Paris: French sugar producer Cristal Union announced a 10% stake acquisition in TotalEnergies’ upcoming biogas facility, BioNorrois. This collaboration leverages Cristal Union’s sugar beet residue, a key component in the biogas production process.
As part of the agreement, Cristal Union, the second-largest sugar manufacturer in France, will provide beet pulp for a 15-year period to fuel the biogas plant, accounting for over half of the 185,000 metric tons of material to be processed at its inception. The remaining feedstock will consist of agrifood waste sourced by TotalEnergies. The biogas plant, named BioNorrois, is expected to generate nearly 100 gigawatt hours (GWh) annually initially, with a maximum capacity of 153 GWh per year. The organic fertilizer produced alongside the biogas will be distributed to nearby cooperative members of the Cristal Union. Previously, the pulp from Cristal Union’s sugar plant in Fontaine-le-Dun, northwestern France, had been employed in animal feed. This collaboration follows a trend in the industry, with competitor Tereos partnering with Nestle and Bonduelle in 2017 to supply a biogas plant owned by Engie in Eppeville, northern France.
