Project meeting in Lorient: Visiting the French pilot site

14 October 2025 by
Project meeting in Lorient: Visiting the French pilot site
AquaCOM






















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The AquaCOM team recently gathered in Lorient, Brittany, for a five-day meeting organised by our French partner SPL BER, which is leading the French pilot site.

From 29 September to 2 October, project partners and early-adopter energy communities had the opportunity to engage in hands-on masterclasses, installation visits, lively informal discussions, and the Forum “Aquathermal District Heating” at the University of Bretagne Sud. These events offered both updates on project progress and inspiration for advancing community-led aquathermal initiatives.

Academia meets practice at the University of Bretagne Sud

On 2 October, the Forum “Aquathermal district heating” brought together academics, experts, students and practitioners of the sector to discuss the potential of aquathermal energy for decarbonising coastal areas.

Presentations combined technical and theoretical insights with concrete case studies from Belgium and France, showcasing aquathermal energy as a promising technology to replace fossil fuels in heating systems.

Forum “Aquathermal district heating” at the University Bretagne Sud

Lorient’s pilot site: Identifying optimal locations for an aquathermal network

The French AquaCOM pilot focuses on a feasibility study evaluating potential locations in Lorient for an aquathermal district heating network. The study concludes that all three considered sites are suitable, with particular emphasis on the fishing and commercial port of Kéroman and the city center.

If deployed, the city center network would supply heating to a wide range of buildings, including public facilities, collective housing, and key government buildings such as some of the Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Defence. The system is expected to deliver 7.8 GWh of energy, with 94% supplied by an aquathermal heat pump of 3,600 kW capacity.

During the visit, the AquaCOM team toured one of the proposed locations, the K3 submarine naval base. Beyond its potential to host an aquathermal energy system, the site holds significant historical value for Lorient. The team also visited SPL BER’s wood storage platform and wood-powered district heating grid in Bodélio district, which currently delivers 4.5 GWh of heat to schools, social housing, and other public and private buildings.

The AquaCOM team visits the K3 submarine naval base

The exciting journey of the early adopter energy communities

Early-adopter energy communities play a pivotal role in AquaCOM, acting as seeds for the broader dissemination of aquathermal energy across North-West Europe.

For these communities, the project provides a platform for learning and inspiration, supporting the implementation of community-led aquathermal energy initiatives. Progress is shaped by local and national contexts, but steadily, these communities are engaging directly in the energy transition, creating tangible benefits for their local communities.

Moving the AquaCOM project forward

In-person meetings are invaluable for international projects like AquaCOM. They provide a space for in-depth discussion, collective problem-solving, and renewed motivation.

Having just crossed the project’s midpoint, AquaCOM is entering an exciting phase, marked by the release of key deliverables such as the AQE Tracker and the start of construction and installation works for aquathermal systems in Belgium and the Netherlands.

The AquaCOM team plays a board game designed by SPL BER

The next project meeting is scheduled to take place in Belgium, continuing the collaborative journey toward sustainable, community-led energy solutions.

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