Local energy enterprises as levers for territorial energy transitions?
This article focuses on local energy enterprises (LEEs), owned by local authorities and operating in a few territories in France. In a context of energy and climate crises, do their direct ties with local authorities make them levers for energy transition? A method combining statistical analysis and semi-directed interviews leads us to identify three clusters of LEEs. Many are too small to invest in energy transition. Others stand together and pool their resources to create joint ventures. Some large LEEs having expertise all over the energy value chain are regarded as tools that can be used by local authorities for energy transition. This paper discusses the relevance of alternative – or at least complementary – models to the centralized model in France in a context of territorialization of energy transition. To be considered as such, LEEs will have to adapt to market changes and new expectations regarding energy in territories.