What heating energies are used in the French regions?

In addition to the environmental cost, there is now a financial cost, since the price of fuel oil has increased by more than 80% over the past twelve months.

On this occasion, Butagaz and Synasav are offering an overview of energy uses in France in order to enable decision-makers to identify the issues and the path to be taken by region to accelerate the energy transition towards less carbon-intensive heating energies.

The 3 main lessons of the study:

All French regions are committed to the path of energy transition

Overall, all regions are progressing towards less carbon-intensive heating energies. No more fuel oil, make way for less carbon energies. The answers are multiple with many existing solutions such as electricity, natural gas, propane gas for certain types of buildings, or even other energies such as wood pellets. These are the alternative energies to fuel oil and mostly growing that appeal to the French in the territories.

The most advanced regions with the use of less carbon-intensive energies are Île-de-France, the South region (PACA) and Occitanie. The three regions respectively use 76%, 77%, and 73% less or low carbon energies (electricity & natural gas) for heating. Electricity in these densely populated regions is the main source of energy, with the exception of Île de France, which is heated 42% by natural gas and 34% by electricity.

Each region has its own energy mix to adapt to the needs of housing, their typology, their geographical location and the climate

Even if we note a favorable evolution in all the regions, there are great disparities in the choice of heating energies and their proportion in the energy mix. Normandy, Centre-Val de Loire and Pays de la Loire have a balanced energy mix with approximately 1/3 electricity, 1/3 natural gas and 1/3 other heating energies but more than 10% fuel oil . Conversely, Corsica has a fleet that is 68% heated by electricity and only 2% by fuel oil. This is explained by its particular geographical position and its lower number of dwellings. The North is the region most equipped in proportion with natural gas heating. This is explained by the typology of housing according to their category, residential or tertiary.

Regions still dependent on fuel oil priority for accelerating towards less carbon energies

While the government has set the objective of replacing all fuel oil equipment by 2028, there is still a long way to go. During the last INSEE measurement, in 2018, 3,8 million French homes and buildings still used this heating energy, i.e. around 11% of the stock. Some regions are identified as priorities on reading this study.

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes has the largest number of oil-heated buildings in number, with nearly 637.000 homes, or 14% of its stock. In proportion, however, it is the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in the lead with 17% of the fleet running on fuel oil, followed by the Grand-Est region and Brittany at 15%.

For Natacha Cambriels, Managing Director of Butagaz: “This study allows us to identify the path traveled and above all the path to be traveled to accelerate the local energy transition in the territories. With more than 1.000 employees dedicated to this mission at Butagaz, we are proud to offer services and low-carbon energies, adapted to the consumption habits of the French people and to the territories with their geographical specificity. We want to be an actor and a driving force to support the French, professionals and individuals, in the energies of tomorrow. »

For Roland Bouquet, President of Synasav: “Faced with the climate emergency and the challenges of accelerating our independence from foreign fossil fuels, it is essential to deploy incentive and expert policies to support the French in their energy transition. Through this study, we can best identify the energies most used in the territories according to their specificities. This allows us to adapt our maintenance and renovation offers and services to each situation in order to help the French to reconcile their economic and environmental challenges. »

The challenges for tomorrow according to Butagaz:

Increase systems and services to accelerate the exit from fuel oil

In order to limit heating by this energy-intensive fuel, Butagaz has been offering its fuel tank replacement services since 2020 to individuals and professionals as well as financial aid such as Butaprimes, Artiprimes or the Facilipass Pack. Thanks to these services, the carbon footprint can be reduced by up to 70%.

The obstacles to the transition are mainly identified in the most landlocked territories, by the lack of accessibility to cleaner energies. This is where Butagaz undertakes to act as a priority, thanks in particular to its presence in all French regions.

Examples of transition made: The refuge of Beauregard – Town hall of Vert-Toulon

Improve customer relations, offers and services to help French people make the right choices in the energy renovation of their homes

Today, a multitude of sometimes contradictory information circulates. In order to best support French people in making informed choices according to their energy needs, their budget and their geographical location, it is necessary to have experts to answer their questions. This is the meaning given to the enhanced collaboration between Synasav and Butagaz.