The ENGIE solution: recovering energy
Waste heat is the residual heat that is generated by an industrial process and not used. Until recently, the heat generated by Yoplait's production process was not put to use. But all that changed on 11 January 2021, when ENGIE Solutions, the social housing agency Advivo, the City of Vienne and the urban area signed 15-year contracts to introduce a system to recover waste heat and reinject it into the urban heating network.
Almost 800 homes heated
The Grand Estressin district, situated close to the production plant in the north of Vienne, will benefit from the new system of heat pumps, which will inject waste heat into the new network. The aim is to supply 60% of heating requirements for almost 800 of the district's social housing units and for Claude Bernard school. The remainder will be supplied by existing gas boilers. In total, the project will reduce CO2 emissions from the district's heating system by 50%.
Verbatim
"The realisation of this project is a source of pride for our company and all its employees, who have been involved in the initiative since the very beginning. It is a concrete example of Yoplait's commitment to constantly reduce the environmental impact of its operations. It also illustrates the factory's strong roots in Vienne's community, where it began operations back in 1965."
Tristan Aubry, Manufacturing Director at Yoplait, Chief Executive of Yoplait Production France.
Key figures
- Almost 800 social housing units heated
- Over 3,000 MWh of energy already recovered and, by the end of 2021, 5,000 MWh a year
- 50% reduction in CO2, equivalent to 1,300 times around the earth in a car over the contract's 15 years.