Les Convergences 2026 I Capenergies: How can we reconcile competitiveness, the energy transition and energy sovereignty?

Possible answers, outlooks and solutions were presented on 11 June at the Camp Aix-en-Provence, where more than 150 stakeholders from the energy transition ecosystem attended the first edition of «Les Convergences» organised by the competitiveness cluster Capenergies at its Annual General Meeting.

All united by a shared ambition: to develop practical solutions to tackle the major challenges of our time. Several inspiring speakers, including leading figures from industry, shared their insights on the subject through a variety of presentation formats. Among them Jean-Bernard Levy, Chairman of the French Energy Council, and two industrialists deeply committed to the redevelopment of Fos-sur-Mer, Benjamin Perdreau, Director of Regional Engagement at Gravithy and Maxime Vigot, e-fuels Project Manager – NeoCarb Project Lead at Elyse Energy.

For Jean-Bernard Levy, " Electricity meets the need for energy sovereignty and competitiveness and, in certain countries such as our own, it meets the need for decarbonisation. It is therefore capable of reconciling the three sides of the energy trilemma, making them inseparable.

There is now a fairly broad consensus on the priority of electrifying end-use applications (heat pumps for homes and offices, electric vehicles, electric ovens, etc.). And so we need a great deal of electricity. […] Beyond the electrification plan launched a few weeks ago by the government, I would like to say a few words about energy efficiency, as everyone knows we need to strike a balance between the two. By law, all energy-related advertising must therefore remind us that we must save energy. But we must also increase demand for electricity by replacing fossil fuels or for new applications. We export 20% of our production, so we might as well use it for ourselves too, if we have projects that require electricity, such as the Gravithy or Elyse Energy projects that have been presented.»

Electricity is also one of the key factors for Benjamin Perdreau:«The decision to set up Gravithy in France is down to what is on offer here in terms of electricity: low-carbon electricity, which enables me to produce green hydrogen, plentiful electricity and competitive pricing, as the cost of electricity paid by manufacturers compared with other European countries is a decisive factor.»

But how can we remain competitive in the energy sectors?

Benjamin Perdreau has «A foolish hope in regulation. We have a European context with the Green Deal, which was introduced a few years ago now, with its ambitions to decarbonise industrial activities, but without the sovereignty aspect. […] However, in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the situation in Iran, there is a growing realisation across Europe that we must protect European industries, and the text of the IAA (Industrial Accelerator Act) is the first step towards safeguarding these industries from global competition.»

Maxime Vigot, for his part, adds that «Admittedly, decarbonisation comes at a cost. Introducing new technology and a new supply chain – which is currently based on fossil fuels – comes at a cost, but inaction comes at a cost too; it’s just not at the same time. And in light of recent events, we realise the need to step up our efforts and ensure our energy independence.»

This ability to bring together, connect and foster dialogue between different worlds is one of the key missions of Capenergies. Networking and synergies were indeed at the heart of the day, during which the cluster was able to approve its 2026 roadmap at its Annual General Meeting. Yes, " Capenergies, »it’s a whole ecosystem involving the Region, risingSUD, Ademe, and so on. […] these are organisations that communicate with one another, know one another and work very well together” as pointed out by Gwenaël Kervajanfrom Re-Lion Factory, one of the four members of Capenergies (Stepsol, Propellane and Assystem) who gave evidence this morning.

Beyond the discussions, Convergences have highlighted what makes the ecosystem so strong Capenergies, according to its Chief Executive Annaïk Juhuette-Jouenne, namely «its ability to bring together expertise, exchange perspectives, share lessons learnt and chart a common course. With nearly 500 members, Capenergies works every day to foster innovation, accelerate collaborative projects and support the decarbonisation of local areas. This afternoon’s 130 business meetings between clients/funders and solution providers are a case in point. As is the partnership with Crédit Agricole Alpes Provence’s Capital & Innovation which provided an opportunity to showcase three innovative start-ups during the afternoon: Otrera, Provence Hydro Energy and Carboneo.