Veolia and Waga Energy Inaugurate RNG Facility in France

Veolia and Waga Energy Inaugurate Renewable Natural Gas Production Facility in Burgundy, France

Granges (Burgundy, France), June 19, 2025 – On Thursday, June 19, Veolia and Waga Energy inaugurated a renewable natural gas production facility at the Granges landfill site, in Burgundy, in the East of France. In operation for several months now, this state-of-the-art unit supplies more than 3,000 households in the community—while preventing the emission of 3,300 metric tons of CO₂-equivalent into the atmosphere each year.

Veolia, a world leader in water, waste and energy management, and Waga Energy, a specialist in renewable natural gas (RNG) production at landfill sites, today inaugurated, in partnership with GRDF, a key player in France’s gas transition, the RNG production unit at the Granges landfill center in Saône-et-Loire (Burgundy, East of France).

The ceremony was attended by Mr Olivier Tainturier, deputy prefect of the district of Chalon-sur-Saône, Ms Marie Mercier, senator for Saône-et-Loire, Mr Fabien Genet, senator for Saône-et-Loire, Mr Dominique Juilllot, first vice-president of Grand Chalon Agglomeration in charge of ecological transition, sustainable land use planning, and urban development, and Mr Antonio Pascual, mayor of the city of Granges.

The facility utilizes Waga Energy’s patented WAGABOX® technology to capture and upgrade landfill biogas naturally generated by waste stored on site. Its output is fed into the local gas grid operated by GRDF, via a 2.5-mile (4-kilometer) pipeline connection built as part of the project.

The unit can treat up to 400 standard cubic feet per minute (scfm, or 600 cubic meters per hour) of raw biogas. It supplies more than 3,000 French households, thereby preventing the emission of approximately 3,300 metric tons of CO₂-equivalent into the atmosphere each year[1]. This circular economy project strengthens the energy autonomy of Greater Chalon community and contributes to the energy independence of the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region.

A Landmark Project for the Region

The Granges waste recovery center, near Chalon-sur-Saône, is operated by Valbara, a subsidiary of Veolia. It processes up to 130,000 tons of waste per year. The RNG production unit replaces one of the site’s two combined heat and power (CHP) engines, improving its energy efficiency and environmental performance through the production of renewable gas. RNG, a pillar of the energy transition, provides an alternative to fossil gas for uses that remain largely dependent on fossil fuels, such as heating, transportation, and industry.

This is the sixth RNG commissioning project carried out jointly by Veolia and Waga Energy in seven years. The WAGABOX® units installed at Veolia sites have a total installed capacity of 802,000 MMBtu per year (235 GWh/y), enabling them to supply more than 35,000 French households and prevent the emission of approximately 40,000 metric tons of CO2-equivalent per year into the atmosphere.

Leadership Commentary

Anaël Gendre, Director of Veolia’s industrial units in the Burgundy, Auvergne, Rhône-Alpes region: “With the production of RNG injected into the network thanks to the WAGABOX® unit, the “Pôle de Valorisation des Déchets” (landfill center) of Granges is now generating even more green energy from waste, in addition to the electricity already produced on site. This equipment is fully in line with the site’s development and the Veolia Group’s ambition to offer concrete solutions to accelerate the ecological transformation of territories, by reducing the use of fossil fuels and lowering their carbon footprint.”

Mathieu Lefebvre, CEO of Waga Energy: “We’re proud and excited to continue our partnership with Veolia, a global leader in waste treatment and recovery—a collaboration that began seven years ago. Together, we’re proving that, when properly managed and equipped to capture and convert gas, landfill sites can play a key role in the energy transition. This sixth joint project highlights the potential of these sites to produce large volumes of renewable natural gas (RNG) at competitive prices, helping in the fight against climate change. I also want to recognize the outstanding teamwork on the ground—our teams’ dedication and expertise have been essential in making these ambitious and complex projects a reality.”

Eric Passetti, Regional Director for Burgundy-Franche-Comté at GRDF: “This project demonstrates our commitment to facilitating the injection of locally produced renewable gas. By ensuring connection to the network, GRDF is fully playing its role as a key player in the energy transition serving local communities. It is helping to achieve our ambition of reaching 25% green gas in the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region by 2030.”

[1] Estimate based on the methodology defined by the European RED II directive (“Renewable Energy Directive II”) and using ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification) certified emission factors for a standard WAGABOX® project in France.

About Veolia

Veolia’s ambition is to become the benchmark company for ecological transformation. Present on five continents with 215,000 employees, the Group designs and deploys useful and concrete solutions for water, waste and energy management that help to radically change the world. Through its three complementary activities, Veolia contributes to developing access to resources, preserving available resources and renewing them. In 2024, the Veolia group served 111 million people with drinking water and 98 million with wastewater services, produced 42 terawatt-hours of energy and processed 65 million metric tons of waste. Veolia Environnement (Paris Euronext: VIE) generated consolidated sales of 44.7 billion euros in 2024.

About Waga Energy

Founded in 2015, Waga Energy (EPA: WAGA) produces competitively priced Renewable Natural Gas (RNG, also known as biomethane) by upgrading landfill gas using a patented purification technology called WAGABOX®. The RNG produced is injected directly into the gas distribution networks that supply individuals and businesses, providing a substitute for fossil natural gas. Waga Energy operates 31 RNG production units in France, Spain, Canada and the USA, representing an installed capacity of more than 5,120,000 MMBtu (1.5 TWh) per year. Waga Energy now has 19 RNG production units under construction worldwide. Each project initiated by Waga Energy contributes to the fight against global warming and helps the energy transition. Waga Energy is listed on Euronext Paris (FR0012532810 – EPA: WAGA). Waga Energy – RNG for all.

About GRDF

GRDF is the operator of the largest gas distribution network in Europe. It operates and maintains 207,000 km of networks, ensuring the safety of people and property. GRDF is a key player in an affordable energy transition rooted in local communities. Present in more than 9,500 municipalities, the company partners with local authorities, supporting them in their decarbonization efforts through their energy and sustainable mobility policy choices.

GRDF distributes gas to nearly 11 million customers for heating, cooking, and transportation, regardless of their supplier. For each use, GRDF offers pragmatic solutions to reduce its customers’ carbon footprint: energy efficiency, green gas, energy efficiency, and high-performance equipment. The company is committed to achieving 20% green gas in its networks by 2030, a goal that will enable as many people as possible to benefit from renewable energy produced in France.

GRDF is the leading gas distributor committed to decarbonization—across all scopes and at constant scope—in line with the Paris Agreement.