What exactly is the “Motorway of Heat”? Head for northern France to find out!
With the construction of a 7.7km section of this 20km-long heating network, SADE is playing a big part in this environmentally-responsible project.
Since 2017, Covalys has operated the energy recovery centre in Halluin, a town located in the Greater Lille area. Under the terms of its outsourcing contract, Covalys began building work on a major energy recovery centre extension: a 20km heat distribution network, including a 7.7km section built by SADE.
A key component of Greater Lille’s energy climate plan
The Halluin energy recovery centre burns 350,000t of non-recyclable waste a year. The power generated is essentially converted into electricity. With this project, the aim is to recover the free heat generated by the energy recovery centre to overheat water to 120° and pipe it 20km to supply existing district heating networks in Lille and Roubaix, plus other future facilities. By generating 270GWh per year, the needs of 27,000 EDU will be covered by renewable power generation.
SADE also goes green
The construction of this in-ground network required major earthworks. Digging 7.7km of 2m-wide trenches down to an average depth of 2.5m generated 38,500m3 of excavated material, which was all recycled by our subsidiary TERRATECH and reused for backfilling.
Text box about previous paragraph – this economised 55,000t of new materials.
7.7km that count double!
Heating networks feature 2 parallel pipes, i.e. outbound and inbound. So 15.4km of heat-insulated steel tubes (internal Ø = 500, external Ø = 670) were installed, butt-welded and sleeved. This route features no fewer than 1,300 welds, which were all penetrant-tested. Some were randomly selected for radiographic testing.
Serious resources, solidarity and organisation
Work began on the site back in July 2018, and was scheduled to be completed by the end of August 2020, ahead of deadline. SADE committed significant human resources, with a peak of 45 staff, and major mechanical resources, as well as putting in place inch-perfect organisation with 3 laying trenches. And, when necessary, teams from Beauvais and Boulogne-sur-Mer came to lend a hand, as did staff from our subsidiary SET: SADE solidarity in action! These committed teams worked in a very challenging urban setting and deserve to be (warmly!) thanked.
This economised 55,000t of new materials.
A key component of Greater Lille’s energy climate plan
The Halluin energy recovery centre burns 350,000t of non-recyclable waste a year. The power generated is essentially converted into electricity. With this project, the aim is to recover the free heat generated by the energy recovery centre to overheat water to 120° and pipe it 20km to supply existing district heating networks in Lille and Roubaix, plus other future facilities. By generating 270GWh per year, the needs of 27,000 EDU will be covered by renewable power generation.
SADE also goes green
The construction of this in-ground network required major earthworks. Digging 7.7km of 2m-wide trenches down to an average depth of 2.5m generated 38,500m3 of excavated material, which was all recycled by our subsidiary TERRATECH and reused for backfilling.