A project for a new district heating network in Bordeaux has just been given the go ahead by the local Bordeaux Métropole authority. The recently-approved project will see the creation of a geothermal heating network in the Plaine Rive Droite, which will serve 4 districts of Bordeaux:

Brazza
Niel
Benauge
Garonne-Eiffel.

Bordeaux Métropole has chosen to accept the tender made by ENGIE, and has decided to award the local subsidiaries of the French giant a 30-year concession on the project.

The city has therefore chosen to opt for geothermal energy as the main energy source for the network, with an energy mix composed of 82% renewable energies, and also with natural gas complementing geothermal energy.

According to ENGIE, the project will be something of a first in France in more than 30 years with the exception of the networks in the Paris region. The new heat production plant, which was created by the Bordeaux firm Moon Safari, was designed to “make reference to the local industrial heritage”.

The project is also set to include the construction of an Energy House citizen centre designed to serve local residents, which will offer interactive educational programs for all visitors and is scheduled to be built next to the boiler room.

The first step of the project will see the initial drilling begin in early 2019 and continue over a period of 4 months.

Here are the key figures of the project, as provided by ENGIE.