REPORTING. How farmers and energy -consuming try to accelerate the production of biogas

While France wants to gradually do without fossil gas by 2050, large investments are underway in the production of renewable gas.

How to continue to heat our houses and buildings, run our factories, when France wants to gradually do without fossil gas? One of the solutions is to replace it with renewable gasA gas mainly from agricultural matter such as plants or slurry. To date, there are more than 700 methanisors in France who make it and who inject it into our gas network, but that only represents 3% of our consumption. The sector is therefore in full acceleration, with the aim of reaching 20% ​​by 2030.

To change the scale, energy vehicles combine with farmers and build larger factories, in particular. The greatest methanizer in France started a few months ago in Cérilly, in Côte-d’Or, a hundred kilometers from Dijon a few months ago. Here, rye ferments and generates the biogas, in five tall vats with a pointed roof. “It’s a beautiful worksaid pride Pascal Chanderot, the director general of Nature Energy France. 10 to 15% of the gas needs of Côte-d’Or are produced. That is to say about 25,000 households, which is ten times higher than a classic methanizer that we see in our campaigns. “

Nature Energy is a subsidiary of the Shell oil group and is associated with local farmers. They were the ones who carried the project. They wanted to develop new cultures, in addition to their sunflower or legumes, underlines the president of the Dijon Cereals cooperative, Didier Lenoir. “We did not have a vocation or vellets to make a big methanizer but the territory is large: we had needs for a large number of farmers.”

“In the end the cooperative methanizer that we built is used for 150 farmers, so it’s important.”

Didier Lenoir

in franceinfo

The alliance with the energetician also makes it possible to share the colossal investment. “The cost is around 100 million euros, which is high. All by itself, we would never have done it. We know how to grow rye, we know how to store it, underlines Didier Lenoir. On the other hand, transforming it into gas, as much to work with those who know. Nature Energy knows how to do it. ” These great methanizers bring economies of scale, when today it is necessary to invest more than five million euros today for a few farmers to build a small site on the farm.

This methanizer is by far the largest in France, but there are other important sites, created with energy giants. These units develop, in parallel with the smallest. The Totalnergies French giant is also in the race and operates several of the biggest methanisors in France.

A sign of the importance of biogas for the world number 3 liquefied natural gas, his boss, Patrick Pouyanné, went in person Wednesday, February 26, at Agricultural fair in Paris. Patrick Pouyanné has just signed a partnership with the young farmers’ union. He assumes his interest in green gas: “We have strong ambitions and in France there is a new law which will be implemented and will oblige gas distributors as totaling 1%, 2%, 3%of biogas in their natural gas, gradually. That’s why I am interested in it. Because I have an interest in producing my biogaz otherwise I will have to pay penalties or pay dearly to competitors. Economic and this is a chance for agriculture, we are really complementary. “

“A chance” According to Patrick Pouyanné. However, there are still brakes to reach the 100% biogas target in our networks within 25 years. First administrative brakes according to the CEO of Totalenergies and president of young farmers, Pierrick Horel. They will appeal to simplification together. “Because it is too long, because there is also a collective perception that we must make evolve, many fears, fears, so we also need to communicate a lot positively on this subject with local residents, with politicians. We have to take everyone in this project to go faster on the goals”supports Pierrick Horel.

“If there were only residents it would be good in France. Because once we agree with residents we can move forward, but after there is a whole administrative process which involves many various authorizations and we waste time”explains Patrick Pouyanné.

On the other side, at the end of the pipes, the State must also encourage consumers to turn to biogas. It is the recurring request of the sector and Frédéric Terrisse, president of the Renewable Gas Commission of the Energies Syndicate Rbarrels. “Today, sir and Madame everyone who use their gas to heat themselves, for the kitchen, for hot water, pay the same price as it is fossil gas or renewable gas, because these are the same taxes that apply.”

“We would see a good eye that there is still a difference in taxation and the customer thus would see an advantage in consuming renewable gas not relation to fossil gas.”

Terrane Frédéric

in franceinfo

The question of the price is central in this transition, especially since on the wholesale markets, the fossil gas is now much cheaper than the cost of production of biogas.