Nominees for the 2026 Innovation Awards

Innovations serving the energy transition

The Forum EnerGaïa Innovation Awards recognize innovative projects that address the major challenges of the energy transition and help build a more sustainable energy model.

For the 2026 edition, 12 projects have been choosen by the selection committee and are competing in 4 categories: International, Deployability, Ecosystem, and Circularity. A Special Jury Prize, awarded by the Occitanie / Pyrénées-Méditerranée Region, will also honor one of the nominated projects.

Discover the 12 nominees for the 2026 EnerGaïa Innovation Awards.

Click on the category to see the 2026 nominees:

INTERNATIONAL

DEPLOYABILITY

ECOSYSTEM

CIRCULARITY

Category International

Caldera Storage Boiler: electrifying industrial steam production simply and at lower cost.

Industrial heat generates more than 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Marketed since June 2026, the Caldera Storage Boiler is an electric boiler with integrated thermal storage. It purchases electricity at the lowest cost, stores it, and produces steam as needed.

Modular and guaranteed for more than 20 years, each Heat Cell stores 5 MWh in recycled aluminum with 94% efficiency. It delivers up to 1.3 MWth of steam (204°C max) in less than 60 seconds and makes it possible to monetize its flexibility on the grid.

Developed by Caldera (United Kingdom), with support from the GEA Group, this system can be deployed without local adaptation. It is suitable for both new and existing sites thanks to hour-by-hour simulations.

Come and visit CALDERA:

Hall B1 Stand D30

HiOne + V2X: the electric car becomes the battery for the entire home.

Hoymiles presents HiOne + HiBox + V2X, an all-in-one residential system that combines generation, power supply, storage, and bidirectional electric vehicle charging on a single DC bus.

The V2X charger (22 kW, 97% efficiency) discharges the car battery to power the home during peak hours or grid outages, all controllable via an app. This allows a household to avoid 24 kWh of stationary battery storage and 1.5 to 2.5 tonnes of CO2.

Designed for international markets, especially France and Europe, and compliant with European grid codes (a single platform serves all countries), HiOne + V2X is compatible with 95% of vehicles, supported by more than 1,200 installers, and already marketed in 11 European countries.

Come and visit HOYMILES POWER ELECTRONICS INC.:

Hall A4 Stand B14

Mersen’s complete 1000 V AC protection system.

As the solar industry moves toward 1000 V AC to reduce current, losses, and costs, Mersen offers a complete, coordinated system for overcurrent and surge protection.

This ecosystem brings together 1000 V AC certified fuse switch disconnectors, NH fuses, and IEC-compliant surge protection devices. Sourced from a single partner, the solution enhances the safety of people and assets while preventing unnecessary downtime.

It simplifies design, ensures optimal compatibility, and speeds up the deployment of next-generation photovoltaic power plants worldwide.

Come and visit MERSEN:

Hall B4 Stand B06

Category Deployability

Virtual Powerbox: connect renewable power plants remotely, with no hardware box and no on-site visit.

Connecting a renewable power plant to an aggregator usually requires a physical hardware box, a technician’s intervention, and heavy maintenance.

Launched in January 2025 by Bohr Energie, the Virtual Powerbox replaces the hardware box with a secure software service, with a dedicated instance for each power plant. It connects to the existing controller via an encrypted link to provide telemetry and control (solar, wind, hydro), enabling optimization on the intraday market and within RTE’s balancing mechanism.

Compatible with the main protocols and requiring no hardware and generating no waste, it reduces connection time from several weeks to just a few days, making it possible to connect up to 32 power plants in one month.

Come and visit BOHR ENERGIE:

Hall B2 Stand E24

Developed from CEA-INES research, Heliup’s STYKON® is a lightweight (4.7 kg/m²) and durable photovoltaic panel (thin glass, 55 mm hail resistance, B-Roof T3).

Its first advantage: it can be installed on roofs that are too fragile for conventional panels, representing more than 85 GWp of accessible capacity in Europe.

Its second advantage: bonded directly to the waterproofing membrane without drilling or rails, each panel can be installed in less than two minutes.

Its third-generation version (June 2026) incorporates more efficient TOPCon cells, reducing raw material use by 75%. Manufactured in Isère (capacity of 100 MWp/year), STYKON® comes with a 25-year power warranty.

Come and visit HELIUP:

Hall A6 Stand A11

Discover the innovation in the Innovation Gallery, Hall B3.

Com and visit OPTIMUM TRACKER:

Hall B2 Stand A05

Category Ecosystem

Qair renewable H2: an ecosystem serving industrial and energy independence.

In Occitanie, Qair is developing a renewable hydrogen ecosystem linking production, distribution, and end uses to support the decarbonization of transport and industry, in partnership with AREC and the Region. At both local and interregional level, it brings together local authorities, institutions, mobility operators, transport companies, industrial players, technical experts, and training stakeholders around a collective energy transition approach.

This model brings together public and private stakeholders to structure a local value chain. In Port-La-Nouvelle, the Hyd’Occ site (20 MW) can produce up to 2,700 tonnes of hydrogen per year, complemented by the distribution stations in Béziers and Narbonne (600 kg/day each).

These uses are already becoming a reality with the supply of 13 buses, taxis, and successful truck trials. Qair is therefore helping secure infrastructure use and cost visibility.

Come and visit QAIR:

Hall B2 Stand C37

Uni-APER: agrivoltaic monitoring designed by those who inspect it.

The APER law requires monitoring of agrivoltaic sites without specifying a precise methodology, creating uneven costs and risks of non-compliance.

Created in May 2026 at the initiative of Sojeal Experts, Uni-APER brings together technical institutes, developers, inspection bodies, and land experts to establish a national standard. This pragmatic set of parameters is tailored to both livestock and crop sectors and requires certified training for inspectors. Additional monitoring parameters are also available as optional add-ons.

Launched at EnerGaïa 2026, Uni-APER guarantees developers monitoring that is compliant, comparable, and directly actionable, while preserving free competition among organizations across the country.

Come and visit SOJEAL EXPERTS:

Hall A6 Stand A19

Zilo Energie Home, solar energy finally accessible to everyone.

The “Zilo Energie Home” innovation marks a turning point in the residential transition. It transforms households into smart, autonomous, low-carbon systems through a complete systemic solution:

- Crowdfunding financing & subscription from €0: An offer backed by citizen savings (Climate Tech: Enerfip, Keenest) removes the barrier of the initial upfront payment. The model covers equipment, installation, and maintenance, delivering profitability from the very first year.

- Managed self-consumption: The “Zen” HEMS by Zilo Energie coordinates photovoltaic panels, battery storage, and the hot water tank through an algorithm, generating up to 40% savings.

- Virtual power plant (VPP): The aggregation of households provides flexibility to the RTE/Enedis grids to help stabilize them and create new revenue streams.

Come and visit ZILO ENERGIE:

Hall A2 Stand C25

Category Circularity

Business For Planet Modeling (BFPM) is a systemic modeling solution that helps mobility and energy stakeholders maximize the value of batteries beyond their first life cycle.

Based on aging modeling, the platform assesses and compares several pathways (continued use, second-life repurposing, or recycling) to determine the optimal trade-off from an economic, environmental, and industrial perspective.

Without replacing physical operations, BFPM makes it possible to trigger diagnostics or refurbishment at the right time, thereby fostering the emergence of a more resource-efficient, resilient, and circular value chain.

Come and visit CAPGEMINI ENGINEERING:

Hall B3 Stand B42

Sopraloop & Soprasolar Light give flat roofs a double second life by combining the circular economy with renewable energy production:

- A second life for materials (Sopraloop): In response to the 80,000 tonnes of bituminous membrane waste generated each year in France, SOPREMA collects, sorts, and recycles removed membranes in a closed loop as raw materials. More than 3,000 tonnes have already been recovered since the beginning of 2025.

A second life for function (Soprasolar Light): This lightweight 3-in-1 photovoltaic solution, made in France, combines insulation, waterproofing, and solar power generation. It makes it possible to equip roofs with load constraints with solar panels without structural reinforcement or operational downtime.

A refurbishment solution that turns waste into resources and the roof into an energy producer.

Come and visit SOPRASOLAR:

Hall B3 Stand B18

Ecodesign.solar is the first eco-design simulator dedicated to crystalline silicon photovoltaic panels.

It enables manufacturers to integrate recyclability from the panel design stage by establishing a material balance and calculating a recyclability rate and index (a method based on the expertise of SOREN, INES-CEA, and Certisolis).

The tool makes it possible to compare scenarios, measure the impact of material choices, and support stakeholders in their eco-modulation process with SOREN (criteria assessment and file preparation).

Available free of charge for an initial trial, ecodesign.solar turns end-of-life considerations into a lever for more circular photovoltaic panels.

Com and visit SOREN:

Hall B3 Stand C45

🏆 Highlights from the latest edition

(Re)discover the projects, companies, and innovations that made their mark on the latest edition of the EnerGaïa Innovation Awards.

Explore the story behind the creation of this award dedicated to innovation in renewable energy.

2025 winners The Trophy and its history…

Nominees for the 2026 Innovation Awards

Innovations serving the energy transition

INTERNATIONAL

DEPLOYABILITY

ECOSYSTEM

CIRCULARITY

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