the essential
Ademe, the ecological transition agency, has earmarked 3 million euros to enable Tarn-et-Garonne to increase its production of renewable energies and thus meet its carbon neutrality objectives. This is the meaning of the territorial renewable heat contract signed this Thursday, May 23 at the prefecture with the departmental energy union. SDE 82 will be the single point of contact for all project leaders, public or private.
“We must move forward, but while preserving the identity of our territory”: in one sentence, the prefect Vincent Roberti identified the challenge that Tarn-et-Garonne must meet to meet the energy transition and decarbonization of the territory. The territorial renewable heat contract, signed for a period of 3 years this Thursday, May 23, 2024 in the prefecture by Ademe Occitanie and the departmental energy union (SDE 82) marks a boost. Decryption.
Renewable energy production: precise objectives
“We must increase our production of renewable energies by 400 Gigawatts/hour (GWh) by 2030,” indicates the prefect, specifying that photovoltaics should contribute up to 100 Gigawatts/hour. In the background, for France it is indeed a question of “increasing its energy sovereignty”. A sovereignty which, in the French energy mix model, is based in particular on nuclear power. “Nuclear projects will only bear fruit in 2035 or 2040,” recalls Vincent Roberti. Until then, we must therefore exploit other sources of renewable energy (biomass, wind, solar, geothermal, biogas) while keeping in mind “the carbon neutrality objective set by Europe”.
The heat fund is too little known in Tarn-et-Garonne
The territorial renewable heat contract is the first of its kind signed in the department. However, the heat fund is not a new tool. “It is a system managed since 2009 by Ademe. Thanks to this heat fund, twelve projects have already been supported in Tarn-et-Garonne since 2012, including the extension of the heating network in the town of Montauban which benefited from aid of 5.8 million euros”, recalls the prefect.
By increasing the national envelope this year from 520 to 820 million euros, the government wants to give a boost. Céline Vachey, regional director of Ademe, indicates that “more than 70 million euros were paid in 2023 for renewable heat projects in Occitanie, i.e. more than 350 operations financed but too little in Tarn-et-Garonne “. However, she cites remarkable examples in our department such as the waste heat recovery system developed at the Villeroy and Boch factory in Valence-d’Agen.
The SDE 82 single contact
“What is needed is real action on the ground, prospecting to find new projects,” explains Céline Vachey. “That is the whole point of the contract that we are signing with SDE 82. It is he who will manage the aid from Ademe on our behalf To streamline, we needed a single contact and it will be the departmental energy union. Thanks to this, we will be able to help small projects and develop partnerships with companies. .”
As the organizing authority of the local public electricity service for the 195 municipalities of Tarn-et-Garonne, the SDE 82 will offer technical, financial and administrative support to public and private stakeholders in the territory, the emergence of projects through to the operation and monitoring of installations. “We have set up a center dedicated to carrying out this mission,” said President Jacques Gayral.
An envelope of 3 million euros to help 31 projects over 3 years
Jacques Gayral speaks of an “ambitious program” when discussing the objectives of this territorial renewable heat contract. The 3 million euros earmarked by Ademe Occitanie for Tarn-et-Garonne will make it possible to fulfill “the contractual objective of 19 installations in the hope of reaching the final objective of 31 installations”. The SDE 82 aims to produce 7.08 GWh of additional renewable energy… which is equivalent to 700,000 liters of fuel.
