Renault: Green electricity, deep geothermal energy, and biomass reduce the CO2 footprint

As part of their Renaulution strategy, the Renault Group aims to accelerate the decarbonization plan for their industrial sites through three strategic partnerships. The group has signed the largest green electricity supply contract in France with Voltalia for its French plants. Additionally, there is an agreement with Engie for the first deep geothermal project at a European industrial site, to be implemented at the Douai production facility. In cooperation with Dalkia, the Renault Group will install a biomass boiler at the Maubeuge plant.

Flagship plant ElectriCity in Northern France

The Renault Group has been committed to the energy transition for more than ten years and has reiterated its commitment to reaching carbon neutrality by 2025 at its ElectriCity sites in Northern France, by 2030 at its European plants, and by 2050 globally. The group aims to achieve this through increased use of photovoltaics, geothermal energy, and biomass.

"Today, we are taking a strategic step towards carbon neutrality in our plants. Thanks to the partnership with Voltalia, the ElectriCity production network will be supplied with carbon-free and competitive electricity for the first time," said Luca de Meo, CEO of the Renault Group, adding: "Furthermore, we are already working on the next stage of our plan and aiming for carbon-free heat supply for our factories. In Douai, we are proud to launch one of the most ambitious decarbonization projects at a European industrial site together with Engie: the use of deep geothermal energy. This is complemented by a joint project with Dalkia for a biomass boiler at the Maubeuge plant. We are taking responsibility and relying on innovation to reduce the CO₂ footprint of our plants."

France's Largest Green Electricity Supply Contract

The Renault Group and the energy producer Voltalia, specialized in renewable energies, are signing the largest long-term contract for the supply of electricity from renewable energies in France, with a volume of 350 megawatts. This corresponds to the production of around 500 gigawatt hours per year from 2027. With a duration of 15 years, this is a unique commitment in France for sustainable electricity supply. With this agreement, the Renault Group in France can cover up to 50 percent of its electricity consumption in production by 2027.

Voltalia will install photovoltaic systems with a capacity of 100 megawatts in France starting in 2025. The capacity provided by Voltalia for Renault will steadily increase in the following years, reaching a total of 350 megawatts in 2027. This agreement covers the energy demand for the production of electric motors at the Cléon site as well as the entire sustainable electricity needs of the ElectriCity cluster, the largest and most competitive production network for electric vehicles in Europe. By 2025, 500,000 vehicles are expected to be produced here annually.

“Voltalia is proud to be a privileged partner in this new phase of the Renault Group's climate plan and to actively contribute to the decarbonization of the plants in the ElectriCity cluster,” said Sébastien Clerc, CEO of Voltalia. “Providing carbon-free and competitive electricity from renewable sources is Voltalia's daily task. The partnership underscores that we are an important player for green power solutions in France.”