The town of Bischwiller (Alsace, eastern France) entrusted Idex with the public service delegation to install district heating. The contract will be officially signed on Monday 6 December at 3pm at the Bischwiller town hall in the presence of Jean-Lucien Netzer, Mayor of Bischwiller, and Benjamin Fremaux, Chairman of Idex.

The town of Bischwiller is pursuing an ambitious air-energy climate transition strategy, centred around a drive to ensure its urban environment considers the community’s future and quality of life by installing an innovative and scalable district heating system that is both environmentally and economically effective. The aim is to supply local residents with low-carbon heat, complete with support services that reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to encourage the community to do their bit.

Idex bringing about the energy transition in urban areas

Idex was able to leverage a solid range of assets to steer this major project in Bischwiller, including:

  • Expertise in managing urban energy infrastructure

  • A user-focused public service culture

  • Flexibility and agility as a medium-sized structure

  • Best practice in environmental management

An Idex steering committee, on which sit representatives from the local community, was set up at the start of the project in order to foster a forum for dialogue that involves all the various partners and guarantees information is shared in a transparent manner. To operate effectively, energy service companies must be close to their clients, ensure seamless dialogue, speak the same language and take rapid action thanks to the proximity of the Rosheim Idex branch. Idex seeks to combine human proximity and energy efficiency in order to meet the needs of communities in real time.

Optimal energy efficiency for Bischwiller

Idex designed the technical project to optimise the price of energy delivered and to recover as much renewable wood energy as possible. This is how the desired minimum rate of renewable energy of 90% will be guaranteed from 2025.

An energy and environmental management strategy has been put in place, alongside a strong drive to achieve energy savings. The long-term future of the structures has been secured through a tailored maintenance and upgrade plan that runs throughout the entire duration of the contract.

Harnessing digital technology to achieve energy efficiency 

The network will integrate an ID View monitoring system composed of a vast range of connected equipment able to control production, distribution and demand in real time. The system serves to optimise the operation of facilities and share data with users. An effective interface, the showcase site will be able to share information with subscribers in real time.
 

General economics of the project 

The investment programme aligns with the expectations of the people living in Bischwiller, which in relation to heat supply include:

  • The construction of a mixed wood (8 MW) and gas (6.5 MW) boiler

  • The use of load shedding and reinjection into the hospital boiler

  • District heating

  • 124 sub-stations 

  • A monitoring system 

The overall amount invested will total close to €16 million.

Idex expects to receive a grant from the French environment agency Ademe and the Fonds Chaleur endowment fund in order to supply this energy at an affordable price for users.

The boiler facility will be covered in vegetation to ensure it blends in with its surroundings to avoid it being a blot on the landscape of the town.

The service put in place reflects Idex’s desire to support the town of Bischwiller in its project, from design to commissioning, through to operation. Idex has positioned itself as a high level partner throughout the contract by expanding the use of recovered and renewable energy, while constantly listening and working in complete transparency with the contracting authority.
Benjamin Fremaux
Chairman of Idex