The Mauricie Residual Materials Management Board will transform biogas into renewable natural gas

Saint-Étienne-des-Grès (Quebec, Canada), February 26, 2021 —The Mauricie Residual Materials Management Board (Régie) is proud to announce that a WAGABOX® treatment unit, developed by Waga Energy, will be transforming the biogas from its landfill in Saint-Etienne-des-Grès into renewable natural gas. The agreement between the Régie and Waga Energy is the first step towards the realization of the project.

Significant impact on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions

The 20 million m3 of biogas generated by the decomposition of waste will no longer be treated by thermal destruction, but will instead be recovered to its full potential in the form of renewable natural gas. This project will improve the environmental balance sheet of the Mauricie region, while actively contributing to Quebec’s energy transition. It is part of the Government of Quebec’s 2030 Energy Policy.

Designed to process 3,400 cubic meters of biogas per hour, the WAGABOX® unit in Saint-Étienne-des-Grès will produce 468 000 GJ (130 GWh) of renewable gas per year, equivalent to the annual consumption of approximately 8,000 Quebec households. It will avoid the emission of 27,000 tons of CO2eq per year into the atmosphere by substituting renewable gas for fossil gas.

The unit will be built in Trois-Rivières by a Quebec company, with the exception of a cryogenic distillation module which will be imported from France. The Régie has already started the site preparation work to accommodate the unit, which will be commissioned in summer 2022. Waga Energy operates 10 WAGABOX® units in France and four others are under construction in France and Spain. The Saint-Étienne-des-Grès project is its first project in North America.

Michel Angers, President of the Régie, declared: “This agreement is the result of a process that began several years ago to identify the technology that would enable us to develop the biogas from our gas field to its full potential. From now on, treating biogas will no longer be an expense, but an income, a gain for the citizens of the Mauricie region. We have positioned ourselves to take full advantage of the opportunities currently offered by the renewable natural gas market. Our approach is perfectly in line with the government’s greenhouse gas reduction objectives and we are proud to contribute to Quebec’s energy transition”.

Mathieu Lefebvre, President and CEO and co-founder of Waga Energy, declared: “This agreement demonstrates a shared commitment to the fight against global warming, a major challenge of our generation. This first project in North America also marks an important milestone in the young history of Waga Energy: from the creation of the company in 2015, my partners Guénaël Prince, Nicolas Paget and myself, wanted to deploy our solution internationally, in order to have a significant impact on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions”.

About the Mauricie Residual Materials Management Board

Created in 1991, the Mauricie Residual Materials Management Board is a municipal organization that brings together the MRC des Chenaux, Maskinongé and Mékinac, as well as the cities of Shawinigan and Trois-Rivières. The Régie, which ensures the overall management of residual materials in the Mauricie region, has one vision: to develop and transform the resources entrusted to it, thereby helping to preserve the quality of life for future generations

About Waga Energy

Waga Energy is a young innovative French company committed to the fight against climate change. Created in 2015 in the Grenoble industrial basin, it deploys a unique purification technology in the world, combining membrane filtration and cryogenic distillation, to recover biogas from waste storage sites in the form of biomethane. Waga Energy finances, builds and operates its purification units, called WAGABOX®, within the framework of a long-term partnership with landfill site operators, and generates revenues through the resale of the biomethane.