ECOWATT. Ecowatt was launched with great fanfare and broadcast on television. Coupled with an application, it should be used to alert in real time of the risks of power cuts this winter.
The Smart Bison of energy has arrived, here is Ecowatt in its new version! This new service should help the French to modulate their energy consumption and to adopt a logic of energy sobriety in the context of the massive rise in energy costs. As autumn approaches, RTE, the electricity network operator in France, has unveiled the new Ecowatt service. Developed in partnership with Enedis and Ademe, Ecowatt will advise individuals on eco-gestures, especially in the event of tension on the electricity network. Through a set of colors and 1, 2, 3 and 4 day forecasts, Ecowatt will alert you to possible tensions and give small gestures that are easy to do at home but useful to relieve the electricity network. This service, a kind of electricity weather report, can warn you and advise you to modulate your energy consumption.
The principle of EcoWatt is to determine whether the production capacities are able to meet the consumption of the moment, or expected in the coming days, both nationally and regionally. RTE, which we contacted, does not communicate the exact calculation method of the signals, but indicates that they are established from multiple data of the electrical system, in particular from the total capacity of electricity production (not to be confused with the production actually obtained in fine) and import capacities at a time T.
Moreover, the French electricity production capacity is not the only factor taken into account in the calculation, RTE also includes the European situation, which could have a strong impact on our imports. If one of our neighbors fails, it can indeed drastically reduce its exports or draw more electricity from the community market. What disrupt our own supply. The capacity of the lines is also at stake: France has 51 interconnections with foreign countries which are limited, from 13 to 15 GW at a given time.
In its calculation, RTE also provides for a “safety margin” of 1500 MW, in the event that an incident (a major problem on a power station or on lines) would disrupt the supply of electricity. If this margin of 1500 MW is not reached, the situation is considered “normal” (green), whereas if it has started, the electrical system is considered “tense” (orange). The system goes into the red if the margin is completely exceeded. But beyond the figures, human intervention is essential before establishing the signal, to assess the situation and fully appreciate these production and consumption data.
Ecowatt aims to be an alert and advice service. Every day, RTE will provide forecasts on the level of electricity consumption, based on several parameters: production of electricity, possible import but also weather since we know that cooler temperatures quickly lead to an increase in consumption. energy of the French who will heat their homes more.
Based on these forecasts, Ecowatt classifies the day according to a color scheme:
- green, all is well consumption is reasonable in France
- orange: be careful, consumption is high, “eco-gestures are welcome”
- red: consumption is abnormally high, risk of power cut. “Very tense electrical system. Inevitable cuts if we do not lower our consumption”, specifies RTE to explain this level of classification
The MonEcowatt.fr website is already online. RTE promises to add a mobile application soon, available before winter. It will allow you to subscribe directly to the alert system on your smartphone. “We want it to be ready as soon as possible. The objective is to have it in service for this winter”, specified RTE to the Le Parisien newspaper September 19, 2022. In the meantime, you can find Ecowatt’s forecast below.
Ecowatt already offers to subscribe to an alert system that will warn you in the event of voltages on the electrical network and potential power outages. All you have to do is enter an email address, a mobile phone number if you want to be alerted on your smartphone and your postal code to receive alerts adapted to your location. Registration for Ecowatt alerts is available here.