Team Côte d'Azur - Côte d'Azur Economic Newsletter

With its huge potential and international reputation for innovation, the Côte d’Azur is set to become THE area of reference as regards the major environmental issues and economic and social challenges facing the world. These include pollution, optimization of resources, energy, climate change and risk management and are also the same tests that face local Côte d’Azur players. One of the biggest challenges today is to ensure the electricity supply with the goal of producing 25% of electricity consumption from renewable energies by 2020. Also, in a region where the population is continuously rising, developing state of the art solutions for local waste treatment plants is another top priority.

A number of pioneering initiatives have already been taken to meet these challenges. These include setting-up an eco-design center thanks to a European program, France’s first micro hydroelectric plant, and the setting-up of a low thermodynamic enthalpy solar power plant that includes thermal stocking. Another example is the Hydropolis project, which will use electrolysis to produce hydrogen by incinerating household waste to power vehicles. And on the water treatment front, a new plant, Aquaviva, is one of the first water treatment plants in the world to use an ultra-filtration system.

Many local Côte d’Azur companies, including Isis Control, Soditech, Cari BTP, ACRI, MDI International, IMRA Europe, Cristopia, Sophia Antipolis Energie Développement, Augier, Wit and others, are also taking action to meet these critical challenges. Leading the charge are top flight researchers from the large number of cutting-edge research teams working on the environment based at the numerous research institutes and bodies in and around Sophia Antipolis. These include the Ecole des Mines, CSTB, INRA, INRIA, CNRS, ADEME, CARMA, Plan Bleu, Observatoire Océanologique, Office International de l’Eau, to name but a few. The many innovative projects also receive vital backing from the PACA (Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur) region’s world class competitive clusters (Capenergies, Risques, Mer, etc.). The Côte d’Azur also benefits from a large pool of technicians and engineers graduating from prestigious local universities and grandes écoles that include the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines et Polytech', and from programs run by the Université Nice Sophia Antipolis. Specialized managers are also trained locally through the top flight programs, such as the CERAM masters program in sustainable development in Sophia Antipolis.

A number of prestigious events on green technologies and sustainable development are also held around the region throughout the year. This week, for example, there will be a conference* on the theme of “Energie 2050: Les choix et les pièges* (Energy 2050: the choices and the pitfalls),” hosted by leading specialist and member of France’s Académie des Sciences, Bernard Tissot.

The Côte d’Azur also has huge natural resources, which have yet to be exploited. First and foremost of course is its solar power, which is by far the region’s most important natural resource. With over 2,500 hours of sunshine a year, the Côte d’Azur offers the biggest potential for solar power in France. But the region also boasts many other natural resources that have yet to be tapped including large reserves of water. Its rivers and torrents make it the second biggest hydroelectric resource in France, with 1 billion KWh annually and the potential to increase production from 35 to 90MW. The Côte d’Azur has also made major efforts to protect its vast expanses of undeveloped natural landscape. As a result, 45% of the region remains forested and represents France’s third largest biomass renewable energy source.

* “Energie 2050 : Les choix et les pièges” a conference hosted by Bernard Tissot, member of the Académie des Sciences, member of the Académie des Technologies, Honorary Director General of the Institut Français du Pétrole, President of the CNE. November 27 at 18h30 at the Fondation Sophia Antipolis, organized as part of the La Science à Sophia program of conferences.