Altens, an expert in low-carbon solutions, strengthens its environmental commitment by assisting municipalities with their community self-consumption projects, particularly through the installation of self-ballasted concrete monoblock solar carports, requiring no foundations.
Altens accelerates its solar deployment projects by offering local authorities a turnkey third-party investment solution. Its PUR-SUN offering enables local authorities to leverage their green energy consumption through community self-consumption (CSC).
This system shares the production from photovoltaic plants with several distinct consumers, integrated into the assets of local authorities. For each CSC project, Altens offers a hybrid solution combining community and individual self-consumption (CSC and ISC), ensuring direct energy distribution to consumers near the production site.
Community Self-Consumption: An Ecological and Economic Solution
“Local authorities are on the front lines of decarbonizing their territories and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. They are also expected to accelerate solar deployment in areas dedicated to renewable energies. It is in this context that Altens is expanding its decarbonization offerings, particularly with PUR-SUN, to promote community self-consumption in service of our regions,” explains Étienne Valtel, CEO of Altens.
Thanks to this approach, municipalities benefit from local, renewable energy at an optimal price, allowing them to sustainably reduce their carbon footprint while controlling the cost of their electricity bills over several years.
To ensure a local and optimal energy supply, community self-consumption projects must comply with specific rules. Thus, the off-take and injection points must be located on the public low-voltage grid and meet geographical and power criteria:
- Maximum distance: 2 km between the two furthest points.
- Possible derogation for sparsely populated areas*: up to 10 km in rural or peri-urban areas, and up to 20 km in isolated rural areas.
- Maximum cumulative production capacity: 3 MW (or 0.5 MW for non-interconnected zones).
*Upon reasoned request from the “Organizing Legal Entity” (OLE) of the community self-consumption operation to the Minister of Energy.
Altens Deploys Self-Ballasted Concrete Solar Carport Solution as Part of its PUR-SUN Offering
To meet the solar deployment needs of businesses and local authorities, as well as the requirements of the APER Law, Altens offers a turnkey solution for constructing photovoltaic plants in parking lots. The self-ballasted, foundation-free concrete solar carports offer numerous advantages: reduced installation costs and times, and minimal impact on existing infrastructure.
Manufactured from non-corrosive materials, these concrete carports are particularly suited to environments exposed to sea air and harsh climatic conditions. They offer exceptional longevity without requiring heavy maintenance, thus constituting a robust and economical alternative to galvanized steel structures.
Altens thus offers a complete range of carports meeting the diverse needs of its clients, who can choose between self-ballasted concrete structures and galvanized metal carports, for tailor-made community self-consumption solutions.
Altens Invests in Photovoltaics
In a challenging economic climate, Altens sought to strengthen its position as a decarbonization partner by acting as a third-party investor. The company has therefore decided to invest in supporting solar deployment projects. By providing its photovoltaic plants, Altens ensures the sound financial, legal, and regulatory management of its projects.
From development to maintenance, Altens integrates all inherent activities necessary for contracting PPA (“power purchase agreement”) agreements, coupling, and provision, as well as long-term leases. Altens’ clients will therefore be able to preserve their investment capacity and immediately benefit from financial gains upon commissioning of the installation.
“With this commitment, Altens reinforces its position as a key player in decarbonization by helping local authorities adopt a resilient and sustainable energy model, in line with current ecological challenges. Our self-ballasted, foundation-free concrete solar carports provide a rapid and lasting solution for local authorities in their energy transition,” states Etienne Valtel.
