Renault Group today announced expediating the decarbonization plan for its industrial sites with three strategic and exceptional partnerships to achieve its energy transition goals. This new stage has emerged today with Voltalia as the major green electricity supply contract in France – for the French industries of the Group; with ENGIE for the first deep geothermal project on a European manufacturing site, in Douai; and Dalkia, an EDF Group subsidiary, for the installation of a biomass boiler, in Maubeuge.
The Group strengthens its commitment to achieving net zero carbon at its Electricity plants in Hauts-de-France by 2025, in Europe by 2030, and globally by 2050. With other initiatives, the Group is drawing up a large-scale concrete plan to accelerate industrial decarbonization via photovoltaics, geothermal energy, and biomass. Renault is committed to the energy transition for over 10 years and reasserted in the Climate Strategy in April 2021.
Renault Group and Voltalia mark the biggest green electricity supply agreement in France
Renault Group and Voltalia sign France’s largest long-term renewable electricity supply agreement (Corporate Power Purchasing Agreement) indicating the production of nearly 500 gigawatt hours per year for a capacity of 350 megawatts by 2027. With a duration of 15 years, it is an exceptional commitment in France in relation to dominions. By 2027, the long-term agreement will enable Renault Group to cover up to 50% of the electricity consumption of the producer’s manufacturing activities in France.
As of 2025, Voltalia will install photovoltaic panels for a capacity of 100 megawatts in the French region. The capacity offered to Renault by Voltalia will increase steadily over the following years, achieving a total of 350 megawatts by 2027. This agreement will cover Cléon’s electric activities as well as all the sustainable electricity requirements of the ElectriCity cluster, the largest and highly viable electric vehicle production facility in Europe whose objective is to generate 500,000 vehicles per year by 2025.
Renault Group and ENGIE are building a deep geothermal energy project at the Douai plant, an exceptional project in Europe
This large-scale project is incorporated as part of a Heat Purchase Agreement (HPA) with the purpose of supplying the plant with carbon-free heat, restoring 70% of its gas requirements from local and renewable sources. The collaboration would extend over 15 years. Therefore by this commitment, Renault Group will strengthen its leading position in the decarbonization of its industrial sites.
By the end of 2023, ENGIE, through its subsidiary ENGIE Solutions, will commence drilling work at the Douai plant to draw boiling water (130-140°C) from a depth of 4,000 meters to secure the calories required for the plant’s industrial and heating process requirements. The geothermal water will subsequently be restored to its natural environment. Once applied, this geothermal technology would offer a power of almost 40 MW constantly. In summer, when the requirement for temperature is lower, geothermal energy may possibly be used to generate carbon-free electricity.
Renault Group and Dalkia partners to supply carbon-free heat to the Maubeuge plant
Renault Group and Dalkia, an EDF Group subsidiary specializing in renewable energies, have signed a 15-year partnership to supply carbon-free heat to the Maubeuge Renault plant through the installation of a biomass boiler and waste heat recovery systems on-site. With a capacity of 15 MW, this boiler would enable the factory to cover 65% of its gas requirements from local and renewable resources by 2025.
The decarbonization plan entails all Renault Group sites on the four continents where the Group operates. To avoid the use of fossil fuels, and to make this transition to renewable energy, Renault Group is surrounded by a group of partners to deploy its decarbonization strategy across the globe.