Members of the board

Véronique CASTRIC : 52, lives on Sein

30 years in the catering industry, owner and manager of the restaurant “Men Brial” on Sein since 2005, co-manager of the SARL “Les Viviers des GLENAN” on Saint Nicolas, GLENAN archipelago.

“My two children go to school on Sein and as I take an interest in the protection of the planet, it seemed reasonable to transition now to renewable energies. Indeed, these have considerably evolved and IDSE seems to me to be an economical and ecological solution for our future on the Île-de-Sein.”

Serge COATMEUR, 58 years old, inhabitant of the isle.

He is lighthouse keeper on the isle since 1997.

He was deputy mayor between 2008 and 2014, and energy representative. Serge is the instigator of the energy transition project and is now the CEO of IDSE.

“As well as being a lighthouse keeper, I already take part in the production of electricity on the island for observation operations and minor maintenance operations of electric generators for EDF. Île-de-Sein is the only island of the Ponant group to be directly affected by climate change and the known risk of rising waters. Electricity on the island remains, however, produced with fossil energies that pollute the atmosphere with thousands of tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions (GGE), which in turn contribute to the climate change that endangers the island. The project followed by IDSE is a territorial project that has two objectives: fighting against climate change and energising the island’s economy by creating an activity that will help maintain an active population on the island. I am very happy to be part of this beautiful and promising project for the island."

Serge Coatmeur in Voile Magazine – mars 2013

Fredéric DAVID, 41 years old, inhabitant of the island.

Officer in the merchant navy has been working for around 10 years for “GENAVIR”, a group supervising the management of the IFREMER fleet. Amongst other things, he takes care of the maintenance of the electrical generators of the ship, and is also a volunteer at the Sein branch of the SNSM, the French organisation for saving lives at sea.

“My wife, my children and I have been residents of the island for nine years now. My wife works in the catering industry and my children have been educated on Sein to that date. The reason for being involved in this project is obvious to me: 100% of the electric energy of Sein is produced by electrical generators that consume enormous amounts of petrol (more than 400,000L each year!!!). As fossil fuels become rarer, they will logically become more expensive, and it is in our interest to find an alternative that is as “green” as possible for our island and therefore for the planet. We are lucky to possess several sources of energy on the island: the sun, the wind, the tide and waves… This project offers to use renewable and “trendy” energies that correspond to current talks on energies. Why have we not acted yet? It is our duty to consider the creation of a “cleaner” environment for our planet, our children and grand-children.”

Catherine FOUQUET-SPINEC, 53, inhabitant of Sein.

She is an employee of the Sein branch of the Crédit Agricole.

“ We endure what is decided for us in higher spheres. The result is a failure that we can but notice as each day passes. The time to complain has passed, now let’s act! This project offers innovative propositions; of course it can pose problems, but it is a mean to achieve a goal: that of producing clean energy for our island with the natural resources it possesses. I want to be actively involved in this adventure which, I hope, will go beyond the streets of the island that saw me grow up.”

Patrick HERNANDEZ is a 53-year-old inhabitant of the island.

He is chef of the hotel-restaurant Ar-Men “the last restaurant before America” and is the co-manager of the hotel since 1998.

“I have raised my two boys on Sein, and both were educated here (primary and secondary school). Using fossil fuels to produce energy is unacceptable. The fuel is brought to Sein by boat from Audierne, is kept at the port before being transported by van to the plant. Produced in the Middle East, transported by oil tanker, refined in France, transported through half of France by lorry and boat, all in order to fuel the electrical generators that produce electricity for Sein. Here we have wind! We have the tides and waves! We have the sun! We have energy! This is why we’re fighting for a different energy production!”

Paul PORSMOGUER is 74, lives on Sein.
He is a retired shopkeeper who is currently president of the society “Des racine et des fleurs de l’île” (Roots and flowers of the island).

“I was born on the island in 1940, and left it for 50 years in favour of the continent for professional reasons. I’ve been back on the island since 2007, and I now try to make myself useful and to be involved in the island’s associative activities. I am convinced that we must make the island move forward towards progress, hence my involvement in this renewable energy project. We must be united to build the future together!”

Ouest France 22th May 2013

Patrick SAULTIER, 47, lives in Plélan le Grand (35).
He is engineer consultant as well as CEO of IDSE. He also helped creating one of the largest civic-minded and participative wind farm in France, which is located in the town of Plélan le Grand. This wind farm has been in operation since the end of 2008 and produces around 25,000,000 kWh per year. He remains CEO of the company to which the wind farm belongs (BEL – Brocéliande Énergies Locals (Brocéliande Local Energies)) and is responsible for its operating. He is also a municipal councillor of Plélan since 2001 and is, since 2014, vice president of the Syndicat Départmental d’Énergies 35 (Departmental Trade Union Energies 35).

“I am very please to bring all my support to the inhabitants of Sein who had been asking for nearly 20 years that renewable energies be introduced in the energy mix of the island. This project is exemplary on many levels: on a governance level, a technical level, for the local development, the environment, and the economy. Today, the taxpayer’s money is wasted on buying and burning fuel even though everything is available on the island. With the residents’ historical resistance and their drive, we should be able to build something big and great.”

 

The first article published about the civic-minded windfarm of Plélan le Grand… And the first assessment five years later.

François SPINEC is a 68-year-old inhabitant of the island.

Fisherman on Sein since 1961, he still works as a traditional shipping ship-owner. Moreover, he is director of the lifeguarding boat of the SNSM. Fervent supporter of the creation of the maritime park of the Iroise Sea, he is now the representative for the islands’ fishermen at the council for the management of the park. He started his third mandate as a municipal councillor of Sein in 2014. He was also co-founder and director of the lobster hatchery…

“We’ve been talking for too long: it’s now time to act! Electrical generators have burnt enough fuel every year. The relevant technologies exist and are available. The island has a lot of potential: the tide, the waves, the wind, and the sun. This project can only succeed!”

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