The technological investments in Grand Poitiers envisaged are:
The project is about developing renewable energy production from photovoltaic power plants. This is fully in line with the EIB lending policy, which supports power generation and will give priority to investments that improve the flexibility of networks.
In addition to reducing the carbon footprint of the city and raising awareness on carbon neutrality objectives, the project will provide flexibility to the local electricity distribution network. The development of solar power plants allows the:
- Reconfiguration of the electricity distribution network, by
positioning the power plants at strategic points (in areas
where consumption will increase) and
- Smoothing out demands and consumption on the network
by storing the energy produced and releasing it at consumption peaks.
The investment concept in Lille aims to deploy a deep renovation model of industrial revolution houses in Northern Europe (“1930” houses). The renovation model received the Solar Decathlon Europe award in 2019. It was designed by students from Lille’s schools and universities. It is based on a healthy, inclusive and aesthetic accommodation, following the New European Bauhaus premises (environmental performance, adaptation and the aesthetics of use).
There will be a focus on the optimisation of the renovation process with building information modelling, standardisation of solutions and mutualisation. In addition, the collaboration between academia and local actors through interdisciplinary academic projects is key. The renovation model will be tested in 2022 on houses and will then be deployed on blocks and streets on grouped sites. The investment concept will specify the legal, financial and social conditions tied to the project.
At the technical level, the city of Lyon will seek to address all relevant issues: insulation of walls and roofs, change of windows, heating systems, hot water, lighting, ventilation and the production of renewable energy (heat network, heat pumps on groundwater, photovoltaic solar energy) of their building stock. The best available technology will be deployed to achieve the objective of approaching net-zero emissions.
Another method to be used is to put more emphasis on performance procurement, rather than traditional (means) procurement. Raising the standards of the tender specifications is underway and is the first step of the strategy.
The public entity wants to develop deep geothermal energy to produce renewable heat and electricity. Geophysical and geotechnical studies need to be conducted, including measurement campaigns and data treatment. Once these studies are done, it will be possible to define more precisely where to drill, and the drilling depth and the applicant will have a better idea of the amount of heat and electricity it will be able to produce. It will then proceed with drilling and the construction of the geothermal power station and the associated heating network.