Recovery of biogas from its waste landfills Biomethane injected into the natural gas distribution network
With WAGABOX® technology, Veolia recovers the methane produced by the degradation of organic waste at landfill sites and injects it directly into the natural gas distribution network.
Main project's drivers for reducing the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
Energy and resource efficiency
Energy Decarbonisation
Energy efficiency improvements
Improving efficiency in non-energy resources
Emission removal
Financing low-carbon issuers or disinvestment from carbon assets
Reduction of other greenhouse gases emission
Project objectives
Recovering the methane produced by the degradation of organic waste at landfills and injecting it directly into the natural gas distribution
Reducing net CO2 emissions to zero by 2050, as set out in the European framework, requires the implementation of large-scale industrial solutions. The recovery of biogas from landfill waste is one of the key levers of Veolia’s activities to contribute to this objective. This major project in partnership with Waga Energy, a Grenoble-based startup, is an emblematic illustration of this in terms of its size and impact. A true example of industrial and territorial ecology, it will make it possible to produce local, renewable and low-carbon energy.
This innovation offers an energy efficiency three times higher than solutions consisting in burning biogas in an engine or a turbine to produce electricity. Biomethane can also be easily stored and transported using existing gas infrastructures.
By substituting biomethane for natural gas, the WAGABOX® solution avoids the carbon emissions caused by the use of fossil fuels.
Emission scope(s)
on which the project has a significant impact
Scope 1
Direct emissions generated by the company's activity.
Scope 2
Indirect emissions associated with the company's electricity and heat consumption.
Scope 3
Emissions induced (upstream or downstream) by the company's activities, products and/or services in its value chain.
Emission Removal
Carbon sinks creation, (BECCS, CCU/S, …)
Avoided Emissions
Emissions avoided by the activities, products and/or services in charge of the project, or by the financing of emission reduction projects.
Scope 1 – Methane recovery
Quantification : 21,1 kt CO2/year
Avoided Emissions – Substitution of natural gas by biomethane
Quantification : 24 kt CO2/an
The WAGABOX® solution allows the recovery of 118 182 MWh PCI/year of biomethane. We can consider that this biomethane has an emission factor of 23,4 kgCO2eq/MWh PCI.
The emission factor of natural gas is about 227 kgCO2/MWh PCI. The injection of biomethane into the network, all other things being equal, avoids 203.6 kgCO2/MWh COD, i.e. for this installation more than 24,000 tCO2/year.
On the other hand, if the methane from the decomposition of the waste had not been recovered, its ordinary treatment by combustion would have resulted in the emission of 21,000 tCO2eq (GWP at 100 years = 30). The recovery of methane by the WAGABOX® solution therefore also avoids 21 000 tCO2/year at the non-hazardous waste storage facility.
In total, more than 45 000 tCO2eq/year are avoided by the WAGABOX® solution.
Key points
Invested amount
Claye-Souilly : 11 M€ Saint-Palais : 3 M€ Le Ham : 3 M€
Starting date of the project
November 2018
Project localisation
Claye-Souilly (Seine et Marne), Saint Palais (Cher) et Le Ham (Manche).
Project maturity level
Prototype laboratory test (TRL 7)
Real life testing (TRL 7-8)
Pre-commercial prototype (TRL 9)
Small-scale implementation
Medium to large scale implementation
Economic profitability of the project (ROI)
Short term (0-3 years)
Middle term (4-10 years)
Long term (> 10 years)
Illustrations of the project
The project is part of a contribution to various SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) :
- In addition to GHGs, this project avoids the emission of other pollutants produced by the combustion of biogas (SDG 7 Clean and Affordable Energy, SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, Infrastructure, and SDG 13 Action on Climate Change).
- It is a territory-wide industrial ecology project with a partnership approach to accelerate ecological transformation (SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities and SDG 17 Partnerships for Achieving the Goals).
Finally, this project contributes to the creation of qualified industrial jobs in France (SDG 8 Decent work and economic growth).
This type of project is reproducible if the support mechanisms for biomethane injection projects from non-hazardous waste storage facilities are maintained.
A partnership between Veolia and Waga Energy, a young innovative company, has been initiated.
Contact the company carrying the project
antoine.lair@veolia.com
