Avergies, Valorizon and Waga Energy launch RNG production in Southwestern France

Waga Energy’s WagaBox unit at the l’Albié landfill has begun producing and injecting RNG into the distribution network.

two people in hard hats and high-vis vests looking at schematics

Photo courtesy of Waga Energy

The Waga Energy WagaBox unit located at the l’Albié landfill in Monflanquin, France, has begun producing and injecting renewable natural gas (RNG) into the distribution network. The project is spearheaded by Biogaz Monflanquin, a joint venture between Valorizon and Avergies.

Valorizon is the waste management organization for the region, and Avergies is a semipublic company mandated to develop renewable energy projects in the region.

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Utilizing patented WagaBox technology developed by France-based Waga Energy, the biogas emitted by waste buried at the landfill is now being recovered as RNG and used to supply residential and commercial customers across Southwestern France.  

The Monflanquin landfill processes nearly 30,000 tons of waste per year. According to Waga Energy, the WagaBox unit is expected to produce approximately 41,000 million British thermal units (12 gigawatt hours) of renewable gas annually—equivalent to the consumption of 2,000 local households. The company says this production will prevent the emission of 3,200 tons of eqCO2 into the atmosphere each year.

“The startup of this WagaBox unit just 13 months after the contract signing demonstrates the industrial expertise of our teams,” Mathieu Lefebvre, CEO of Waga Energy, says. “We are delighted with this collaboration with Valorizon and Avergies, local players committed to renewable energy, with whom we work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Thanks to our partners’ engagement and WagaBox technology, the Monflanquin landfill now supplies the region with local, decarbonized energy.”

The Valorizon and Avergies teams say they are fully mobilized to optimize biogas capture at the landfill, ensuring maximum recovery by the WagaBox unit. The RNG can power both homes and vehicles via the Témob station network already present in neighboring urban areas.

“The partnership between SEM Avergies and the waste management union Valorizon has enabled the establishment of a renewable energy production unit in line with our shared goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and strengthening the territory’s energy autonomy,” Pascal de Sermet, CEO of SEM Avergies, says. “I would like to commend the commitment of Waga Energy, whose rigor, technical expertise and adherence to deadlines demonstrate the strength of a French player that has become a global benchmark in its field.”  

The project received financial support from the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region as part of the Néo Terra roadmap, aimed at accelerating concrete energy transition solutions. The local energy authority, Territoire d’Énergie, also supported Valorizon and Avergies through its program dedicated to expanding the RNG sector and achieving renewable gas energy independence for the region.

“Our slogan—our waste is a resource—takes on its full meaning here,” Ludovic Biasotto, president of Valorizon, says. “By recovering biogas from landfill waste to produce local renewable energy, we are creating value for the community while consolidating the resources necessary for our public service mission. This project aligns with our local economic development goals and environmental commitments through the production of clean, sustainable energy.”