EDF launches €80 million fund for cooling in schools, nurseries and leisure centres

The state-owned energy group has opted to open its chequebook.

Heatwave disruption in schools

Schools found themselves on the front line during the heatwave that swept across France last week. On Thursday 25 June, no fewer than 3,500 schools closed, while 10,000 adjusted their timetables to avoid exposing pupils to oppressive temperatures.

EDF’s dedicated €80 million cooling fund

Against that backdrop, EDF announced on Friday 26 June that it would release €80 million into a dedicated support fund to help equip schools, nurseries and leisure centres with cooling systems.

A two-stage plan

In practical terms, half of the funding will pay for more than 100,000 pieces of “rapidly operational” equipment. This includes misting devices, fans and air-conditioning units (both portable and fixed) across more than 10,000 school and after-school settings up to 30 September. Specifically, the scheme will take the form of a flat-rate grant of €400 per item of equipment, capped at 10 per establishment.

The remaining share of the aid will be channelled into €10,000 grants per establishment to “help fund cooling projects”. In other words, this refers to air-to-air heat pumps that provide heating in winter and air conditioning in summer. Rolling these out will take longer, with the programme due to finish in June 2027.

Alongside the Edurénov programme

EDF also says its initiative is designed to complement the Edurénov programme launched by the Banque des Territoires. In total, 4,000 child-focused establishments are covered.

Quoted in the press release, Bernard Fontana, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the EDF Group, adds:

"Today, as heatwaves are affecting our country, we wanted to take practical action by helping schools, nurseries and leisure centres to equip themselves, both with cooling solutions that are available quickly and with lasting improvements. This initiative fully reflects our ambition: to put electrification at the service of practical solutions that improve living comfort, reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and strengthen France’s energy sovereignty."

We can only welcome this response, and hope that further initiatives will make it easier to withstand the next heatwaves in places open to the public, particularly hospitals.