Mathieu Lefebvre, CEO and co-founder of Waga Energy, and Fabrice Rossignol, CEO of Suez Recycling & Recovery France, signing the contract at the Pollutec trade fair.

Waga Energy is launching the construction of a new WAGABOX® unit at the Madaillan landfill site run by the Suez group in Milhac-d’Auberoche (southwestern France). Due to be commissioned in August 2022, it will process 372 scfm (600 m3/h) of landfill gas and inject 60,000 mmBtus (20 GWh) of Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) per year. It will supply more than 3,000 homes in the area, avoiding 3,500 metric tons CO2eq of emissions into the atmosphere per year.

Waga Energy will finance the construction of the unit and the landfill’s connection to the gas grid with the support of Meridiam, an independent investment benefit corporation. Waga Energy will operate and maintain the unit for 15 years. The RNG production will be sold by Suez. The Nouvelle-Aquitaine region is to contribute €400,000 to help fund this green transition project.

Improved energy efficiency

The Madaillan landfill site processes 105,000 metric tons of household and similar waste each year. The gas produced by the breakdown of organic matter is currently recovered by Combine Heat and Power (CHP) engines. The commissioning of the WAGABOX® unit will strongly increase energy yields.

The WAGABOX® unit in Milhac-d’Auberoche will be the fifth commissioned by Waga Energy on a landfill run by Suez, a world’s leader in waste management. Four WAGABOX® units are already in operation in the cities of Saint-Maximin, Gueltas, Chevilly and Ventes-de-Bourse. They inject 205,000 mmBtus (60 GWh) of RNG into the French grid per year, avoiding 12,000 metric tons of CO2eq emissions.

Fabrice Rossignol, Chief Executive Officer of Suez Recycling & Recovery France: “This innovation supported by Waga Energy enables us to produce local energy at our non-hazardous industrial waste storage facilities, energy that is renewable, carbon-free and contributes to the development of the circular economy and the ecological transition of the regions. We are very proud to be part of this partnership which is part of a long-term approach and fully aligns with the goal of the Suez Group to reduce its CO2 emissions by 45% by 2030.

Mathieu Lefebvre, co-founder and CEO of Waga Energy: “With this new project, Waga Energy and Suez continue to take concrete action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This is a prime example of successful collaboration between a young innovative company and a major international group. It also represents a further illustration of French industrial expertise in the treatment and recovery of waste.”