The wood boiler room project in Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon is abandoned

The Metropolis of Lyon had announced in 2024 (deliberation of June 24, 2024; Editor's note) a project of urban heat network powered by a large wood boiler roomfor theWest Lyon which concerned the municipalities of Francheville, Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon, Tassin-la-Demi-Lune, Craponne, on 5^e and the 9th^e district of Lyon.

In a turnaround, the Metropolis announced in a press release on January 8 that the boiler room would not be done : “The Metropolis of Lyon has just confirmed a significant potential for waste heat produced by an industrial company located in Collonges-au-Mont-d'Or (Solvay, Editor’s note). This site will be able to supply the new Saône-Yzeron heating network, which will therefore not require the construction of a large wood boiler room in the communes of Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon/Francheville.

The wood-fired power plant located in Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon (Beaunant district) was to supply the network, among other sources. The project had aroused the reluctance of local residents and elected officials of the town citing “the release of fine particles, the impact of the construction of a super industrial type building” and nuisances to the living environment.

Abandonment of the wood boiler room: a victory for Stop Enfumage and the town hall of Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon?

The town hall, by inviting local residents to an information meeting on its website on November 14, had called into question “the opportunity for such a large-scale project”.

For his part, collective of opponents named “Stop Smoking” came up, saying to himself “apolitical”. So, is this a victory for the detractors of the wood power plant?

This ENT doctor from Lyon 5^e puts forward arguments public health : “There is a fundamental subject on wood, it is the worst, what produces the most CO2, fine and ultra-fine particles. We are in France well below the recommended standards by the WHO. Is maintaining wood as a renewable energy a good thing? No, however, a wood boiler project is planned in Saint-Genis-Laval and another in Craponne. says Patrick Romestaing. In our basin, the Metropolis indicates that it will add 20% of geothermal energy to waste heat, but no study currently proves that this is possible.

The new heating network in western Lyon could cover the equivalent of the needs of 25,000 homes

Following preliminary studies, which made it possible to assess the potential of recovery heatthe Metropolis affirms that “the use of this recovered energy would make it possible to heat the majority of the new heating network, heating the equivalent of 25,000 homes, but also businesses and public facilities in the metropolis.

The challenge is to capture this so-called “fatal” heat lost and transport it for use as a thermal source. The sources are varied, ranging from oven fumes to cooling equipment. Asked for details, the Metropolis has not yet responded to our questions.