Green gas: Veolia and Waga Energy will produce biomethane

15 Oct. 2020

In early October, Veolia and Waga Energy launched the construction of WAGABOX®, a unit recovering biomethane from landfill waste. WAGABOX® will be installed in Île-de-France at the Claye-Souilly landfill to supply renewable gas to 20,000 homes in the Paris region from February 2022. It will contribute to the fight against global warming by replacing natural gas with green and local energy (biomethane).

Participating in ecological transformation by producing green gas

WAGABOX® is a breakthrough technology for recovering biogas from landfill waste. It combines two advanced technologies (membrane filtration and cryogenic distillation), it separates methane from other components and provides 98% pure biomethane. The biomethane will then be injected into GRDF’s natural gas distribution network to supply individuals and businesses in Paris. With 25,000 tonnes of CO₂ avoided per year, it contributes to the local energy loop and the region’s ecological transformation. From 2022 and for 15 years, this site will generate 120 GWh of gas per year, making it the second largest project in France, and the largest green gas production capacity from a non-hazardous waste storage facility in Europe. This is equivalent to the needs of 20,000 households powered by green and local energy.

Waga Energy’s and Veolia’s third green gas project together

In France, Claye-Souilly is the two partner’s third green gas project together, following one in the Cher, in service since November 2018, and a second project under construction in the Manche department. France already has 10 WAGABOX®, with a total capacity of 200 GWh/year, which supply 32,000 homes with renewable gas and avoid 40,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year.

Veolia’s Claye-Souilly non-hazardous waste landfill has been recovering biogas from waste in the form of electricity and heat since 2006. Veolia developed the first biomethane fuel from waste production unit (Meth'OD) in 2009. WAGABOX®, which will replace part of this equipment, will purify 3,000 m³ of biogas per hour, with superior energy and environmental efficiency.

An industrial and regional ecology model

The European framework sets the ambition to reduce net CO2 emissions to zero by 2050. This requires the deployment of large-scale industrial solutions. The recovery of biogas from landfilled waste is a key lever to contribute to this objective. This project with Waga Energy - by its size and its impact - is an industrial and regional ecology model that will produce local, renewable, and carbon-free energy.

HÉLÈNE LEBEDEFF

Territory Director, Storage & Recovery at Veolia

I would like to thank Veolia for its confidence and its commitment, at our side, to the fight against global warming, a major issue for our generation. This innovative project demonstrates French excellence in green gas engineering and waste processing and recovery. It is also an example of a partnership between a young innovative company and a major international group serving the energy transition.

MATHIEU LEFEBVRE

CEO AND CO-FOUNDER OF WAGA ENERGY

Waga Energy: created in 2015, this company mobilises French gas engineering expertise to produce biomethane, a renewable substitute for natural gas, by recovering biogas from landfill sites.