The WEPA Group and the start-up Epyr have inaugurated France’s first thermal energy storage unit dedicated to the electrification of industrial heat at the WEPA site in Troyes. The inauguration was also attended by François Baroin, Mayor of Troyes and President of Troyes Champagne Métropole.
The unit, developed by the start-up Epyr, replaces a part of the gas demand at the French WEPA site by generating heat from low-carbon electricity, storing it in innovative thermal storage systems and releasing it as steam as required. This reduces the dependence on fossil fuels whilst strengthening the competitiveness and resilience of the industrial site.
The unit is the first in France to combine power-to-heat and thermal energy storage on an industrial scale, demonstrating that breakthrough technology can decarbonise industrial heat.
The thermal energy storage plant was designed, built and commissioned in less than six months without disrupting any industrial processes. After three months of commercial operation, the plant covers around a quarter of the steam demand at the WEPA site in Troyes. This results in a significant reduction in CO2 emissions at the site. The unit also provides the electricity system with a new tool for enhancing flexibility: thanks to its ability to store energy, it can generate heat particularly during periods of high wind or sunshine – in other words, when there is a particularly large amount of renewable energy available. The unit is an important component of the WEPA Group’s decarbonisation strategy.
“We are delighted to inaugurate France’s first unit that combines power-to-heat and thermal energy storage on an industrial scale. Electrifying a part of our steam production makes our production process more sustainable whilst also strengthening our competitiveness,” said François Roposte, Mill Manager at the WEPA site in Troyes.
“The units’s success is down to the pioneering spirit of the WEPA Group, which has supported Epyr since 2024 and opened up the Troyes site to our technology, which combines decarbonisation with energy sovereignty for French and European industry,” said Léa Dardenne and Bastien Oggeri, co-founders of Epyr. In 2024, WEPA invested in Epyr’s first investment round via its Family Venture Capital unit WEPA Ventures.
“The combination of simple technical principles leads to an extraordinarily high-performing solution for industrial sectors. It is remarkable on WEPA’s part to always be seeking ways to save resources. I congratulate Epyr on this success, which opens the door to many developments in French industry,” said François Baroin, Mayor of Troyes and President of Troyes Champagne Métropole.
“Today we are witnessing a historic first, marked by innovation, industrial renewal, and the ecological transition of our country. Epyr is a project awarded under the France 2030 investment plan, as part of the DEMIBaC programme, which supports innovation projects covering all processes and technologies for the decarbonisation of industry,” declared Franck Dorge, Secretary General of the Aube Prefecture, Sub-Prefect of Troyes.
Photo/lebonheurdesgens
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