TotalEnergies SE is expanding its biogas segment with the successful acquisition of a 20 percent stake in a Finnish company to produce biomethane, and plans to build its first facility in the US.
The partner, Ductor, “has developed an innovative technology to process nitrogen-rich organic waste, such as poultry manure, which is normally difficult to use for biomethane production,” a joint press release said Wednesday.
“By enabling the treatment of new types of input, this technology is helping to accelerate the development of the biogas value chain, thus contributing to the energy transition.
“It will also allow TotalEnergies to take advantage of new market opportunities.”
The global energy giant and Ductor will also form a joint venture through which the latter will produce sustainable biofertilizers and the French partner will market biomethane, a gas generated from organic matter.
They plan to build their initial facility in the state of Ohio with an eye on the US and Europe as primary markets.
The new participation of TotalEnergies contributes to its “ambition to produce 20 TWh [terawatt hours] of biogas worldwide by 2030,” said Olivier Guerrini, Vice President of Biogas at TotalEnergies, in the announcement.
The goal is “equivalent to the average annual gas demand of four million French consumers and a reduction of CO2 [carbon dioxide] emissions of about four million tons,” the statement said.
TotalEnergies currently has a biogas production capacity of 1.1 Twh.
“The company aims to become a major player in the international market by joining forces with leading partners such as Clean Energy, Veolia and Ductor,” he said in the press release. “It is active in the entire value chain, from project development to the commercialization of this renewable gas and its by-products, including biofertilizers and bioCO2.”
Ductor chief executive Bernard Fenner said in the announcement that his company’s “solution for repurposing high-grade organic waste into renewable energy and sustainable fertilizers” is an answer to achieving a balance between energy and food security and counter-efforts against global warming.
The Helsinki-based company currently has two plants, in Germany and Mexico.
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