France | Renewable Energy in Urban Areas
Express project partners convened for their 4th study visit in Paris on April 9th and 10th, 2024, where representatives from all 8 partner regions engaged in workshops, masterclasses, and site visits. The focal point of the visit was exploring public policies pertaining to renewable energy access in collective housing and urban areas.
Paris pursues ambitious renewable energy goals
In Paris, energy targets outlined in the City's Climate Plan are notably ambitious, aiming for 100% renewable energy (RE) with 20% generated locally by 2050. Photovoltaic energy production is set to cover 20% of Parisian roofs by the same year, while geothermal energy initiatives anticipate an additional 330 GWh production alongside public support for energy recovery projects. The Climate Plan encompasses various domains including buildings, urban planning, mobility, sustainable consumption, resilience, and citizen engagement.
Compagnie Parisienne de Chauffage Urbain (CPCU) is a prime example of organizations carrying out Paris Climate Plans objectives. A highlight of the visit included a tour of CPCU’s Saint Ouen plant, a facility contributing to the Paris heating network through biomass and waste heat recovery. Over its history, the plant transitioned from fossil fuels to biomass, aligning with its objective to cease coal usage by 2024.
Sharing good practices
The exchange of good practices featured Paris Climate Agency’s CoachCopro, a platform aiding condominiums in energy renovation projects. With a comprehensive range of resources and support, CoachCopro facilitates energy retrofitting endeavors across metropolitan France, with over 19,000 registered condominiums and 800,000 housing units involved as of early 2023. While visiting, we had the opportunity to attend the Sustainable Housing Forum (le Forum Habiter Durable) held at the Paris City Hall. The Forum Habiter Durable serves as the premier event for condominium renovation in the Paris metropolitan area, welcoming all condominium owners and property managers from Paris and its surrounding areas.
An exemplary case of energy retrofitting showcased Vouillé-Brancion’s Residence, a 133-unit apartment building in Paris. The building underwent a comprehensive renovation covering facades, roofs, ventilation, lighting, water heating systems, and insulation. Additionally, integrated photovoltaic production systems were installed, reducing energy consumption by 40% and greenhouse gas emissions by 2.5 times, thus achieving the Low Consumption Building Objective (BBC). This participatory project, carried out in collaboration with co-owners, highlights a successful model for achieving real energy savings in a densely populated urban setting.
- Materials presented during the study visit are available in the EXPRESS project library.