On 24 June, the Taverny municipal council reiterated its trust in Idex to build a new geothermal facility and operate its district heating system. This new 15-year contract seeks to create a greener network and control consumption.

Created in the 1970s, at the same time as the Croix Rouge district, the heating system was initially powered by fuel oil. In 2008, the site underwent a complete overhaul to switch to natural gas, and since 2016, the procurement of biomethane enabled subscribers to benefit from a reduced VAT rate of 5.5% on their energy bills. The town of Taverny continues to pursue its energy transition by tapping into a local and renewable energy source – geothermal.

The decision to transition to geothermal energy was essential for the town of Taverny. This very low-carbon energy is naturally present in the ground, and when combined with a heat pump, it offers very attractive levels of performance. In order to make facilities compatible with this new energy, Idex will undertake a vast programme to upgrade sub-stations. Next autumn, a test well will be drilled in order to determine the technical characteristics of the production and reinjection wells.

51% green energy

From 2022, 27% of the network will powered by geothermal energy, with a further 34% by biomethane. Additional needs will be met with the current gas production capabilities (11 MW), which will have been upgraded. Although Taverny’s current district heating supplies the equivalent of over 1,250 homes in the Croix Rouge area with heating and water, the contract will extend the system to cover the Jean Bouin stadium and gymnasium.

Moreover, the project will benefit from a grant from the French environment agency, Ademe, to help cover the investment in geothermal energy.

Crowdfunding

In order to raise awareness among the local community and encourage buy-in to the project, Idex and the town of Taverny decided to launch a crowdfunding campaign. The residents are therefore the primary drivers of this local, green economy.

Benjamin Fremaux, Chairman of Idex, said, “Supporting the energy transition of a town like Taverny over the long term, with a resource that is naturally present in the ground, opens a vast wealth of possibilities, in terms of deploying infrastructure and upgrading facilities. It is a really exciting time for Idex, once again proving it is possible to further pick up the pace of the energy transition across regions.”