JIT Solaire is specialized in largescale, turnkey photovoltaic projects for investors in the renewable energy sector. The company was founded by Frank Braudel and Jérôme Bailleul in Poitiers in 2007 at a time with a very favourable climate for photovoltaic energy.

In 2008, JIT Solaire completed the first installations in the Poitiers area. “We financed the first systems ourselves, completely without bank loans,” says Director Frank Braudel. Later that same year, JIT Solaire started cooperating with SERGIES, the main electrical distributor in the Poitiers region.

At the same time, the company extended its geographical presence and established JIT Solaire Rhone-Alpes. In the following months, JIT Solaire concluded several major frame agreements with SERGIES as well as SAS AGRICOLAIRE in the Poitiers and Dijon areas.

“At the very beginning, we concentrated on private homes,” explains Mr. Braudel. “Then we changed our strategy and started focusing on large-surface systems on agricultural buildings.” JIT Solaire completed its first agricultural project in December 2008.

The project had an output of 141 kWp. “Today, the average agricultural plant installed by us is about 100 kWp,” states Mr. Braudel. In addition to building turnkey photovoltaic systems, JIT Solaire started its own production of solar modules.

“We have been assembling our own solar modules since the beginning of this year,” says Mr. Braudel. “Our current portfolio includes modules with an output of 200 to 260 Wp.”

JIT Solaire has 70 employees and generates annual revenues of 26 to 28 million EUR. The privately owned firm not only builds turnkey photovoltaic plants. The company also offers maintenance services for its installations that cover their entire useful life, meaning about 20 years.

For SEECL, a power supplier in La Chapelle Laurent, JIT Solaire completed a 4-MWp project.

“We are very flexible in meeting individual customer requirements and fast in delivering perfectly customized solutions,” states Mr. Braudel. “But customer services and maintenance are growing more and more in importance, and this is where we are particularly good.”

Other strong points of JIT Solaire include the company’s excellent contacts to its main customers, the farmers, and the superior qualification of its site supervisors. “Our site supervisors are our local ambassadors,” explains Mr. Braudel. “They work together closely with the farmers and have a key role in guaranteeing long-term customers satisfaction.”

Last but not least, the photovoltaic systems installed by JIT Solaire not only produce green energy. They are also designed with respect for the environment and integrate perfectly with their natural surroundings. To date, JIT Solaire has completed more than 300 photovoltaic projects totaling 40 MWp, mainly in the regions of Poitiers and Rhone-Alpes.

The company has three main customers groups: investors looking for a long-term investment with above-average returns in the renewable energy sector, farmers who want to use their own surface area to produce their own electricity and farmers who need new buildings but do not have the necessary funds for these buildings.

“We construct the buildings, use the roofs and produce solar energy, and the farmers can use the buildings,” Mr. Braudel describes the business model relating to the third customer segment. JIT Solaire has a strong position in the French photovoltaic market, thanks mainly to its many years of experience and its service-oriented approach, and despite growing competition and reduced subsidies. Now the company is looking abroad to further expand its leading role in the agricultural sector.

“We want to grow internationally and expand our export activities,” states Mr. Braudel. “We already had plans for investing in Malaysia. This proved very difficult, however, as the administrative requirements are very complex. It remains a project for the future but is not on our immediate agenda.”

Besides developing the company’s international strategy, JIT Solaire is concentrating on reducing its costs. “It is becoming more and more crucial to staying competitive to cut costs,” says Mr. Braudel. “In this context, we have started our own production operation to assemble part of our systems in our factory. The objective is to further develop this activity to save costs.”

While expanding internationally and cutting costs, JIT Solaire is continuing to stay committed to its main strength: turnkey photovoltaic systems that come with tailored maintenance services to guarantee superior returns on investment for the systems’ entire useful life.