The Méridia Smart Energie geothermal power plant was inaugurated on Monday in the eco district west of Nice.
It operates using water from the Var river which it recovers and which it transforms into energy to supply the entire district.
Thus, the plant promises a production of 80% renewable energy.
It is also equipped with an intelligent network system which makes it possible to anticipate the consumption and therefore the production of a building.
A power station that uses neither gas, nor fuel, nor oil.
A power plant which does not really look like it and which is "compact" to fit into the urban universe in which it is installed.
Avenue Simone-Veil, in the Nice Méridia eco-district, to the west of the city, the Idex geothermal infrastructure, named after the company that was in charge of the project, has just been inaugurated.
The thermo-fridge-pumps are activated and should supply 50 buildings in the district by 2032, that is to say "500,000 m2 of which half will be housing", specifies the director of the project Eduard Maldonada.
In all, 80% of renewable energy is produced.
20 Minutes
takes stock.
What is a geothermal power plant?
It is an infrastructure that uses resources in the earth to produce renewable energy.
Unlike a conventional geothermal power station, this “Méridia Smart Energie” project was designed to “not waste energy”.
Edouard Maldonada explains: “We collect water from the Var river, at 15 ° C, which flows underground, flourishes in the plain and which has a very high flow.
It is pumped through geothermal boreholes 40 m deep and it is reinjected.
It is not a lost debit, and there is no exchange.
"
How does it work concretely?
“The recovered water passes through exchangers. It is therefore by heat exchange that energy is created. The exchangers then send this energy to the thermo-fridge pumps, which work like a heat pump, except that there is no loss of energy, ”explains the project manager.
For example, when an air conditioner is running, a fan always sends the heat produced outside, to the terrace or elsewhere.
There, there is no clearance, “everything is recovered, insists the director.
In summer, the fatal energy is injected into the network to make domestic hot water and heating.
And in winter, it's the other way around, when we make domestic hot water and heating, we produce air conditioning via the fatal energy of the heat pump which can be used for a server room for example ”.
There is also energy storage when not in use.
For what purposes?
The main objective of this project, the first works of which began in 2018, is to build a “heating and cooling network for the entire Nice Méridia district, i.e. 500,000 m2 of buildings comprising housing, schools, offices. , by 2032, develops Eduard Maldonada. Usually everyone has their own boiler. There, we created an intelligent network, underground, about 2 meters deep. So there are pipes that send hot water at 63 ° C and others that send cold water at 8 ° C. "
But above all, it is the possibility of "reducing CO2 emissions by nearly 4,000 tonnes per year on the territory", says Christian Estrosi, president of the Nice Côte d'Azur metropolis.
He adds: “The idea is to switch to 18% renewable energies in our mix by 2025 [currently, annual production is 11%].
With the annual geothermal production of 32 GWh, this urban network contributes 6.4% of our objectives.
"
And the advantages for the inhabitants of the district?
The mayor of Nice assures us: “This project is also an advantage for purchasing power.
The public pricing of the thermal supply of the network will be 56.33 euros per MWh, for heat, 74.02 euros per MWh for cold and 68.61 euros for cooling.
"Prices 15% lower than the average prices in France for non-renewable energy, according to Christian Estrosi.
A first in France
Driss Salmi, in charge of innovation at Idex, presents the “smart grid” with which the plant is equipped.
"It is an intelligent network, literally in English, which makes it possible to anticipate and optimize the energy consumption of buildings in the district".
In summary, “the building which has photovoltaic panels on its roof does not necessarily need all the energy production created.
With this system we give the possibility of reselling this electricity to his neighbor or to the power plant directly.
The idea is to network production and consumption at the local level.
"The" smart grid "works thanks to data which makes it possible to make trade-offs and thus" to offer the cheapest and most local energy. "
This is a first in France.
It's unique to have a place that manages three energies: heat, cold and electricity, ”concludes the manager.
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