Greensolver: the first ISO 55001-certified company for the management of its energy customers’ assets

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@GreenSolver/DR

@GreenSolver/DR

Founded in 2008 in the flourishing renewable energies sector, Greensolver has obtained AFAQ ISO 55001 certification, thereby bearing testament to its ability to effectively and sustainably manage its customers’ assets. It is the first company in France to receive such certification.

Your company is already certified to AFAQ ISO 9001, 14001 and OHSAS 18001. Why add ISO 55001 to your credentials?

There were two reasons. Firstly, to give our company greater credibility as a service provider in the eyes of our customers. Secondly, to gain an edge over the competition. We realized that certification had become essential for building trust. It was a fairly natural move for our company, since we were no strangers to management system standards, especially ISO 9001, which forms the backbone of our quality strategy and which we implemented during a period of intensive growth.

Who are your customers and where are you positioned in the renewable energy value chain?

Our customers are banks and investment funds that own wind farms (75 %) and solar farms (25 %). We act as a property management company on their behalf: they contract us to monitor and manage their assets on a day-to-day basis. What that actually means is that we liaise with wind turbine suppliers to ensure that maintenance contracts are performed correctly, we deal with the electricity utility to make sure that the energy produced is properly injected into the grid, and so on. Ultimately, we act as a managing agent who is responsible for maximizing profitability throughout the assets’ service life, hence the need to build trust, which is now reflected in our AFAQ ISO 55001 certification.

Who led the approach within the company?

This type of project must be led by top management in order to realize its true potential. Therefore, I became personally involved in the project. I went to the UK for a greater insight, since the sector over there is further ahead in addressing this issue. Within the company, I obviously received support from others. My technical director helped me with the risk analysis, and my quality manager kept tabs on the entire approach.
The law on energy transition is causing changes to the framework that governs the sale price of electricity from renewable energies.

Did that influence your need for certification?

Yes. The sector is gradually changing from a purchase obligation system, where electricity utility EDF buys all our kilowatt-hours at a fixed feed-in tariff, to a “market + bonus” system where revenue will be less predictable, since it is associated with wholesale electricity prices, which by definition are subject to fluctuations. We had to reassure our power plant customers and send them a clear signal about our ability to understand and manage the transition without affecting the profitability of their assets. However, this change does not impact the assets in the portfolio and only applies to newly commissioned or end-of-contract power plants.

How do you explain the success of the crowdfunding phenomenon in terms of renewable energy sources? Does it bring you new customers?

Not exactly. Our customers – banks and investment funds – are the ones who receive new customers, such as groups of citizens that have all clubbed together to build a new wind or solar farm. Nevertheless, the amount of money at stake is a fraction of the funds available from institutional bodies. We will continue dealing with holdings that bring several investors together and which lead the project. The process is fairly transparent for us, but we are delighted at the involvement of local stakeholders – managers and citizens – in the deployment of an industry that is conducive to addressing the environmental challenges of today and tomorrow.

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Encadré Greensolver

 

 

ISO 55001

Afaq_55001

With ISO 55001 certification, you prove your ability to effectively and sustainably manage your assets. Make sure your shareholders and investors the reliability of their investments in assets and your organization’s infrastructure. This approach also allows you to optimize the technical and economic performance of your sites, accelerate the ROI of your equipment and thus create value for your business.

 

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