70th anniversary of the "Syndicat d'Electricité" , Territoire d'Energie Lot-et-Garonne.

Cédric PHILIBERT, Pierre-Emmanuel MARTIN, and our executive director participated in three panel discussions:

1. Information

2. Industrialization

3. International and Territories

The event was structured around discussions related to the activities of SEM and the union and had an original format: a conference/TV talk show with a host and open interaction with the audience.

Numerous elected officials, administrative representatives, SEM members, and union representatives were present. The day ended with a fantastic evening.

Here are some key points from the discussions:

1. Citizens today are inundated with a sea of information that is far from neutral and often contains underlying intentions. It's no longer possible to passively receive information. We need to imagine new channels that are more decentralized, participatory, and supported by appropriate structures. For example, the "Premium" initiative by Sud-Ouest newspaper, led by Mathieu Hervé, where an independent committee of regional experts reviews information, is an excellent step in the right direction.

2. The industrialization of photovoltaics (PV) in France is both feasible and desirable. However, it's not realistic to propose significantly higher prices or modules that deviate from quality standards. Instead, the focus should be on understanding clients' needs, and a slightly higher cost may be justified if the proposal meets other criteria such as lower carbon content, exemplary traceability, shorter logistics chains, etc. This approach aligns perfectly with discussions with INES (National Institute of Solar Energy) which supports these initiatives and possesses robust French expertise to ensure the success of such industrial projects, like CARBON, led by Pierre-Emmanuel.

3. France is not alone in the development of renewable energies; it's a global endeavor. The growth of the sector is unprecedented in the energy industry, as is the rapid decline in costs. The overall dynamic is the aggregation of the efforts of each country, all guided by climate policies and Net Zero scenarios. The renewable energy sector thinks long-term when it comes to materials, technology, and industrialization. Due to the decentralized nature of these energies, thousands of specific cases need to be addressed, and the feedback received contributes to sector improvements while creating new tools.

Throughout the day, Karim met citizens involved in wind energy projects, farmers operating methane projects, and visionary individuals, organizations, and businesses that take risks to successfully demonstrate the credibility of their environmental and societal convictions.

Amidst the background noise, the determination of the Territories to embrace renewable energies and transform them into opportunities was evident. We remain in awe of these initiatives, which fill us with hope about our ability to overcome the climate challenge.

Thanks to all these transition actors.