Tours Métropole Val de Loire has formally launched construction of a biomass heating plant in Saint-Avertin, France, as part of its Énergie Verte de Tours Métropole (EVTM) district heating project. The facility, located behind the Trousseau university hospital, is expected to contribute to a heating network designed to obtain 90% of its energy from renewable and recovered sources.
The project includes a biomass-based heat production facility with a planned usable capacity of 21 MW, alongside infrastructure to recover waste heat from the hospital’s cooling operations. Commissioning of the biomass equipment is scheduled for October 2027.
The construction milestone was presented by Frédéric Augis, president of Tours Métropole Val de Loire; Mohamed Amjahdi, regional director of the French Agency for Ecological Transition (ADEME) for Centre-Val de Loire; and Fabrice Lepoutre, president of Coriance, together with local officials.
Trousseau Hospital Connection Completed as District Heating Network Expands
The connection of the Trousseau hospital’s existing heating infrastructure and hospital buildings to the new district heating network has been completed. The network has been filled with water in preparation for subsequent commissioning activities.
The Constance Pascal building, which houses the hospital’s new psychiatric centre, is already connected and receiving heat. Two additional substations serving accommodation and outpatient care facilities at the new Trousseau hospital are expected to be commissioned in the coming weeks.
The connections are intended to help the hospital progressively reduce its reliance on fossil fuels. They also form part of the initial phase of the wider network expansion, which is expected to connect additional customers across the metropolitan area from 2027.
The network currently has 10 MW of subscribed capacity.
Further pipeline construction is planned along rue du Chemin Rouge to connect the Parc Grandmont area with the Trousseau hospital zone. The project also includes a crossing beneath the A10 motorway using pipe-jacking techniques, allowing work to proceed without interrupting motorway traffic.
Biomass Plant Construction Targets October 2027 Commissioning
Earthworks and deep foundation activities have started at the site of the biomass and waste heat recovery facility. Construction of the buildings and installation of the principal equipment are scheduled to progress between autumn 2026 and spring 2027, followed by testing and commissioning preparations.
The biomass installation is designed around locally sourced renewable wood fuel. Énergie Verte de Tours Métropole has signed the Charte bois énergie et biodiversité, a wood-energy and biodiversity charter, reflecting its stated commitment to balancing renewable energy production with biodiversity protection.
According to the project’s official information, the biomass installation combines approximately 17 MW of useful biomass heat capacity with 4 MW of energy recovery through condensation, providing a total recoverable capacity of approximately 21 MW.
The wider energy infrastructure will also include four thermo-refrigeration heat pumps, which will recover heat generated during the production of cooling for Trousseau hospital, and natural gas boilers for supplementary and emergency supply.
25 km Heating Network to Target 90% Renewable and Recovered Energy
The Énergie Verte de Tours Métropole project is designed to supply heat to Tours Sud, Chambray-lès-Tours, Saint-Avertin and Joué-lès-Tours.
The planned heating network will extend approximately 25 km, with a separate cooling network serving the Trousseau hospital. The project is expected to provide heating and cooling services to around 10,800 equivalent households.
This configuration is intended to ensure that 90% of the network’s energy comes from renewable and recovered sources, reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
Project backers estimate that the network could avoid approximately 16,767 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually once operating as planned.
€92 Million District Heating Project Receives ADEME and European Support
The wider Énergie Verte de Tours Métropole programme represents an investment of €92 million. ADEME is providing €17.7 million in financial support, while the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), through the Centre-Val de Loire region, is contributing €1 million.
The project is being developed and operated by Énergie Verte de Tours Métropole, a dedicated subsidiary of the Coriance Group, under a 26-year public service concession awarded by Tours Métropole Val de Loire in January 2025.
Once completed, the network is expected to expand renewable heat distribution across southern Tours, combining locally sourced biomass with recovered industrial and hospital heat to reduce fossil fuel consumption in the region.
