As part of the Low Emission Infrastructure market (IBE Project), WattElse will provide technical and financial support to SOFICO during the various phases of the competitive dialogue procedure with the designated participants.
The IBE Project
A little over a year ago, SOFICO, the Walloon Society for Complementary Infrastructure Financing, launched its “Low Emissions Infrastructure” project. This is an ambitious challenge which aims to make the most of all the available spaces in its (auto) road network and its river infrastructures with the aim of producing renewable energy and developing new mobility services for users of the domain.
The area covered by the IBE Project
The IBE Project covers the entire area managed by SOFICO, namely the Walloon motorways (almost 900 km), the national 4-lane roads (over 1,400 km), motorway areas, interchanges and river infrastructure.
Source : SOFICO
The entire Walloon navigable fluvial domain which is not directly managed by SOFICO is also included in the scope. If installations are envisaged on land which SOFICO does not currently manage, these lands may be the subject of a sale by the Walloon Region to SOFICO.
The creativity of the solicited companies
During a roadshow carried out in 2019, SOFICO launched an appeal to companies to invite them to imagine solutions that aim to maximize the renewable production potential of the SOFICO scope and to consider solutions for the mobility of tomorrow that operate in part of the energy produced on the domain. In total, more than 250 companies took part in the various information sessions.
What is the process status?
Today, 5 participants were selected to participate in the competitive dialogue procedure, after a selection based on their technical capacities. The participants will be led during different phases of dialogue to build a proposal that meets the objectives of the IBE Project, namely:
- Develop and integrate new renewable energy production units (wind, biomass, hydrogen, photovoltaic, etc.) from plots in the public domain made available to the project;
- Participate in regional efforts in terms of reducing greenhouse gases;
- Generate new financial revenue available to SOFICO in the form of fees subject to VAT (remuneration for services provided by SOFICO);
- Develop new methods and techniques in the management, storage, etc. of renewable energy;
- Develop new methods, techniques and services concerning mobility and its new uses.
Note that SOFICO still leaves the door open to other companies wishing to join the selected consortia.
SOFICO surrounds itself with experts
As part of the IBE procurement process, SOFICO selected technical, economic and legal experts to help it assess the feasibility of the proposals to be submitted by the economic operators. WattElse will provide technical and economic assistance to SOFICO, which will also be accompanied by the SPW for the technical component.
Under the cover of a strict confidentiality, the mission of WattElse will consist in appreciating the proposals on the technical and economic level taking into account the objectives of the IBE Project and the award criteria, to assist SOFICO in discussions with participants in dialogue, operationalize the award criteria and participate in the evaluation of final offers.
The team is looking forward to working on this very ambitious project!