“One more step towards the exit from fossil fuels”: the region’s emergency plan for the municipalities of Île-de-France

“To a policy of checks at the pump, we prefer a logic of aid for investments to produce or save energy sustainably. » This Tuesday morning at the headquarters of the Ile-de-France region, Valérie Pécresse, president (LR) and Yann Wehrling, vice-president in charge of ecological transition, climate and biodiversity, presented the 2026-2028 regional Energy plan.

This envelope of 850 million euros over three years will be submitted to the vote of the regional assembly in June. It is presented as a way to “protect Ile-de-France residents from energy shocks such as the oil crisis following the war launched by Israel and the United States of America against Iran”, explained Valérie Pécresse after expressing her support for the Iranian people “who are fighting, suffering and resisting the mullahs”.

By encouraging energy production and thermal renovation, “the Energy contract, worth 70 million euros, should encourage Ile-de-France municipalities and intermunicipalities to think about their own energy strategy,” added Valérie Pécresse.

“Do they need to renovate their public buildings to make them more energy efficient? Recover waste heat from a data center or bring back heat using geothermal energy to heat buildings or sports equipment? Produce photovoltaic electricity? Behind, there will be much fewer bills for the municipalities and a gain in purchasing power for Ile-de-France residents,” says the president.

Producing biogas for buses in Île-de-France

Each application will be examined by a jury and, if accepted, will only be able to receive part of the investment, up to one million euros per municipality. “Which can make it possible to complete a financing plan and get started because it is now that we must do it,” explains those around the president.

The region is also banking on methanization in order to produce biogas which will supply, by the end of 2027, 5,000 buses and coaches circulating on regional networks for Île-de-France Mobilités.

“There are 65 units that have already been supported by the region. Around fifteen other projects will be supported. Especially since the digestate resulting from methanization is a valuable fertilizer for Ile-de-France farmers while the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has increased their price by 30%,” underlines the president, who has been in office for ten years.

High schools, a big lever for energy savings

Another major component, the acceleration of aid for the thermal renovation of degraded condominiums – 14,500 housing units in 68 condominiums for 40 million euros since 2016 – with a budget of 30 million euros over three years only to treat 30,000 housing units by 2030 and achieve energy savings of 50%.

As for high schools, owned in the region, the plan plans to continue their thermal renovation. “This is the 2nd construction site in France after the Grand Paris Express,” claims the community. Thanks to the 41 projects carried out over ten years, all high schools consume 22% less energy (260 GWh). This is the equivalent of a city of 50,000 inhabitants.

The objective is to renovate 21 high schools and connect 19 to heat networks to reach -50% in 2030. While also relying on sobriety – adaptation of heating – and the fight against waste – turning off lights, closing windows, etc. – to which high school students are made aware, in particular through ecodelegates.