Solar Technologies: GDF SUEZ Group's Cofely acquires a stake in SAED

Cofely has become a shareholder of approximately 10% of Sophia Antipolis Energie Développement (SAED) as the French start-up increases its capital

Established in Sophia Antipolis in 2008, SAED has developed a technology which can be used to create fields of large-scale solar collectors aimed at producing "high temperature" thermal energy (from 80°C to 130°C) with the possibility of storing this energy.

Using these new generation collectors, Cofely, one of the leading operators of urban heating systems in France, has designed Degrés d’or®, an innovative energy mix solution which, by combining biomass and solar energy allows over 80 % of the heating and hot water needs of a building or district to be covered by renewable energies. Applied in the eco-district of Balma-Toulouse, this solution received the Innovation Award from the Association des Maires de France (AMF) in 2011.

By contributing to the development of emerging technologies, Cofely and its partners design and implement efficient global solutions that respond to the challenges of the Grenelle on the Environment, protecting natural resources, creating the cities of the future and ensuring their energy security.

Strengthened by this first step, SAED now wants to complete its investment round table with investors with complementary profiles. SAED and its shareholders are supported in these operations by Hera Finance.

Cofely, GDF SUEZ Group
An energy and environmental efficiency services company, Cofely designs, implements and operates solutions that help businesses and public authorities to make better use of energy while reducing environmental impacts. Cofely is committed to a long term strategy to:

- improve the energy and environmental performance of buildings;
- produce, operate and supply local and renewable energy;
- integrate services.

In France, Cofely employs 13,600 employees and generated a turnover of 3.4 billion euros in 2010.
Cofely is part of GDF SUEZ Energy Services, a European leader in multi-technical services with a turnover of 13.5 billion euros in 2010 and 76,000 employees. GDF SUEZ Energy Services is one of the six business divisions within GDF SUEZ which is one of the world's leading energy providers.

SAED (Sophia Antipolis Energy Development)
In partnership with the CEA, the company has developed a technology for thermal energy connectors allowing the most commonly available and therefore cheapest solar collectors to be used for powers of several MW for industrial or commercial use. The resulting solar energy is intended to substitute some or all of the energy produced from the combustion of fossil fuels.

En savoir plus : www.sophia-energie.com