Air-wood fund
About this good practice
The high air pollution linked to the fine particles, responsible for many health problems, has entailed the objective to reduce the emissions of these particles from 8% to 5% with this “Air-wood fund “.
3 public authorities located in an atmosphere protection plan area (PPA), Grenoble Alpes Métropole, Le Grésivaudan and Le Pays Voironnais, in conjunction with ADEME (French Environment and Energy Management Agency), have decided to promote financial aid the replacement of inefficient wood heating appliances (pre-2002 appliances or open fireplaces) with renewable wood energy.
Replacing an obsolete device can be expensive for individuals (about 3,500€), this is why the Wood-air fund (Prime Air Bois) is presented as a "scrapping bonus": a household undertakes to replace its old appliances with a new one with the "7-star green flame" label which guarantees performance, in exchange for which the local authority pays you a bonus of 1,600€ or 2,000€ depending on the household's resources.
Open fireplaces are often found in older, uninsulated dwellings where an ageing population lives. Thus, this support system has effects both on the environment (improved efficiency and air quality) and on social aspects thanks to the additional premium for precarious households.
This air wood fund is addressed to every households that have a heat system with fireplaces.
Resources needed
A total of 6,985,000€ funded by Grenoble metropole (60%) and by ADEME (40%):
-6,125,000€ used for 5,000 individual wood heating.
-860,000€ used for processing the applications, assessment and communication.
Evidence of success
Number of individual wood heating funded: Total 5,000:
For 2019: 1,879 households have been assisted , 15% of them concern modest households’ beneficiary to additional bonus.
5% reduction of emissions of fine particles which have positive consequences on inside and outside air quality.
The “Air-wood bonus” can also be combined with the national aid, thus limiting the remaining costs for these vulnerable households.
Potential for learning or transfer
The air-wood background initially tested in the Arve Valley has already spread to 10 territories in France.
The fact that we are replacing an existing device is quite simple both in terms of the culture of the project owners (they already know how to use wood energy) and in terms of the impact of the work, which is generally very short - around the order of the day - and generates little nuisance (casing of the existing duct, replacement of old equipment).
In all mountain regions where wood energy is often very present and where there are air quality problems linked to the topography of the valley, this measure makes sense.
For the modest households concerned, it is both a gain:
-in terms of health (indoor and outdoor air quality),
-an energy gain (less fuel) and cost savings,
-and a gain in comfort.
Depending on the pre-existing equipment, the gain is estimated between 40 and 75%.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Grenoble Alpes metropole