For how long have you been working for Ciel & Terre?
I discovered Ciel & Terre and its Hydrelio® technology back in 2015 for a project I had in Indonesia. That project was eventually abandoned but I kept contact with Ciel & Terre and proposed them to do something together in Taiwan. At that time, I arleady knew that Taiwan will be an important market for FPV. Indeed, the policies in force can only be beneficial for the development of renewable energies here. Moreover, considerering the specific geography of Taiwan, having FPV makes total sense for this market. As a result, Ciel & Terre Taiwan was established in December 2016.
What does Ciel & Terre represent to you?
Ciel & Terre is clearly the pioneer of floating solar. It was one of the first to venture in that. We should be proud of what has been achieved. The acquired experience gives us today the opportunity to lead in the FPV globally and get into promising innovative technologies.
According to you, what are Ciel & Terre’s spirit and most important values?
The spirit of Ciel & Terre is an adventurous one combined with values such as professionalism, expertise, reliability, and ethic.
What qualities do you think Ciel & Terre people have?
I always ask my team what they want the most for the company. A majority replies success. But what is a successful business, a successful project?
Then, we come to discuss about the values I was referring earlier. We “don’t sell dream” to our clients, we help them to build a power plant that must generate electricity for at least 20 years, so the quality of the floating system, the anchoring, its design, its durability, and reliability are so important that each member of Ciel & Terre must understand that his or her everyday actions in the company impact the others in a bad or a positive way. We must show solidarity to each other, but also to our clients, suppliers, and stakeholders.
So what is the main quality of Ciel & Terre people? Being united.
So far, what has been the most memorable moment for you and for your team/for the office?
For Ciel & Terre Taiwan, I think winning the contract of the Changbing project, we had to supply 88 MWp in only 7 months, it was challenging logistically and technically (seawater, two tides per day…). We learned a lot, we acquired particularly valuable experience that we are sharing today with the whole Ciel & Terre’s Group.
At a more personal level, I would say two moments:
The first would be winning the Agongdian tender back in 2016 with my Taiwanese friends and partners, there was noCiel & Terre Taiwan at that time, and I did not really know what kind of collaboration I would have with Ciel & Terre. But we did it, Agongdian is a 10MWp FPV in south Taiwan that is producing electricity since 2017, that project was the real beginning of Ciel & Terre’s story in Taiwan.
The second is the construction of our two Sugu’s power plants in 2017 and 2018. The Sugu (5MWp) were the first projects that I developed with the Hydrelio® system and included in the Ciel & Terre pipe. It was also the first joint venture with our Japanese partners. That was the beginning of our commitment to develop and invest in projects by ourselves.
What is your favourite mantra?
I understand it like, do not be scared to dream, to experience new things, to venture in new challenges, but wherever you go, whatever you do, always remind yourself where you come from and what you have been through. I am an enthusiastic fan of knowledge by “lessons learned”.
What animates you in your managing director job?
My team.
My words may seem angelic, but I think about them every single day, the problems they may face, their achievements, how I can give them my best support and so on.
I tend to hire people that are more talented than me. I see my teammates as a source to elevate myself and become a better me, a better manager.
What kind of opportunities do you foresee for Ciel & Terre in the upcoming years?
For Ciel & Terre in Taiwan, a wonderful one! We have an amazing FPV pipe up to 2022 so far. We are offering complete turnkey solution to our clients including EPCM and O&M services. We are developing and investing into new markets such as “solar aqua-farming”. Moreover, we have established in 2019 the Taiwanese holding Laketricity that allows us to venture in these new opportunities.
More globally, Ciel & Terre can become the worldwide reference in the floating solar industry, not only for inland’s projects. Indeed, the next massive thing is offshore FPV, we must go in that direction, and we are already working on it.
What do you think the future will be like in 10 years?
This is a strange question.
I am not a diviner; I do not see the future. But what I know is that I am doing my part in fighting the climate change and bringing people together. I believe that all together, at every level, governmental, industries, individuals, we will win this so I will be able to see my (future) grandchildren growing up in a peaceful and environmentally healed world.
