Newsletter ACERA - Noviembre 2019

11.
Jean-Christophe is French, married and has two children. He studied in France and
England, is an engineer (mechanics/material science) with a Master's degree in
Technology and Innovation Management. He arrived in Chile with his family in
2013 to start the generation activities of the EDF Group in Chile, where he feels very
comfortable.
He enjoys nature, touring Chile and its wonders, listening to vinyls at home,
discovering and tasting signature wines, and talking about life with his close friends.
Why did you decide to focus your career on the energy industry?
Jean-Christophe
Puech
CEO
jcpuech@edf-re.cl
The decision was made in 1999, at the end of my studies. It was obvious to me. It was clear in
my head that energy was going to take on more and more importance on our planet. I
have never regretted my decision; it's a sector that’s in the middle of an industrial revolution,
with the advent of very competitive and clean generation technologies, combined with
increasing digitization, which opens up several opportunities and generates a lot of
intellectual stimulation.
Jean-Christophe is CEO of the EDF Group,a company whose strategy pillar is low-carbon
power generation, "CAP2030". (Check here).
"EDF Renewables is the renewable arm of the Group. With Chile's considerable potential in
renewable energy, we decided to enter this market in 2015, with our Bolero photovoltaic
project. In addition, the group's DNA has always been a concern for humans and the
environment for sustainable development."
What products or services does your company deliver?
We are dedicated to developing, building and operating wind and photovoltaic plants, with a
focus on utility scale, but also with a growing interest for small projects like PMGD and even
netbilling for the C&I segment. What we are looking for, more generally, is that our
customers benefit from the advantages of renewable energies: competitive, of fast
implementation, non-invasive, no CO2 emission or particulate matter.
Which are the latest news or changes introduced by your company?
After the start-up of our three plants last year, we started working on the development of
new projects, both wind and photovoltaic. That's why we've strengthened the team with the
addition of more expert and senior profiles. Today we are about 50 employees in the
country, including our plant operators.
What are the main projects - or topics – you have been working on that are working in
recent times?
Since 2015, we have invested and built three large plants with several partners, Chilean and
foreigners: Bolero, in the Antofagasta region (146 MWp photovoltaic),Cabo Leones I, in the
Atacama region (115 MW wind), and Santiago Solar, in the Metropolitan Region (115 MWp
photovoltaic). Since then, energy prices have fallen by a factor of 3, which forces us to be very
careful and demanding in our new developments and in the operation of the projects. I also
believe it motivates us to be creative in terms of products, business models and services. The
key, as always, is to listen and understand our customers.
Jean-Christophe is convinced that renewable energy is key to generating economic growth
in the country, to improve air quality and lower the price of electricity, both for households
and businesses, and therefore, in his opinion, they play a fundamental role in improving the
quality of life of Chileans.
He also emphasizes that "a large part of the new uses of energy (IT, cellular, electromobility,
among others) use electrical energy, which must come from renewable sources, such as
water, wind and sun. We know how important it is to reduce, strongly and quickly, greenhouse
gas emissions, including CO2. It's not an option, it's an obligation. In that respect, any new
renewable power plant that is connected to the system avoids emissions and benefits us all."
Why would you recommend being an ACERA member?
ACERA is a very friendly place, where every actor of the renovable energies can find
solutions, expertise, contacts and, also, defend common causes in an organized and
responsible way. ACERA is the association of the world of renewable energies and energy
storage. It is very comprehensive, there is a lot of diversity. It's really about bringing together
and representing Chile's renewable ecosystem.
Considering the climate crisis we are facing, what would your renewable dream be for
2030?
My dream is that the transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources is as wide and fast as
possible, in Chile and worldwide. As President Sebastián Piñera once said: "Chile is poor in
20th century energies, but rich in 21st century energies." Let us take this opportunity to allow
a country’s growth that is, both stronger and less harmful for the environment and human
beings.