Urban Cooling Networks: France's Promising Defense Against Escalating Heatwaves

France is actively promoting urban cooling networks, a system designed to combat the growing threat of intense summer heatwaves. These centralized infrastructures produce and distribute ice water through underground pipes to cool buildings, offering an economical, environmentally friendly, and efficient alternative to widespread air conditioning.

The French government has set an ambitious target to double the capacity of these cooling networks by 2030. Currently, the nation possesses only about 50 such networks, a number considered modest given the increasing frequency and severity of heatwaves. To accelerate development, major companies like Engie and Veolia have initiated over 100 potential studies for new district cooling networks across France.

The High Council on Climate (HCC), a French government advisory body, has recognized the potential of these networks. In its recent assessment, the HCC highlighted that developing cooling networks is particularly valuable for reducing reliance on air conditioners and mitigating the impacts of urban heat islands. This is crucial as heatwaves put immense strain on existing infrastructure, as seen during the June heatwave when power grids struggled with cooling water constraints, forcing nuclear plants to reduce output.

However, significant challenges persist. Engineer Pascal Stabat, an energy professor at the Paris School of Mines, pointed out a critical flaw in existing systems. "The problem is that in Paris you have cooling facilities sized for a maximum temperature of 35 degrees," he explained to AFP. "When it is very hot, there is an imbalance between cooling production and demand, so the production can be a bit low." This was evident between June 18 and 27, when Paris experienced daily temperatures exceeding 35 degrees, pushing the infrastructure to its limits and highlighting the need for systems designed to withstand more extreme conditions.

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The problem is that in Paris you have cooling facilities sized for a maximum temperature of 35 degrees. When it is very hot, there is an imbalance between cooling production and demand, so the production can be a bit low.