His electricity bill shouldn’t smell like fir. Illkirch-Graffenstaden, the third municipality, with its 22,200 inhabitants, within the Eurometropolis of Strasbourg, has indeed had a hollow nose. its mayor, Thibaud Phillips (LR), in anticipation of increases in the cost of energy, has, since June, sought to develop an alternative and ecological means of supplying the twenty chalets and its large Christmas tree with solar energy. A risky bet knowing that it has not, to his knowledge, yet been done on this scale, but also because Bas-Rhin is not, at this time of year, the sunniest department in France. …
“In the current period of energy constraints, you have to be inventive and innovative in the way you can offer entertainment in the city. From June, we looked at what could be a good trial run today, so that our Christmas market is almost energy independent, explains Thibaud Philipps. See if that could work. This would show that we could reinvent, with other ways of producing electricity, outdoor events and also use it for other events during the year, welcomes the mayor. It’s a Christmas market in tune with the times, with its traditional side and its solar panels which recall the energy constraint and the necessary transition. »
A “tailor-made” device
Produced by a local company, Lumières d’Alsace, the system is made up of solar panels connected to batteries which are recharged in this way. The device was designed to be “adapted, especially when there is not too much light, explains the mayor. It is a tailor-made device, taking existing materials and assembling them for outdoor events”. The energy thus produced is stored in the batteries before being used on the opening days of the Christmas market, ie the weekend. The 30 m2 of solar panels arranged on the roofs of the chalets thus make it possible to “easily supply” with its capacity of 14 kWh, the 15 meter high Christmas tree and its kilometer of electric garlands, but also the 18 Christmas chalets, i.e. a total of 3 kilometers of electric garlands. “The only thing where we have provided backup power is for food appliances, just in case, because these are appliances that sometimes require more power. But normally, according to the study carried out, the system should work without concern, ”assures the elected official.
Savings this year? “As it’s rental, it’s still quite expensive, but we should be in balance for the operation. If this is conclusive, we could invest in this equipment. “A device which could why not be of interest to other municipalities in the Eurometropolis in the future.