Spatial and Technical Dimensions for Local Energy Transitions: The Case of Wood Biomass in District Heating Networks in France

This book chapter deals with the spatial and technical dimensions of local energy transitions from the perspective of thermal energy production and distribution, specifically in the case of district heating networks (DHNs). My analysis builds on eight case study DHNs located in different geographical areas across metropolitan France: new DHN projects and the retrofit of existing DHNs, which have become the cornerstones of local energy transition strategies. The common denominator is the use of biomass, and more specifically, forestry wood chips as the main energy resource for heat production. This configuration allows to optimize energy production, distribution, and consumption, and to secure a specific type of renewable resources that can be supplied within limited spatial perimeters of up to a hundred kilometers around a DHN. The following three questions structure this book chapter: (1) According to what criteria are heat supply areas determined in the framework of a DHN project? (2) How do technological aspects reflect on the spatial dimensions that characterize DHN projects? (3) How are resource procurement perimeters devised in order to meet local thermal energy needs?