From Field to City – Bioenergy Heats the Heart of Paris

In the center of La Défense—Europe’s largest business district, with over 500 companies and tens of thousands of daily workers and residents—a major shift is taking place in how the city is heated. Instead of relying on fossil fuels, a new district heating project is turning agricultural waste from France’s countryside into clean, renewable energy for the capital.

At the core of this innovation is a high-efficiency biomass boiler installed in Nanterre by Généria, operated by CPCU (Compagnie Parisienne de Chauffage Urbain), and managed on site by energy services company Idex. The system is powered by agrobiomass—pellets made from local agricultural byproducts like vine shoots, straw, and other residues sourced within 200 km of Paris.

This form of biomass was selected for its cost-effectiveness, sustainability, and local availability. It offers a smart way to valorize agricultural waste while reducing dependency on fossil fuels and creating new economic opportunities for farmers in the region.

The environmental impact is substantial: the system helps avoid 40,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year, contributing to Paris’s broader climate goals. At the same time, it strengthens the local bioeconomy by giving farmers a new revenue stream and turning agricultural residues into a valuable energy resource.

This project is part of CPCU’s broader shift toward clean energy, with over 50% of its network now powered by renewable and recovered sources, including a growing share from biomass. While exact figures for agrobiomass alone are still emerging, this initiative stands out as a flagship example of how local bioenergy can power cities, support rural economies, and accelerate Europe’s energy transition—from field to city.