A recent winner of a call for tenders from the French energy regulator CRE, STEPSOL is developing an innovative micro-STEP (Pumped Storage Energy Transfer Station) concept combining solar energy production and storage. Approved by Capenergies in 2017 and financially supported by the Agence pour le Développement Économique de la Corse (ADEC), the solution is particularly well suited to isolated areas with small differences in altitude, such as islands.
The project designated by CRE, with a PV output of 250 kWp and storage capacity of 125 kW, will be deployed in Corsica, in the village of Mausoléo. It is the 1stera commercial installation of the young company. At the same time, STEPSOL announces an increase in its capital thanks to the investment of LS Services, a cooperative specialising in energy.
STEPSOL'S SOLAR MICRO-STEP :
SIMPLE, INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY
STEPSOL has invented the principle of "hydraulic batteries", mini-STEPs powered by PV and controlled in such a way as to compensate for the intermittent nature of solar energy.
During the day, photovoltaic panels cover the site's electricity needs; the surplus activates a pump that transfers water from a flexible tank to another located higher up. In the evening, when the production of solar energy stops, a turbine takes over, powered by the water flowing back down.
Pumped storage power stations (STEP) are generally linked to large-scale hydraulic dams. STEPSOL installations are installed outside watercourses and therefore without dams, so they can be sized to suit the terrain, sunshine and needs of each site.
An interview about these major stages in the development of STEPSOL
with its Founder and CEO, Didier Pierrat-Agostini.
The Mausoléo micro-STEP, a CRE award-winner, is scheduled to come on stream in 2021.
In what way is this an achievement?
In 2018, following the award of the Capenergies label, a 1era An operational micro-STEP was carried out on the Paglia Orba platform in Ajaccio, in partnership with CEA-LITEN, the University of Corsica and CNRS. This enabled us to study the integration of the system into various microgrids, test its performance and acquire expertise in PV/Hydro coupling.
The Pôle d'Equilibre Territorial et Rural (PETR) Pays de Balagne was very quickly interested in our innovation. In July 2019, the CRE published a call for tenders for PV+Storage in Non-Interconnected Zones (ZNI), so we decided to respond at an identified site in Mausoléo, in Balagne, to test ourselves against the market.
Winning this tender is the first major success for STEPSol, as it is the first time that a storage solution other than the traditional electrochemical battery has won a CRE tender! There is indeed a greener storage alternative that uses neither chemicals nor rare earths.
How does your solution contribute to regional energy resilience, particularly in isolated or non-interconnected areas?
The ZNI, like all islands, have more fragile energy networks, with higher production costs than on the mainland. Our facilities produce green, local electricity day and night, reducing our dependence on external supplies (fuel oil), controlling the cost of electricity production and modernising the electricity network (more robust grid).
What's more, we have taken care to rely on local companies to install and maintain our facilities. These are all controlled flows that will contribute to the region's economic dynamism.
The Ile-Rousse Balagne Community of Communes will be working alongside us on this project, with the support of our financial partner, the Banque des territoires. In this rather unique organisation, our solution and its strengths will certainly contribute to the resilience that the Balagne region wants and has taken on board.
What was your impression of Capenergies' support during your various development phases? What are your prospects for the future?
From the outset, the Capenergies team asked us the right questions: our 1era Could the commercialised system be competitive with conventional batteries? As the winner of this call for tenders, we now have the answer. But what about tomorrow? We're already working on this question by industrialising and simplifying our systems.
We are pleased to announce that LS SERVICES, a cooperative company with over 25 years' experience in the energy, services and, more recently, eco-mobility sectors, has acquired a 10% stake in STEPSol. These funds are primarily intended to expand our team.
What's more, this positive news has led us to be approached by a number of investors. We are now focusing on this facility in Balagne and on other projects in the ZNI and internationally, notably in French Polynesia and Colombia. We're well aware of our future development needs, and we're keeping in touch with these investors.
PROJECT VIEW OF THE MICRO-STEP IN MAUSOLEO (80 INHABITANTS), CORSICA :
The 250kWp solar power plant will be installed on a shed that will cover the low cistern and power a pump to bring the water up to the high point at 130 metres. Any surplus production will be fed into the grid. By bringing the water down, a hydroelectric turbine will take over from the solar power plant at sunset, to cover peak demand between 6.30pm and 9pm.
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