As part of the France Recovery Plan (France Plan Relance), the French Ministry for Ecological Transition and ADEME have launched a new call for projects aimed at supporting small and medium-sized enterprises in the industrialisation and marketing of innovative products and solutions with positive externalities for the environment, based on innovation work already carried out.
The “Companies committed to the ecological transition” call for projects
The “Companies committed to the ecological transition” call for projects was launched by the French government and ADEME on 10 December 2020. This scheme offers grants of €100,000 per company. Its aim is to speed up the marketing of new products or new solutions that contribute to the ecological and energy transition. It provides support for the costs involved in industrialising and marketing the innovative product or service: design and implementation of the manufacturing process, investment to industrialise the innovation, marketing the solution, etc.
Be Energy selected as one of 96 companies to be supported in disseminating their environmental solutions
In light of the success of the first wave of this call for projects, Barbara Pompili announced in May an €8 million increase in the budget dedicated to this scheme, enabling the funding of a second wave. In total, 96 companies have been selected and will each receive €100,000, for a total budget of €9.6 million.
The winning companies are based throughout France, particularly in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Île-de-France regions. Two projects in French overseas departments and territories (French Guiana and Mayotte) have also been selected. The winning projects mainly target the Building, Transport and Mobility and Circular Economy sectors, but also Renewable Energies, Eco-efficient Agriculture and Industry. This second wave of the call for projects has been as successful as the first last May. In all, nearly 700 applications were received between January and April 2021, and 230 companies were supported in the industrialisation and marketing of their innovative solutions for a total of €23 million (€15 million initial budget, topped up by €8 million).
RECOND-HYBRID project: Regeneration and reconditioning of NiMH batteries
Above all, it will be necessary to carry out a detailed market study of the automotive maintenance sector and a benchmark of the players in the southern region, particularly those close to the plant. Be Energy intends to work in partnership with local players to reduce the ecological and economic impact of transport.
“Based on the initial studies carried out in this area, we will be able to develop a complete business model and make initial contact with the main local players in the automotive maintenance sector.
It will also be vital to set up an initial supply network for used NiMH batteries, as well as a distribution network for reconditioned batteries”.
This will undoubtedly be the main task of this project, and will require regular direct communication operations (phoning and mailing) by Be Energy with a view to organising meetings to present the business model and introduce the plant.
