During a press briefing organized on December 9, Amorce, the National Union of District Heating and Ademe reviewed the development of heating and cooling networks over the past ten years. Focusing more particularly on heat, the speakers underlined the capacity of the networks to become green, thanks in particular to the Chaleur Fund, but regretted the still too slow development of these installations.
Heating networks have a role “ essential » to play in the achievement of energy transition objectives, and it is necessary to support their development more fully if France wishes to meet its climate objectives. This is the idea defended by the AMORCE association and the National Union of District Heating (SNCU).
To date, there are 798 heating networks, with a cumulative length of 5,964 km (compared to 3,321 km in 2009). ” Heating networks supply 2.37 million housing equivalents. It is still quite substantial. A large number of French citizens are concerned and are sometimes delivered without knowing it », Unveiled Aurélie Lehéricy, president of the SNCU.
The cooling networks have also progressed even if they remain not very representative with 0.96 TWh of cold delivered net in 2019 (compared to 0.93 TWh in 2009), and 239 km of lengths served compared to 131 km 10 years ago, for 1,339 connected buildings. ” District cooling is a growing concern for all citizens. As you can see, we have had successive temperature records in France over the past three years. We are moving from cold comfort to sanitary cold ”. It remains to structure the sector so that the installations do not multiply in the city in a disorganized way, and thus effectively fight against heat islands.
Heating networks for a successful energy transition
Referring to the heat, she mentioned the greening of networks. ” Heat represents 677 TWh in France, which is 40% of final energy consumption “. It mainly comes from gas, with renewable and recovered energies being the second largest contributor with 155 TWh (21%). Note that the heat from networks is 60% renewable (compared to 31% in 2009). In a recent study, the AMORCE association and the SNCU revealed that natural gas is the main source of energy for district heating networks (35.2%), a share that has fallen sharply since 2009 (44%). Biomass has experienced strong growth (from 3% to 23.8%). Fuel oil and coal fell by 8.5 points and 4.3 points respectively.
« We have renewable resources within reach in all territories. Networks are by far the best way to exploit them “, Advanced Aurélie Lehéricy. The networks are thus presented as an opportunity to achieve the objectives of the energy transition law for green growth. But ” it is a lasting solution which is still insufficiently exploited ”. Indeed, of the 155 TWh of renewable heat in France, the networks only contribute 15 TWh.
Developing heating networks is also of great interest at the local level. “ 98% of heating networks are public and belong to local authorities, so the sector and the operators are, somewhere, only the operators for a certain period of time. This means that all the investments made in the sector come back to the community. It is a lasting heritage, which cannot be relocated, which generates local jobs and serves all regions. Insisted the President of the SNCU.
Greener networks
The greening of the networks was made possible thanks to the “essential” support of the Heat Fund, said Aurélie Lehéricy. ” We have doubled the volumes of renewable heat to reach 15 TWh today. We were less than 8 TWh in 2009, so obviously there is pride in the road traveled “, She said adding that CO2 emissions within district heating networks have decreased by more than 40% in 10 years. “ But we are very realistic, there is still so much to do. The volumes produced by heating networks are leveling off. They have increased by 9% in ten years. There is a very positive reason, and that is that buildings are more energy efficient, better insulated, and that’s great news. “. The negative point is the price of fossil fuels ” which is extremely low “And” which is not sufficiently taxed “. This is ” a brake on the development of renewable heat ».
The average selling price of heat distributed by network was nearly € 75 excluding VAT / MWh in 2019 (+ 1.2% compared to 2018). The reduced rate VAT makes virtuous networks competitive, underlines a press release. The Unions believe that heating networks remain competitive compared to electric and gas heating solutions. By way of example, they indicate: ” Heating an average home supplied by a district heating network with an RE & R rate greater than 50% costs € 1,238 per year », Compared to € 1,443 for similar accommodation supplied with collective gas, and € 2,028 for accommodation supplied by a heat pump.
How to accelerate their development?
Firstly via the Heat Fund, which provides aid to project owners, whether public or private, wishing to engage in a project for the production and use of renewable heat. In 10 years, the Chaleur Fund has been endowed with two billion euros, and has supported more than 5,000 installations, detailed Fabrice Boissier, deputy director of Ademe. He precised ” There is an increase in allocated funds ”, From 200 million euros per year on average, to 350 million euros. This should make it possible to speed up aid, catch up and reach a minimum rate of 65% of EnR & R, he said.
Regarding the said delay, the speakers explained that the speed of network development is twice lower than that provided for by the multiannual energy program (PPE). The sector is mobilized to achieve the objectives. Among the actions undertaken, that carried out by AMORCE, Cerema and Ademe in towns with more than 10,000 inhabitants that do not yet benefit from the advantages of a heating network. An initiative which “ already giving first results ».
Of course, the development of district heating networks will depend on future regulations. Regarding the tertiary decree, Aurélie Lehéricy spoke of the importance of “ modify the methodology to take into account the total energy consumption. Not just what’s inside the building “. Is good the ” all electric Which is pointed out. A cooling network ” consumes half the electricity to operate, emits half the CO2 and uses ten times less refrigerant », She underlined.
Nicolas Garnier, general delegate of AMORCE, also referred to the tertiary decree, announcing that the association would most certainly ask for a postponement of the deadlines or even of the implementation “ because we have the impression that we are taking a direction that could be deadly for energy renovation “. Why not create an independent monitoring body, he asked, “ to ensure the correct environmental assessment ». « There is still a need for consensus on this regulatory framework for energy transition “. Citing the RE2020, and in particular the calculation methods, he said he feared, again, a massive use of electric heating. ” We have interesting industrial solutions ” which will ” be challenged by these regulations ».
Rose Colombel
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