Inauguration of the first GRTgaz reverse flow station in Côtes-d'Armor
On Friday 6 December 2024, GRTgaz and its partners inaugurated the 1st Côtes-d'Armor reverse flow station with Philippe Hercouët, Mayor of Lamballe-Armor, Dominique Ramard, President of SDE22, David Colin, Regional Director for Brittany GDRF and Amaury Mazon, Regional Delegate for GRTgaz, Gérard Lahellec, Senator for Côtes d’Armor and Isabelle Le Callennec, Member of the European Parliament.
The increased production of biomethane that is injected into networks must be adapted to ensure a surplus. Due to the seasonal nature of consumption, biomethane may not be consumed on the distribution networks and can be fed back into the transmission network to meet the needs of other neighbouring consumption zones.
This is the purpose for the Lamballe-Armor reverse flow station, located in Lamballe-Armor in the commune of Meslin. The reverse flow station currently accommodates approximately 70 GWh/year of biomethane, which is equivalent to the gas consumption of 10,000 average homes. It also provides possible other biomethane production units to develop in the area, i.e., an additional 30 GWh/year. Investment in the Lamballe-Armor reverse flow station amounts to €2.3 million, financed by GRTgaz.
This new reverse flow station is the first in the department of Côtes-d'Armor and the third to be implemented in the Brittany region, along with the Noyal-Pontivy reverse flow station in Morbihan (France's leading reverse flow station) and the Breteil reverse flow station in Ille-et-Vilaine.
Renewable gas developments in Brittany
Brittany is realising its potential in renewable gas production, with 91 biogas production units already injecting into the gas networks and an installed capacity of over 1 TWh/year (equivalent to the gas consumption of 170,000 average homes). This capacity may be doubled in the years to come if the production units, which have been requested to undergo a network study, begin operating.
The department of Côtes-d'Armor is part of the regional dynamic with 12 sites making up about 7.5% of its gas consumption.
The development of the Lamballe-Armor reverse flow station is part of GRTgaz and GRDF’s approach to supporting and developing renewable and local energies, helping achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 in line with national and regional targets, therefore offering 100% local and renewable sources of gas in France.
Biogas production, a local renewable energy source
Production of renewable gases and local energy from our regions and agricultural sectors is growing rapidly and impacting the design of gas infrastructure.
The biogas production process transforms livestock effluent (liquid manure, manure), crop residues, agri-food waste, sludge from wastewater treatment plants and bio-waste into a biogas resource. After purification, biogas reaches the same quality level as natural gas and can therefore be injected into the networks. Then it’s called biomethane. Like natural gas, biogas is used for heating, cooking and more. Biogas is used as a fuel (bioGNV) and offers an economical and environmentally friendly solution, particularly for transporting goods and passengers. As well as producing 100% renewable and local energy, the biogas production process generates digestate, a residue that can be used as an organic fertiliser and reduce the need for chemical fertilisers.
This form of circular economy makes a tangible contribution to the region's energy transition, and produces renewable energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It also encourages more sustainable agriculture and the creation of jobs that cannot be relocated.
