Idex to develop geothermal and waste heat project in Levallois, France
An urban heating project by Idex in Levallois, France combines geothermal heat with waste heat recovered from a local data center.
Low-carbon energy company Idex has announced the launch of an urban heating project in the commune of Levallois in the Hauts-de-Seine department of France that will combine geothermal heating and a waste heat recovery system from a data centre. The pioneering project is expected to be operational by 2029.
Idex will be investing EUR 70 million for the project, which includes EUR 15 million funding from the French Ecological Transition Agency (ADEME). The project will be carried out through SAS EnR, a joint stock company dedicated to renewable energies. Idex and the city of Levallois will be partner shareholders in the development company.
“This large-scale project in Levallois is a perfect illustration of our commitment to a concrete energy transition and sustainable solutions for local communities,” said Benjamin Fremaux, President of Idex.
“We are proud to put our expertise in geothermal solutions at the service of the city’s decarbonization and energy independence, while guaranteeing controlled costs for users. This collaboration with the City of Levallois and Global Switch is also a concrete demonstration of the contribution of data centers to the energy transition of local communities when they are integrated into circular economy systems.”
The new geothermal heating plant will harness thermal waters from an aquifer with temperatures expected at 60 °C, from a well to be drilled below the Louison Bobet stadium. This will account for an output of about 90 GWh per year. Supplementing this will be 28 GWh of heat from a waste heat recovery system at the Global Switch data centre.
Combined, the 120 GWh from the hybrid system will account for over 75% of the supply to the Kalita district heating network. This is expected to reduce the average price of heat by up to 30% when the system is fully commissioned. For the city’s public buildings, the system will produce an estimate savings of up to EUR 650,000 per year.
The waste heat recovery system at the Global Switch data centre is scheduled for commissioning by the second half of 2027. Studies and regulatory processes for the geothermal project have started since 2025, and well drilling is expected to last from 2026 to 2027. Plant construction will start in 2028 and the start of heat supply is expected by 2029.
“Levallois is taking a decisive step in its environmental and economic strategy,” emphasizes Agnès Pottier-Dumas, Mayor of Levallois. “Our city is now taking a significant lead in the energy transition, directly benefiting its residents. This unprecedented project with Idex combines ecology, innovation, and purchasing power. By leveraging our local resources, we are securing our energy future and sustainably controlling the community’s expenses.”
With plenty of geothermal projects being built to supply electricity to data centers, the model being developer in Levallois is a unique synergy between geothermal and data centers as co-suppliers of renewable heat.
Source: Idex