Being useful and thinking up solutions for the future: Mathilde Veyron - Cylergie

I grew up in Savoie, in the Maurienne Valley, then in southern Seine-et-Marne. As my family originally hails from Haute-Loire and Lyon, I chose to study engineering at the Ecole des Mines in Saint-Etienne, drawn in by the mountains nearby. 
Almost as a default choice, I went into energy and found a world that really speaks to me. An internship at ANDRA (Agence nationale pour la gestion des déchets radioactifs) in nuclear waste management gave me the chance to experience energy from an initial angle. My final year internship at GRDF in bio-methane and gas-powered vehicles then gave me a new perspective on the sector. 
On graduating from Ecole des Mines, I felt I wanted to do something useful. In the energy sector, we apply a lot of solutions without necessarily knowing whether they are actually mature and tenable over a 20-30 year period. It was this questioning that opened up the world of research to me and I did my thesis on solar thermal energy, heat grids and seasonal storage. 
As Cylergie was a stakeholder in my thesis, I was able to come experience this research centre, and once I earned my PhD, I joined the Lab. I am just thrilled, because Cylergie is exactly the kind of place I was looking for. 

What is your role at Cylergie? 

I work on solar thermal energy. Right now, I am producing reports from the ground on several facilities operated by ENGIE to assess the disparities in their functioning and be able to suggest recommendations on how they should be installed and steered. This work is exactly what I wanted to be doing: rather than continuing to install solar thermal systems all over, we need to pause for a moment and try to figure out what works and what doesn’t, to become more efficient. 
I also provide support on geothermal topics. 

What excites you about your job? 

First of all, being close to the ground, responding to real-life issues, rather than being buried in equations all the time, though we will eventually have to look into the equations to find solutions. I like knowing that my work is truly useful. 
It seems to me that the energy sector - and more broadly, the industrial sector - is often too short-sighted, and I’d like to contribute to the battle to save our equipment from obsolescence.  

What are your other passions? 

I like getting involved in association-based projects alongside people from very different social or professional backgrounds, where each person contributes their own richness. I am a member of the Scouts and Guides of France, which takes a lot of my time but is so rewarding. 
I also enjoy passing my knowledge and skills on to others, for instance through the training courses I teach with the Scouts and Guides of France. 

How are research and innovation important for the Group and, more broadly, for the planet? 

At ENGIE, we sell energy services. In this sector, research is essential if you want to offer services that will still be functional in several years’ time. It gives you the chance to reflect, then go see how others are going about things. 
As to innovation, it is clear that if we stick to the way things are currently done, we won't get very far! To make progress, we have to put on our thinking caps, and bring together all the bright ideas that will make it possible for everyone to live a better life. I am convinced that ENGIE can be one of the instrumental forces in speeding up this change. 

How do you see the future of energy? 

In my view, the key word is restraint. There is a lot of talk about CO2 capture solutions, but I think it is more important to focus on how not to emit it. 
It’s about being safe rather than sorry!

What three words do you connect with innovation? 

Agility
Long-term perspective
Imagination

Is there a quote or a phrase that means a lot to you? 

When I was sitting my engineering school exams, my mother would say, “You can never be sure success won't come knocking at your door”. I like the optimism in that idea. I think you should never shy away from something new for fear of failure.