Monaco and heat pumps
Monaco, a small principality located in southern Europe, is notable for its ambitious energy and climate change policies, particularly its innovative use of heat pumps. With an area of just 0.76 square miles (2 square kilometers), Monaco has positioned itself as a leader in sustainable energy practices. The country began utilizing heat pumps in the 1980s as part of a waste-to-energy initiative, which currently accounts for 74 percent of its energy production. However, this program initially contributed significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, prompting a shift in strategy under the leadership of Prince Albert II, who succeeded in 2005.
Monaco's environmental goals include a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent from 1990 levels by 2020, improve energy efficiency in buildings by 20 percent, and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The government has implemented measures such as banning domestic fuel heating in new constructions and providing incentives for solar energy systems. Despite its advancements, Monaco remains reliant on imported electricity from France, which poses challenges for achieving energy independence. Overall, Monaco's efforts in integrating heat pump technology within its broader climate strategy serve as a potential model for other nations aiming to enhance their sustainability initiatives.
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Monaco and heat pumps
Official Name: Principality of Monaco.
Summary: The Principality of Monaco is one of the smallest countries in the world and one of the first countries to make significant use of heat pumps. Its climate change and energy targets for the future are very ambitious.
The Principality of Monaco is located in southern Europe, surrounded by France and about 10 miles (16 kilometers) from Italy. With a total area of only 0.76 square mile (2 square kilometers), Monaco is one of the smallest countries of the world. However, its energy and climate change policy and achievements can be considered as good examples for other countries to follow. In the 1980s, Monaco started a waste-to-energy program.
Although waste-to-energy plants recovered energy from household waste and sludge from wastewater treatment, they were emitting a toxic soup of air pollutants, accounting for around 30 percent of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated by Monaco. A debate over the risks and opportunities of the program ensued, especially because a major plant was located in the center of the city, beside Louis II Stadium. Acknowledging the benefits of the waste-to-energy program, the government of Monaco tried to find a means of reducing emissions, especially GHGs, from the incineration of waste.
In 2005, Prince Albert II succeeded his father, Prince Rainier III, after his death in April. A new era for Monaco’s environmental and consequently energy policies ensued: In May 2006, Monaco became a party to the Kyoto Protocol, with a 20/30/20 target: that is, to improve buildings’ energy efficiency by 20 percent over 2007 levels, to reduce GHG emissions by 30 percent over 1990 levels, and to increase the share of renewable energies in the country’s final energy mix 20 percent by 2020. Furthermore, in February 2008, Monaco committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2050.
In 2007, a preselection process was launched that allows only organic wastes to end up at the waste-to-energy plants, via collecting and recycling or reusing materials such as glass, paper, household packaging, oil, toxic household waste, batteries, and printer cartridges. From 2007 to the middle of 2008, the amount of the collected paper increased by 550 percent, and the amount of collected glass was doubled. As of 2017, the GHG emissions due to waste incineration had been reduced, and the energy produced by waste-to-energy plants is equal to the energy consumed by the principality’s public lighting and heating and cooling of one of the principal districts of the country.
Monaco’s Department of the Environment noticed that another 31 percent of the overall GHG emissions of Monaco are linked to district heating. Since 2003, therefore, domestic fuel heating has been banned in new buildings, and since 2008 the state grants a 30 percent subsidy to those replacing fossil fuel heating systems with a solar heating system. However, Monaco is still dependent on its neighbors: As of 2024, all the electricity consumed is imported from France. The government has announced several additional measures to both secure the country’s energy independence and meet its climate change goals.
These measures include the energy auditing and setting of high environmental standards for buildings; promotion of the use of public transportation, carpooling, and low-carbon vehicles; the reduction of domestic energy consumption with the installation of smart meters; and subsidies for installation of solar photovoltaic and solar thermal systems.
This policy is supported by the Société Monégasque de l’Électricité et du Gaz (SMEG), which has been in charge of the distribution of electricity and natural gas in the principality for more than a century and will be at least until 2029. SMEG’s shareholders include the GDF SUEZ group, the French network operator EDF, and the state of Monaco.
Bibliography
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