EI-IA — Independent energy advisory for Dordogne homeowners

Independent advisory · Nouvelle Aquitaine

Independent energy advice
for your French home

Solar, storage and heating strategy for English-speaking homeowners who want clarity on French grants and system choices — before you commit. No installers, no commissions, just honest advice.

  • Understand what your conflicting quotes are actually saying
  • Know exactly which French grants you qualify for — and in what order
  • A clear written plan you can take to any RGE installer
Check grant eligibility See how it works
Based in central Dordogne Independent of installers English-speaking service Fee-paid, no commission
How it works

Five steps from enquiry to recommendation

1

Initial conversation

A short call to understand your property and goals. Free — no commitment.

2

Property information

Short questionnaire covering floor area, heating, tariff, and documents.

3

On-site or remote

On-site visit for Aquitaine clients, or a structured desktop review.

4

Written recommendations

A clear report setting out options, sizing, grant potential, next steps.

5

Installer briefing

Optional: a brief ready to take to any RGE installer for like-for-like quotes.

25 yrs
Project management experience
12kWp PV
Real-world system — Dordogne farmhouse
17th C
Experience with complex, large rural stone properties
0%
Commission from installers — fully independent advice
MaPrimeRénov' · EDF OA · Éco-PTZ · 2026

Are you leaving French grants unclaimed?

MaPrimeRénov' 2026 covers MVHR ventilation, thermodynamic hot water, heat pumps, and more — with significant changes from January 2026 that most homeowners don't know about. The self-service eligibility checker takes three minutes and shows you exactly what applies to your property.

MVHR / VMC double flux Thermodynamic hot water Heat pump replacement Window glazing Solar PV return Parcours accompagné
Check my grant eligibility — free, 3 minutes

No registration · No sales call unless you request one · 2026 figures

🏠

Typical grant stack — pre-2006 property

€3,700 – €8,700

MVHR + thermodynamic hot water + heat pump, modestes income band

☀️

Solar PV payback — 6kWp, south-facing

12 – 15 years

No MaPrimeRénov'; EDF OA prime €480 + bill savings at €0.194/kWh

📋

Parcours accompagné — whole-home route

Up to 90% funding

On eligible works cost for très modestes households undertaking deep renovation

The challenge

Most owners do not need more sales pitches. They need a plan.

You have probably already spoken to two or three installers. Each one told you something different. One said you need 20 panels, another said 12. One pushed a heat pump, another said not to bother.

The problem is structural: every installer quote is a sales document, not an engineering analysis. The conflict of interest is built in — you are asking someone who sells systems to tell you whether you need a system, and how big.

"Getting advice from an installer is like asking a car dealership whether you need a new car, they simply cannot be objective." — The Energy Independent

That is why my job is different. I work for you — before you commit to anything, before you sign anything, before you hand over a deposit to your installer.

See how I work

Conflicting installer quotes

Three quotes, three different system sizes, three different prices. No clear basis for comparison.

Grant confusion (MaPrimeRénov' etc.)

French energy grants are real, but complex. Eligibility, sequencing, and RGE requirements trip up most buyers.

Battery sizing uncertainty

LFP or other chemistry? How many kWh for a house this size? Nobody gives a straight answer.

Old-house complexity

Stone walls, mixed heating, variable insulation, and a listed building register that installers rarely mention.

Backup and resilience planning

Can solar and storage keep critical circuits running when the grid goes down?

Services

The full picture, before you spend a euro

Each service is scoped, fee-paid, and structured around your home and your goals — not around a product sale. Solar, storage, ventilation, hot water, and the grants to help pay for them.

Home Energy Autonomy Assessment & technical assessments

Home Energy Autonomy Assessment

The core engagement. Scope agreed at the initial call — which technical assessments are relevant, whether a site visit is needed, what the fee will be. One written report. Yours to keep.

See scope & fees →

Heat Pump Assessment

EN 12831 heat load study. Correct output capacity, flow temperature assessment, and MaPrimeRénov' up to €5,000+ — before you speak to any installer.

What's included →

Thermodynamic Hot Water (CET)

Demand sizing, installation position, COP modelling, and MaPrimeRénov' dossier — up to €1,200. One of the simplest standalone grant measures available.

What's included →

MVHR Sizing Audit

RE2020 and NF DTU 68.3 compliant ventilation specification — airflow schedule, unit selection, and MaPrimeRénov' dossier up to €2,500.

What's included →

Solar + Storage Concept Design

String layout, inverter sizing, battery chemistry, PVGIS modelling — sized to your actual consumption. Funded via prime à l'autoconsommation.

What's included →
Additional services

Quote Review & Project Support

Already have quotes? Independent review of specs, RGE certification, grant compliance, and terms. Project support available through to Consuel.

Ongoing service Coming soon

Remote Management & Reporting

An independent eye on your installed system — plain English reporting, underperformance flagging, and confirmation that your system is delivering what it promised. Available to existing clients in a future phase.

View full service details →
The paid deliverable

Report & Grant Funding Assistance

Every paid consultation results in a bespoke written report — your property's energy picture, options analysis, grant landscape, and a clear briefing document for any installer you choose to approach.

  • Bespoke solar & heat recovery plan for your property
  • Unbiased quote review and comparison framework
  • Regional and national grant assessment (MaPrimeRénov', CEE, Éco-PTZ)
  • Installer briefing document — ready for any RGE contractor
  • Confidential — prepared for you alone, not shared with suppliers
Dordogne stone farmhouse with solar panels
Common questions

Before you get in touch

All services are fee-paid and time-based. There are no commissions, referral fees, or financial ties to any installer or supplier. The initial conversation is always free and without commitment.

Paid engagements are priced by service type and, for on-site visits, by distance travelled from central Dordogne. Fees are quoted HT; TVA at 20% applies. Indicative fees for each service are shown on the relevant service page.

On-site assessments cover the full Dordogne (24), Charente (16), Haute-Vienne (87), and western Corrèze (19). A small number of remote desktop reviews are available for clients elsewhere in France — these cover the Solar + Storage Concept Design and Quote Review services in full, and a structured version of the Home Energy Autonomy Assessment.

Yes — often more so. Quotes from different installers are rarely comparable because they are based on different assumptions about system size, battery chemistry, and grant eligibility. An independent review gives you a common framework against which all quotes can be evaluated before you sign anything.

The guide to comparing solar quotes in France covers the eight things to check in every quote.

No. On-site visits are focused on Dordogne and the surrounding area, but remote desktop reviews are available for clients anywhere in France. If you are outside the on-site area and want an assessment rather than just a quote review or concept design, get in touch — a structured remote version is available based on property documents, plans, and a detailed questionnaire.

Second homes and holiday lets are specifically catered for. The consumption profile, grant eligibility, and resilience requirements are different from a primary residence — MaPrimeRénov' is not available for secondary properties, but CEE and TVA 5.5% apply more broadly, and the case for solar and storage as a running-cost reduction measure is often stronger for properties with high seasonal occupancy.

Independence & credentials

Why independence matters

"The structural conflict of interest in installer-tied advice is not a character problem. It is an economic one. The advice will follow the incentive — every time."

No installer affiliation

Not connected to any installer, manufacturer, or supplier. No referral fees, no preferred contractors, no commission.

Fee-paid, not commission-paid

Fees paid directly by clients for time and expertise. No financial relationship with any supplier.

No equipment sales

No panels, inverters, or batteries are sold. The only product is independent advice.

Works executed by qualified installers

All physical work carried out by RGE/QualiPV-certified installers throughout.

Qualifications & experience

  • 25 years project management
  • Formal photovoltaic design and sizing training
  • Real-world 12kWp PV + 28kWh LFP system, owner-managed
  • Hands-on experience with PVGIS, string design, and battery chemistry selection
  • Practical knowledge of MaPrimeRénov', CEE, TVA 5.5%, Éco-PTZ eligibility
  • Understanding of Enedis connection process and EDF OA tariffs
  • Experience with ABF (heritage) constraints and Déclaration Préalable
  • Resident in Dordogne — familiar with local installer market and RGE standards
  • English-language service with working knowledge of French regulatory context

A note on RGE certification RGE/QualiPV is an installation qualification, not an advisory one. The relevant credential here is technical training, real-world experience, and structural independence from any installer.

Get in touch

Book an initial conversation

The first call is a short, no-charge conversation to understand your property and what you are trying to achieve. No commitment, no sales pitch — just a frank discussion about whether an assessment would be useful.

Start with a free first call

Fill in your details and I will be in touch within two working days.

Central Dordogne (24), France
hello@ei-ia.eu
On-site: Dordogne (24) · Remote: nationwide France