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Who can benefit from the NFI services?

4 specific cases:
  • Foreign companies in all sectors looking to expand in Hauts-de-France
  • French companies with no site in Hauts-de-France
  • Hauts-de-France companies with a succession plan
  • Foreign-owned companies in Hauts-de-France with a development project
Our services are not intended for :
  • French or international self-employed entrepreneurs
  • French companies wishing to export
  • International companies seeking distribution networks only

Why as the help of Nord France Invest?

Nord France Invest provides you with completely tailored, free of charge and confidential support. We centralize all the information you need to analyze your project. We facilitate your process to find a site, partners or land. We organize site visits. We accelerate your networking with future regional partners. Find out more about the agency's services on this page.

What type of project can support you in?

The agency supports job-creating investment projects. The nature of projects varies according to 3 main categories:
  • Start-up projects
  • Expansion of existing sites in the region
  • takeovers of regional businesses by international companies.
Nord France Invest's services are not aimed at capital investments.
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HomeBusiness SectorSustainability and energy transition

Sustainable business

in Hauts-de-France

Hauts-de-France is committed to growing green business and expanding eco-innovation. We’re strategically positioned at the crossroads of the energy transition and the move to a bioeconomy: we’ve got ambitious goals and are determined to capitalize on our resources. For companies who share our aims of expanding and generating growth—there’s never been a better time to set up here.
Nord France Invest

Hauts-de-France: committed to
energy transition

Hauts-de-France has been investing in renewable energy for over ten years. Today more than ever, we’re helping make the move towards a world built on more sustainable energy, with a small environmental footprint and big economic opportunities.

THE REGION’S MOST POPULAR ENERGY SOURCES ARE

  1. Oil
  2. Gas
  3. Electricity

In fact, Hauts-de-France ranks third nationwide for electricity consumption, for two main reasons:

  • high population density: we’re home to 9% of the French population
  • vibrant industry, including many energy-hungry businesses

 

TOWARDS MORE INTENSIVE GENERATION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY

Hauts-de-France has clearly stated two main green energy aims:

  • double our generation of renewable energy
  • reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 40%

We’ve already reached our limit for onshore wind turbines, with a quarter of all French generation capacity. So the region is now shifting its focus to energy from:

  • Wood
  • Biofuels
  • Biomass and biogas
  • Solar
  • Geothermal
  • Coalbed methane
  • Decarbonized hydrogen
  • District heating:
    • Wate heat recovery
    • Solid recovered fuel
    • biomass

HIGH HOPES FOR BIOMETHANE

Hauts-de-France is also aiming to become Europe’s largest biomethane producer. This plan calls for injecting biomethane into the region’s gas distribution network, up to a maximum of 30%. The process has already begun:

  • 40 biomethane production projects are under way
  • 160 are at the planning stage

Progress has also been made towards structuring the sector: a dedicated technology center for biomethane production is under construction near Arras, and will be operational in 2024.

THE REV3 DYNAMIC
COMBINING DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES AND NEW ENERGIES

THE REV3 DYNAMIC

Hauts-de-France has been actively engaged in the REV3 initiative since 2013—the only region in France to take such a stand. REV3 is built around two major drivers of change:

  • a region-wide focus on the future
  • economist Jeremy Rifkin’s vision described in “The Third Industrial Revolution”.

 

 

The Hauts-de-France's ambition

Ultimately, Hauts-de-France aims to combine improved energy efficiency with a transition to renewable energy. We want to create new economic models with small carbon footprints and limited environmental impact. REV3 is above all a pragmatic approach, based on strong local economic performance, energy sufficiency and self-sufficiency, careful and circular use of resources, as well as a progressive, equitable society.

It provides innovative solutions for all scenarios—from startups to big business, and from rural areas to major urban centers. The aim in each case is to set the region’s economy on a sustainable footing for the long term, make it more competitive and improve quality of life for all.

Infrastructure to support
energy transition

In Hauts-de-France, our support infrastructure includes effective mechanisms for growing businesses and transforming the region’s economy. Together these will help make your development, innovation, partnership and financing plans a reality.

Hauts-de-France on track to
become a bioeconomy leader

Our region’s commitment to the third industrial revolution extends beyond renewable energy: we plan to become a full-fledged bioeconomy.

WHAT DOES “BIOECONOMY” MEAN?

The figures are clear: consumer preferences are shifting increasingly toward more bio-based products. Enter the bioeconomy—a new, integral part of the global economy that aims to replace energy from fossil fuels like coal and oil with green energy.

Which markets are set for change?

The bioeconomy will transform many segments, including:

  • Food and feedstuffs
  • Materials
  • Cosmetics
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Transport
  • Energy
  • Construction

HAUTS-DEFRANCE LEADING THE WAY TO A BIOECONOMY

Our region aims to become a European leader in the bioeconomy. We have three clear targets:

  • make Hauts-de-France Europe’s top producer of protein, including vegetable protein (wheat, peas, rapeseed and flaxseed), milk protein, and alternatives such as insects and algae.
  • establish a sustainable bio-based materials sector in Hauts-de-France
  • promote bioproduction focused on tomorrow’s molecules of interest, by creating equivalents to molecules derived from oil and exploring entirely new avenues—procedures that use living organisms such as yeast or bacteria, and biotechnology.

 

A REGION WITH MANY RESOURCES

Hauts-de-France will become a trailblazer by capitalizing on the wealth of resources already directly available here and by developing bio-based products.

Our region is France’s top producer of:

  • Alfalfa
  • Barley
  • Hemp
  • Protein crops
  • Sugar beet
  • Potatoes for starch

INPUT FROM EXPERTS

Hauts-de-France region is an industrial powerhouse for the whole country. Many of our key players in industry and chemical formulation create added value, and are actively engaged in the transition to a bioeconomy. These include:

Avril
Bonduelle
Faurecia
Innova Feed
Lefrant Rubco
Roquette
Soufflet
Tereos
Uneal
Vivescia

A highly effective
R&D system

Innovation drives the transitions in our economy. In Hauts-de-France, the region provides a comprehensive set of structures dedicated to the companies behind these transitions. This eco-system helps by speeding up their projects, facilitating technology transfer, and generating synergies.

We are home to three main clusters: Bioeconomy For Change, EuraMaterials and TEAM².

Un système R&D performant

BIOECONOMY CATALYST – MEET BIOECONOMY FOR CHANGE, OUR INDUSTRY AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS CLUSTER

Bioeconomy For Change is a regional, European and global pace-setter, and has supported over 300 projects since 2005.

Its 400+ members operate across the entire bio-based value chain—from producing agricultural inputs to marketing finished products. They include agricultural cooperatives, research institutions and universities, companies of all sizes and public-sector stakeholders.

The Bioeconomy For Change cluster focuses on the production and optimal use of bioresources (agricultural, forestry and marine resources, their by-products and residues) for food and feed, industry and energy.

 

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EURAMATERIALS: THE MATERIALS PROCESSING INDUSTRY CLUSTER

EuraMaterials provides support for companies and researchers in materials processing. It brings members together and promotes joint projects and teamwork, fostering growth and performance by working towards shared solutions.

Four forms of support are available:

  • innovation and project engineering
  • technical expertise on materials and processes
  • new commercial, technical and financial opportunities
  • assistance to startups and business acceleration

 

 

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TEAM²: THE RECYCLING CLUSTER

TEAM² is a nationwide hub for innovation in recycling, and has been officially recognized since 2010. It harnesses its expertise—and its expert network of stakeholders in industry, research and institutions—to stimulate, support and promote market segments dedicated to producing and using new resources.

Its approach focuses on five areas:

  • Strategic minerals and rare earth elements
  • Minerals for construction and civil engineering
  • Waste including composites, mixed plastics and textiles
  • French recycling equipment suppliers and engineers
  • Local and industrial ecology
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CD2E: THE GREEN TRANSITION ACCELERATOR

The CD2E is the regional centre of excellence for eco-transition. It supports companies and local authorities in developing their skills and projects in the field of eco-transition in the Hauts-de-France.

It operates in 4 areas of expertise:

  • Sustainable building,
  • The circular economy,
  • Renewable energies,
  • Sustainable public procurement.
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