The Life+ project that launched the EWWR (European Week for Waste Reduction) started in 2009 will end this year, in July 2012. The final conference of the project and a technical conference on waste reduction will take place in Paris in Maison de la Chimie on the 19 th and 20 th of June. The conference will be open to any actors concerned by the sustainable consumption, the waste reduction as well as the waste prevention, such as local authorities, companies, association of users, consumers, protection of the environment, design offices, consular chambers, etc. On the first day, the conference will address: an overview of prevention policies and a progress statement on the implementation of the Waste Framework Directive by Members States; how communication contributes to waste prevention; EWWR achievements from 2009 to 2011; viewpoints from project partners (EWWR organisers’ best practices in terms of awareness raising actions); new perspectives for the EWWR: “What’s next?”. The second day is a technical day organised by the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME) about specific issues faced by local and regional authorities regarding waste prevention. This day will provide the opportunity to learn more about the first results of waste prevention plans, and will address several issues (food wastage, eco-exemplarity and the involvement of stakeholders in waste prevention policies). French and European experts will be present and will address those subjects in collaboration with ADEME. All the meetings will be held in French with a simultaneous translation in English. Registered forms must be returned before the 8 th of June!   www.ademe.fr www.ewwr.eu/paris-conference-2012    www.maisondelachimie.com Register form  

  The sanitation department of Paris city council will use electric vehicles The 86 cleaning vehicles of the Parisian roads network and pavements are about to be fully replaced by 100% electric vehicles. The current cars used for the cleaning are deterring the quality of the air and create sound nuisance.  Many residents and passers-by have been complaining about those negative effects, however this type of equipment is essential. The adoption of electric vehicles has then appeared as a perfect alternative to the traditional vehicles with heat engines that cause CO2 emissions. The 86 vehicles are used every day during two time slots comprises between 6am and 8pm. A test phase was put into place at the end of 2009 – beginning of 2010; the aim was to verify that the night recharging enabled sufficient diurnal autonomy. Following the positive results of the test, 9 models have been acquired and will be delivered in urban districts where the vehicles’ depots bring on strong sound nuisances. The feeling noise is divided by 3 with the use of electric vehicles which is also a great improvement for the workers of the sanitation department using the vehicles every day. The cost of the shift is heavy as the buying price of a cleaning electric vehicle (€170 000) almost doubles in comparison to the price of a regular cleaning vehicle (€100 000), which is also the case for personal electric cars. However, on a long term basis, it is financially interesting for the sanitation department to opt for the environmental friendly solution as the mechanic elements are less solicited and the device’s shelf life could be changed to 6 years instead of 4 years. Finally, the cost schedule of a thermal model is approximately 4€ as against 0,60€ for an electric model. Liens: http://www.paris.fr/proprete

AREVA Solar has been awarded the "Excellence Award 2012" by the Energy and Environment Foundation (E2 Foundation) during a ceremony at the World Renewable Energy Technology Congress & Expo-2012 held in New Delhi, India. The award, whose selection was conducted by a committee of high-ranking stakeholders in the India energy sector, including two former secretaries to the country’s government, recognizes AREVA Solar for its "excellence, innovation, technology and investment in the Renewable Energy sector." AREVA was recently awarded a contract by Reliance Power to build a 250 megawatt (MW) concentrated solar power (CSP) installation in India, which will become the largest in all of Asia. The project, which will deploy AREVA’s CLFR solar thermal technology, will help advance India’s goal of adding 20 000 MW of solar energy by 2022 and avoid approximately 557 000 tons of CO2 emissions per year compared to a similar sized coal-fired power plant. When completed, the project’s annual energy production will generate enough power for more than 365,000 people in India. In total, AREVA Solar currently has more than 500 MW of Concentrating Solar Thermal Power projects in operation, under construction or in advanced development around the world, making AREVA one the fastest-growing CSP technology providers. For more information: www.solar.areva.com

HydroGaïa will take place from 6 th to 8 th June 2012 in France (Montpelier). It’s a trade fair with an international dimension where local and regional authorities, contractors, investors and project owners meet. HydroGaïa is organized in partnership with the French Global Water Cluster “Pôle Eau”, a competitiveness cluster with an international vision, based in Montpellier and gathering the 3 major regions of Southern France (Languedoc-Roussillon, Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur and Midi-Pyrénées). In 2011, HydroGaïa welcomed visitors from a large number of countries, as well as foreign delegations including delegations from countries of the Mediterranean, Africa and South America - at the invitation of Swelia, a network of businesses headed by “Sud De France Développement”. As part of workshops, conferences and agoras at HydroGaïa 2011, businessmen and government representatives from many countries (Madagascar, Uganda, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Granada, Morocco, Mauritania ...), investors and contactors, exhibiting companies and scientific community representatives have exchanged around specific themes.   Do not miss this international Water Exhibition! For more information: www.hydrogaia-expo.com .

  The 6 MW Haliade 150 wind turbine has been developed in response to a call for tenders launched by the French government in July 2011 that aims to install 3 GW of wind turbine power off French shores by 2015. In preparation for its certification, the first turbine will undergo a series of year-long tests on land at the Carnet site in France, before a second turbine is placed in the sea off the Belgian coast in autumn 2012. Pre-series production is planned for 2013 with production in series due to start in 2014.   Carnet site was chosen by Alstom, on the shores of the estuary near Saint-Nazaire, because of characteristics that are very similar to the offshore environment in which the turbines will eventually be installed. The Haliade’s 25 meters jacket sub-structure was installed on pillars driven more than 30 meters into the ground on which the 75 meters high tower was then mounted. The nacelle soars over the landscape 100 meters above the ground. The wind turbine and its support structure have a total combined weight of 1 500 tons.   Alstom is the exclusive supplier to a consortium led by EDF Energies Nouvelles which includes the Danish Dong Energy, as well as the developers Nass & Wind and Wpd Offshore. If the consortium’s response to the tender is successful, Alstom plans to establish up to 4 factories to produce components for these offshore wind turbines and for their assembly, in the port areas of Saint-Nazaire (Loire-Atlantique) for the nacelles and alternators, and in Cherbourg (Manche) for the blades and towers. These French sites will be dedicated entirely to offshore wind power and will permit the creation of 5 000 permanent qualified jobs, including 1 000 direct jobs.   These French sites will be the first Alstom sites in the world entirely dedicated to offshore wind power.

  The launch of France Energies Marines   FRANCE ENERGIES MARINES has been awarded funding by the French State under the “Investments for the future” programme for Institute of Excellence for Carbon-free Energy (IEED).  Francois Fillon, Prime Minister of France, announced that France will now have a Research Institute dedicated to Marine Renewable Energy (MRE).    In the field of Marine Renewable Energies (MRE), the huge natural potential in both metropolitan and overseas France can help meet the energy demand in mainland and island shore areas. This potential is backed up by a sound industrial and scientific maritime and energy sector base, bringing the challenges into the economic arena by developing a supply chain that creates jobs and can take the lead in a global market. FRANCE ENERGIES MARINES thus embodies the will expressed by the French State in 2009 to create a national technological platform for marine renewable energies, designed to bolster this ambition. The proposed organisation is also the outcome of a dynamic partnership set up on the basis of demonstration projects of various energy harnessing devices at sea, as well as prospective study approaches to determine how the market will evolve, technological obstacles, criteria for environmental integration and compatibility of uses.   France has undeniable resources at its disposal, including thermal energy from the sea, offshore wind farms, energy from currents, waves and tides. At 11 million square kilometers the country’s marine area is the second largest in the world.   Written by Agathe Damour

  On Tuesday 6th March 2012, the French Trade Commission – Ubifrance in Ireland had the pleasure to welcome 8 French companies at Morrison Hotel from 9AM to 6PM. All meeting were BtoB meeting in Water and Waste Sector.  Around 15 Irish prospects such as Distributors, City Councils came to these meetings and the managing director and the buyer of Veolia Water Ireland Ltd were also present at this event and had few meeting with the Representatives of the French Companies too.   The French exhibiting companies were: ·          Actim SAS ( www.actim-sas.eu ) ·          Groupe Cahors ( www.groupe-cahors.com ) ·          Herli France ( www.herlifrance.fr ) ·          Hocer ( www.hocer-is.com ) ·          Kemica ( www.kemica.fr ) ·          Power Motion Filters ( www.power-filter.com ) ·          RYB ( www.ryb.com ) ·          TTL France ( www.ttlfrance.fr )   Earlier in the morning, the French Companies had a presentation from the Department of Environment, Dublin City Council, EPA (Environment Protection Agency) and Veolia Ireland Ltd. Next year, the French Trade Commission in Ireland will organize the same type of event in the Environment Sector (water, air, waste).   For further information, please contact Christine Deniel-Spicer ( christine.deniel@ubifrance.fr or 01 411 21 24).