Companies
Photovoltaic production
FERROPEM, Ferroatlantica Group (Chambéry - Savoie) - www.foundrysolution.com
Group turnover in 2005: €310 million
1160 employees
Thanks to its subsidiary, FerroPem, the Spanish group Ferroatlantica is the world’s leading producer of metallurgical silicon.
FerroPem launched its Photosil project in 2004, in partnership with Apollon Solar, the CEA and the CNRS. The objective of the project is to develop a new, metallurgy-based method for producing silicon for the photovoltaic market.
FerroPem’s head office is in Chambéry and the Photosil project is being carried out at Savoie Technolac.
The Photosil project moved into its operational phase in 2006 and initial results are expected in 2007, the objective being to develop an industrial-scale version of the process.
Photowatt Technologies (Bourgoin-Jallieu - Isère) - www.photowatt.com
Turnover: €95 million, with 96 % from exports
600 employees
A manufacturer of solar photovoltaic plates, cells and modules for more than 25 years, Photowatt supplies turnkey solar systems for all types of installation throughout the world. During the last 18 months, Photowatt has taken on 150 new staff and its order books are full for the next 18 months. Photowatt’s cellule and module production development projects have been backed by the ADEME for 25 years and the company is also the main stimulator and beneficiary of the work carried out by CNRS and university multi-crystalline silicon research laboratories.
Tenesol (La Tour de Salvagny - Rhône) - www.tenesol.com
Tenesol, the world’s biggest photovoltaic equipment manufacturer, is continuing its vertical integration.
First and foremost a developer and equipment manufacturer, Tenesol supplies complete, turnkey solar photovoltaic systems through a rapidly expanding network of approved suppliers and fitters.
Tenesol has developed a wide range of systems that allow photovoltaic electricity to be integrated into buildings: photovoltaic roofs, sun screens, glass canopies, etc.
Thermal production
CIAT (Serrières-en-Chautagne - Savoie) – www.ciat.fr
Turnover 2005: €245 million, with 52% from exports
2,015 employees, including 1,400 in Rhône-Alpes
12 factories at 9 production sites throughout the world
CIAT is the biggest supplier to the French air-conditioning and air handling markets. The group spends 4.5% of its turnover on research and development and its 4500-m2 research and development laboratory is one of the biggest in the industry. CIAT covers all sectors of the building market (housing, industry) and offers solutions for interior climate comfort (air handling units, air conditioning terminal units, air purification units, etc) and heat energy transfer (heat exchangers, air-conditioning and heating systems, etc.).
CLIPSOL (Aix-les-Bains - Savoie) – www.clipsol.fr
Turnover: €10.3 million
130 employees
CLIPSOL is France’s leading solar heating (individual and collective) company, with a market share of 25%. The company has benefited greatly from 27-years’ experience and innovation and from the long-awaited take-off in its markets, which are now doubling from one year to the next. Since its creation, CLIPSOL has continued to develop innovative solutions. At the end of 2006, CLIPSOL launched its new solar water heater concept, a product that is extremely compact and easy to install.
And CLIPSOL has no intention of stopping there. New projects under development include a solar cooling system that should be on the market in three or four years.
Product design and engineering
Apollon Solar (Lyon - Rhône) – www.apollonsolar.com
A research and development company specializing in innovative processes for the photovoltaic industry – a 50%-owned subsidiary of EDF Energies Nouvelles (part of the EDF Group).
The company is one of four partners in the Photosil solar-quality silicon production project, alongside Ferropem, the world leader in metallurgical silicon production, the CEA and the CNRS. A pilot production line has been set up near the INES at Savoie Technolac.
Apollon Solar is also the initiator and coordinator of the Nice automatic module production project, which is being carried out in partnership with Vincent Industrie of Lyon.
Cythelia (Le Bourget du Lac – Savoie) - www.cythelia.fr
Consulting engineers: development and promotion of solar energy conversion and storage techniques (thermal and photovoltaic)
Dimensioning, supply and installation
Agence des Fluides – ADF (Cognin - Savoie) – www.adf.coop
Analysis, design and engineering for climate and energy engineering
Cervin EnR (Le Bourget du Lac - Savoie) - http://www.cervin-enr.com/
2006: 45 employees – 2007: 150 employees
Turnover in 2006: €4.5 million – Goal for 2009: €94 million
The company is listed at the stock exchange since 2007
Cervin Innovations specializes in the sale and installation of photovoltaic and thermal solar equipment to private customers. Based at Savoie Technolac since January 2006, Cervin Innovations is a subsidiary of the Cervin Enr Group. It provides its customers with turnkey systems that include needs analyses and potential solutions, finance options (including government grants) and on-site installation. Following the takeover of the design office Wattelse, the Cervin Enr Group has ensured its local authority and industrial market will continue to develop by creating a special department for these customers. And, through its subsidiary Eole Solar Project, Cervin Enr is developing a new business in the form of an investment fund for renewable energies (solar and wind).
Eco’alternative (Le Bourget du Lac - Savoie) – www.ecoalternative.com
Installation and distribution of solar energy and geothermal heating equipment
Eco’Service (Le Bourget du Lac – Savoie)
Renewable energies consultancy
Everbat (Chambéry – Savoie)
Design, production, optimization, remote monitoring and financing of thermal or electrical energy systems
IBC SOLAR (Le Bourget du Lac – Savoie) – www.ibc-solar.fr
Dimensioning, design and production of large photovoltaic power plants
The IBC SOLAR Group has specialized in large photovoltaic power plants for almost 25 years and has operations in several countries. The company is targeting the promising French market, concentrating on building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) for industry and local authorities through its new French subsidiary, which was set up at the Savoie Technolac technology park in May 2006.
IBC SOLAR SAS’s priority is to create partnerships with local companies and universities in order to develop synergies.
Setic (Montmélian - Savoie)
Analysis, design and engineering in the climate control, energy and thermal solar energy fields.
Sunwatt (Gaillard – Haute Savoie) – www.sunwatt.fr
Design and manufacture of solar installations
Indiggo (Chambéry - Savoie) – www.inddigo.com
Experts in environmental management, energy and waste management
Raw materials, components and equipment
Poudres Hermillon (Saint-Jean de Maurienne – Savoie) - www.poudres-hermillon.com
31 employees
Turnover: €20 million
Created in 1954 by Pechiney, Poudres Hermillon is renowned for its expertise in producing aluminum granules, powders, flakes and pastes. Every year, the company manufactures 10,000 tons of aluminum products.
Ultra-fine aluminum granules (down to 1.5 µm) are produced from high-purity aluminum ingots using a unique atomization process developed by the company. Mainly used in the composition of the conducting pastes that form the base layers of photovoltaic solar panels, this product is seen as having excellent development potential. Poudres Hermillon has been independent of Pechiney for several yeas and is now part of the international group U.S. Bronze Powders (250 employees, turnover: $100 million), the world’s number three company for metal powders and pigments.
Solarforce S.A (Bourgoin Jallieu – Isère) – http://www.solarforce.fr/
6 employees, including 3 research staff
Claude Remy, the founder and former managing director of Photowatt, created Solarforce in 2003. His new company has put together €3 million (two founders, friends, an FCPI and Oséo-Anvar & MRT) to develop a silicon band technology that reduces by 50-75% the amount of silicon needed to produce photovoltaic cells.
Rubanox Chambéry (Péchiney Rhenalu)
The fruit of the transfer of Péchiney Rhenalu/Alcan Rollbond to CGA (Compagnia Generale Alluminio SpA), Rubanox Chambéry produces rollbond heat exchangers for refrigerators and hot or cold air exchangers for thermal solar panels.
Vincent Industrie (Brignais - Rhône) - www.vincent-industrie.com
Automated assembly lines for photovoltaic modules
