Drawing on the expertise of its 85 employees, Fonroche Biogaz has developed industrial and technological expertise across the entire renewable gas value chain. Its integration marks a significant step in Total’s development on the renewable gas market, with prospects for rapid growth on the French market and for international deployment.
"This acquisition is consistent with our strategy and our climate ambition to get to net zero by 2050. We believe that renewable gas has a key role to play in the energy transition as it contributes to reducing the carbon intensity of natural gas – and we support the imposition of renewable gas incorporation in natural gas networks," explains Philippe Sauquet, President Gas, Renewables & Power at Total. "In 2020, we stated our intention to contribute to the development of this sector, which we expect to become more competitive in the next few years. We intend to produce 1.5 terawatt-hours (TWh) of biomethane a year by 2025 and Fonroche Biogas is therefore the cornerstone of our development in this market."
With this acquisition, Total becomes a major player in renewable gas in France and Europe, and significantly strengthens its presence in the sector, already effective through its affiliates Méthanergy (combined heat and power production from biogas), PitPoint and Clean Energy (biomethane production and distribution via a network of Bio-CNG/Bio-LNG stations) in Benelux and the United States respectively. In December 2020, Total signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Clean Energy to establish a $100 million 50/50 joint venture to develop renewable gas production projects in the United States. By 2030, Total plans to produce 4 to 6 TWh of biomethane a year.
