VALTOM and Waga Energy complete first RNG injection using a hybrid biogas source  

Commissioned on December 18, 2024, this first-of-its-kind project in Europe utilizes Waga Energy’s proprietary WAGABOX technology to upgrade landfill gas (LFG) from the Puy-Long Landfill and raw biogas from the anaerobic digestion (AD) plant at Vernéa, VALTOM’s waste management facility, located a few hundred meters apart into biomethane aka renewable natural gas (RNG).

The RNG is directly injected into the French gas grid operator GrDF’s network to supply local households and businesses as well as a CNG/BioCNG filling station in Clermont-Ferrand.

The WAGABOX unit can supply up to 51,000 MMBtu (15 GWh) of RNG each year and its commissioning will avoid the emission of approximately 2,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂eq) by replacing fossil natural gas with RNG, thereby reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

We are proud and thrilled of this partnership with VALTOM, serving both the region and our planet. The unit’s commissioning on the date announced at the time of signing the contract illustrates our industrial know-how and our ability to undertake complex projects with a fast turnaround. This pioneering, unique European initiative is a testament to the potential synergies between an anaerobic digestion plant and a landfill site, when the latter is fitted with a WAGABOX unit and connected to the gas grid, said Mathieu Lefebvre, Chairman and CEO of Waga Energy.

Crowdfunding to increase engagement

The project required an investment of EUR 3.5 million and was co-financed by VALTOM and Waga Energy via the VALTOM Énergie Biométhane joint venture which now earns revenue from RNG sales.

To involve residents and encourage active contribution to the region’s ecological transition, a crowdfunding campaign was launched in the spring of last year via the Enerfip renewable energy financing platform and raised EUR 180,000.

The French Agency for Environment and Energy Management (ADEME) provided a EUR 339,000 grant while Caisse des Dépôts contributed EUR 60,000 through the Ecocité initiative.

Valourise biowaste

RNG represents a solution for decarbonizing specifically hard-to-electrify sectors such as industry and transport while helping to boost local energy sovereignty.

Previously, the LFG generated from the Puy-Long Landfill was converted into electricity, and biogas from the anaerobic digestion plant was used to power the incinerator at the Vernéa facility.

This project marks a first for Europe and is part of an overall endeavor by VALTOM to upgrade biowaste. As a result, source-separated biowaste is treated at the biogas plant producing RNG to refuel the trucks that collect the biowaste, providing a tangible example of the circular economy on a local scale.

The commissioning of this innovative facility – the first of its kind in Europe – culminates four years of consulting with governmental departments to change a regulation, which until now, did not enable RNG production by combining biogas from an anaerobic digestion plant and a landfill. Our determination and support from the Puy-de-Dôme Prefecture have paid off and will help VALTOM accelerate the rollout of renewable energies throughout the region, for the benefit of each and every resident, said Laurent Battut, President of VALTOM.