In an episode of the Emiciclu podcast dedicated to the island’s innovative businesses, Paul Antoniotti, founder and Chairman of Corsica Sole, looks back at the innovations that have underpinned Corsica Sole’s development for over fifteen years.From solar power generation to green hydrogen, via energy storage, a single objective has guided this journey: to make better use of renewable resources and shape Corsica’s energy future.
How can innovation help Corsica shape its future?
In its episode dedicated to the island’s innovative companies, the Emiciclu podcast brings together the perspectives of three key figures involved in the region’s economic and technological development:
Sébastien Simoni, co-founder of GoodBarber and CampusPlex
Paul Antoniotti, founder and Chairman of Corsica Sole.
Three career paths and three perspectives that demonstrate Corsica’s ability to foster the emergence of innovative businesses, projects and solutions.
Over fifteen years of innovation in solar energy
During this discussion, Paul Antoniotti looks back on the company’s journey and the various innovations that have guided its development for over fifteen years.
When Corsica Sole first began generating solar energy, the technology was still among the most expensive. Today, thanks to technological advances and falling costs, solar power has become one of the most competitive means of electricity generation and is experiencing unprecedented growth.
We have moved from the most expensive form of energy to produce to one of the cheapest to produce
This development explains the large-scale expansion that photovoltaics is currently experiencing. However, its growth has also brought to the fore a major challenge: that of intermittency.
Energy storage to better integrate solar power into the grid
To make solar power more predictable and facilitate its integration into the electricity grid, Corsica Sole was one of the first French companies to combine its photovoltaic systems with batteries.
In this way, electricity can be stored during periods of generation, only to be fed back into the grid when needed. This innovation, trialled in Corsica, has enabled Corsica Sole to develop expertise that is now applied throughout France and Europe.
But being pioneers also means continuing to explore new solutions.
Folell’Hy: producing green hydrogen from solar energy
Having developed expertise in solar power generation and energy storage, Corsica Sole has turned its attention to green hydrogen.
With Folell’Hy, the aim is to convert surplus electricity from the Folelli solar power station – which cannot be fed into the grid – into green, local and renewable hydrogen.
As part of the Alchymiste project – winner of Bpifrance’s i-Nov competition – this initiative brings together various innovation stakeholders on the island around a single ambition: to develop new uses for renewable energy.
Among its first applications, the hydrogen produced will power Alba, the training vessel of the Bastia Maritime College, thereby helping to train future seafarers in zero-emission maritime mobility solutions.
In the long term, the aim is to scale up the initiative to make hydrogen a genuine alternative for various energy applications.
Corsica Sole will inaugurate its first green hydrogen production plant in Corsica in September. This new milestone demonstrates the region’s ability to foster innovative projects and transform its constraints into solutions for the future.
Solar power, energy storage and green hydrogen: when Corsica becomes a testing ground for energy innovation
Solar power generation, batteries and hydrogen thus form three complementary building blocks for making better use of renewable resources, strengthening the island’s energy self-sufficiency and meeting the challenges of the future.
As Paul Antoniotti points out:
“ Corsica can serve as a pioneering testing ground for the rest of Europe ”
A conviction shared throughout this episode: thanks to innovation, expertise and synergies between local stakeholders, Corsica can develop solutions capable of having an impact far beyond the island.
Listen to the Emiciclu podcast in French
Listen to Paul Antoniotti’s contribution from the 53rd minute onwards and discover the full discussion:
