by solar panels installed on the roofs of the island's main public buildings. "The smart charging system will let us activate electric car charging whenever a building produces more energy than it actually needs," said Normand.
Solar panels on the school's rooftop provide heat and lighting for classrooms during the week while the energy produced at weekends or during school holidays will be used to charge the cars.
Renault also plans to provide used electric car batteries for the island's largest holiday residence complex. These will be used to store energy produced during the day by solar panels for use in the evening, mainly to heat the bungalows. This should allow the centre to extend its season which until now has been restricted by central heating costs.
