In a bold step for carbon capture and circular economy innovation, SUEZ has unveiled a biogenic CO2 recovery facility at its Terres d’Aquitaine site in Gironde, France. The new unit, inaugurated on June 30, captures carbon from the anaerobic digestion of biowaste—offering a fresh, local solution to reduce emissions and support sustainable agriculture.
The facility, co-financed by the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region, is expected to capture up to 3,500 tons of CO2 annually. Rather than venting this biogenic CO2, SUEZ purifies and liquefies it on-site using V’COOL® technology, developed with partner PRODEVAL. The captured carbon is already helping greenhouse tomato producers in southern France replace fossil CO2, boosting crop yields and cutting emissions.
Beyond farming, future applications for the renewable CO2 could include refrigeration, algae farming, or fire safety equipment—extending its value across industries.
Carbon capture and utilization milestone for SUEZ
The carbon unit is the latest milestone for Terres d’Aquitaine, a site SUEZ has operated since 2006. With over €22 million ($25.8 million) in investments, it now integrates every stage of organic waste recovery—from supermarket and agricultural waste collection to composting, biomethane generation, and certified soil amendments.
SUEZ CEO David Lamy emphasized the site’s role as a circular economy hub: “With Terres d’Aquitaine, SUEZ establishes itself as a leading player by managing the entire organic waste treatment process on a single site and converting every flow into a valuable resource for the region. We are proud to further develop this site, which perfectly reflects SUEZ’s vision: transforming waste into levers for the ecological transition of local territories.”
With over 45 GWh of biomethane produced annually and now a robust carbon capture and utilization program, the platform could serve as a model for sustainable, regionally integrated energy and waste systems across France and the EU.
SUEZ also active in the UK
In August 2024 the company was preparing to apply for government grants to support the development of carbon capture technology at two of its energy-from-waste facilities on England’s east coast.
Suez has partnered with engineering firms Technip Energies and Fluor to assess the feasibility of carbon capture at the two sites that will be linked to the Net Zero Teesside project.
The carbon capture facilities would aim to take away 98% of all carbon emissions from operation. Annually, Suez handles 9.9 million tons of domestic, commercial and industrial waste.
Technip Energies is also collaborating with Suez on a similar project in Bristol.
Read more: Suez Seeks Government Funding For Carbon Capture Projects
