France Hydro Électricité

What France Hydro Électricité does

France Hydro Électricité is the national professional trade union (syndicat national de la petite hydroélectricité) representing the small-scale hydropower sector in France. Headquartered in Paris at 66 rue La Boétie, the organization federates approximately 750 hydroelectric plants (under 10 MW each) and 170 supplier members across France as of 2026, providing industry advocacy, regulatory representation, technical documentation, training, and networking services. It operates as a membership-based association rather than a commercial company, funded primarily through member dues, with no disclosed revenue figures and a small core staff of 1-10 employees supplemented by freelancers.

The association's product portfolio comprises technical publications and guides (including the flagship 'Guide vers la centrale du XXIe siècle' and 'Livre blanc de l'hydroélectricité'), professional training programs, a supplier directory of 180+ entries, a H16 Bis tariff calculation spreadsheet, classified advertisements, the Flash-Info member newsletter, and the annual Rencontres France Hydro Électricité conference (18 editions completed by June 2026 in Valence). It maintains strategic relationships with ADEME (the French ecological transition agency) and the CRE (Commission de Régulation de l'Énergie), participating in national energy transition policy and joint publications for project developers.

Its business model is community-led: membership dues, event registration, training fees, and directory promotion fund core operations, with revenue mechanics, pricing, and financial results undisclosed. The website functions primarily as an information and member portal rather than a transactional platform, and the organization has no mobile app, no public API, and no proprietary technology stack. Growth is driven by adding plant operators and suppliers to the federation and expanding technical guidance and advocacy across the French small-hydro sector.

Name

France Hydro Électricité

Legal name

France Hydro Électricité

Website

https://france-hydro-electricite.fr

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

France Hydro Électricité is the national trade union federating approximately 750 small-scale hydroelectric plants and 170 supplier members in France, providing advocacy, technical publications, training, and the annual Rencontres industry conference.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Renewable Energy Trade Association

NAICS

Hydroelectric Power Generation (221111)

SIC

Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)

akta.pro primary industry

Hydropower Operations, Maintenance & Asset Management (O&M, Spares, Performance) (EUAMADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hydropower Project Development & Permitting (Greenfield, Licensing, Water Rights) (EUAMADAA), Hydropower Turbines & Electro-Mechanical Equipment (Turbines, Generators, Governors) (EUAMADAC)

Keywords

• Small hydropower association
• Renewable energy union
• Hydroelectric industry training
• Energy technical publications
• Hydroelectric regulatory guidance

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: As a trade union (syndicat), France Hydro Électricité generates revenue through membership fees from hydroelectric plant owners, operators, and suppliers in the small hydro sector. The organization is described as 'Syndicat national de la petite hydroélectricité' federating 750 plants and 170 suppliers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

France Hydro Électricité is the national professional syndicate (syndicat national) for small-scale hydroelectricity in France. It federates approximately 750 hydroelectric plants and 170 supplier members, delivering industry representation, technical publications and guides, professional training courses, a supplier directory, classified advertising, the annual Rencontres conference, and member-only news bulletins. Revenue is generated primarily through membership dues from plant owners/operators and suppliers.

Product overview

France Hydro Électricité is a national union (syndicat) representing the small hydroelectric power sector in France, serving approximately 750 hydroelectric plants and 170 supplier members. The organization functions as an industry association providing a portfolio of services including technical publications and guides (fiscal, environmental, administrative), professional training programs, a supplier directory, a tariff calculation tool, classified advertisements, and annual professional events (Rencontres). The offering is a unified association membership service rather than a software product platform, designed to support project developers, plant operators, and suppliers throughout the small hydroelectric sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Publications and Technical Guides Technical publications covering fiscal, environmental, administrative, legal, and operational topics for small hydroelectric plant developers, owners, and operators.
• Professional Training Programs Paid training courses including 'Pilotage économique et financier d'une centrale hydroélectrique' and 'Prérequis pour se lancer dans la production d'hydroélectricité', targeting plant operators, project developers, and finance teams.
• Annuaire des Fournisseurs (Supplier Directory) Directory of 170+ supplier members offering turbines, civil engineering, electrical systems, environmental studies, insurance, legal counsel, and project development services to hydroelectric plant owners.
• Outil de calcul de tarif H16 Bis (Tariff Calculation Tool) Spreadsheet tool that calculates energy production, consumption equivalence, capacity factor, installation efficiency, CO2 emissions avoided, and comparison with other renewable energies for prospective small hydroelectric projects.
• Petites Annonces (Classifieds) Free classified advertisements for buying and selling hydroelectric plants and for employment opportunities in the small hydro sector.
• Rencontres France Hydro Électricité (Annual Conference) Annual professional conference bringing together industry stakeholders for presentations, workshops, networking, and an exhibition area; the 18th edition was held in June 2026 in Valence.
• Project Development Support Resources Guides and resources supporting individuals developing hydroelectric projects, covering administrative authorization processes, environmental considerations, and financing approaches.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• CRE (Commission de Régulation de l'Énergie)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 February 2026France Hydro Électricité was auditioned by CRE in October 2025 for the report 'S'inspirer pour accélérer la transition énergétique dans les territoires'. The CRE publishes prospective reports on energy transition in which the organization participates.
• ADEME (Agence de la Transition Écologique)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrance Hydro Électricité collaborates with ADEME on publications and guides for hydroelectric project developers. Joint publications include guides on administrative procedures and legal/financial structuring for small hydro projects.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• EDF (Électricité de France): France's incumbent electric utility and largest hydropower operator. Operates broadly across generation, including large hydro, and represents the dominant incumbent whose policy positions FHE frequently engages with on behalf of small hydro.
• Compagnie Nationale du Rhône: Major French hydropower operator on the Rhône river concession. Comparable as a large French hydro operator whose activities and political weight shape the environment in which FHE's small hydro members operate.

Direct peers

• Union Française de l'Électricité: French electricity industry federation representing generators and grid operators. Comparable as a national industry association engaged in regulatory advocacy, technical guidance, and sector representation in France.
• Enerplan: French professional association for the solar energy sector. Comparable as a French renewable energy industry body offering publications, training, events, and regulatory advocacy for a specific renewable technology.
• France Énergie Éolienne: French trade association for the wind energy sector. Highly comparable structural peer — national membership syndicate, policy advocacy, training, and supplier engagement — but focused on wind rather than small hydro.
• Syndicat des Énergies Renouvelables: National French trade association for renewable energy producers. Directly comparable as a French membership-based industry syndicate, although it covers renewables more broadly rather than small hydro specifically.

Others

• ADEME (Agence de la Transition Écologique): French public agency for ecological transition that partners with FHE on joint publications and guidance for project developers. Comparable as an adjacent ecosystem participant that shapes technical and funding frameworks for small hydro.
• RTE (Réseau de Transport d'Électricité): French electricity transmission system operator. Relevant adjacent infrastructure participant whose grid access and connection rules directly affect FHE members' ability to commercialize small hydro generation.

Regional players

• International Hydropower Association: Global membership organization for the hydropower sector. Comparable mission around advocacy, sustainability guidance, and knowledge dissemination, but operating globally rather than within a single national market.
• European Small Hydropower Association: European federation focused specifically on small hydropower. Closest functional counterpart to FHE, operating at EU level rather than France-only, and working on comparable policy, technical, and standardization issues.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FranceHydroElec
• Facebookfacebook.com/francehydroelectricite
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/france-hydro-electricite

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about France Hydro Électricité