Supplied by Elcimaï Environnement, the biomethane production facility in Moret-Loing-et-Orvanne (77) is now operational
In June 2020, the Department and Prefecture of Seine-et-Marne, the Île-de-France Region, the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME), the Union of Mayors and Public Establishments for Intermunicipal Cooperation (EPCI) of Seine-et-Marne, and the Seine-et-Marne Departmental Energy Association, GRDF, and GRTGaz signed the CapMétha77 Charter to promote the development of anaerobic digestion in the department.
The signatories of the CapMétha77 Charter shared the following common objectives :
- reduce greenhouse gas emissions,
- increase local production of renewable energy for residential use and carbon-free mobility using Natural Gas for Vehicles (NGV),
- implement organic waste treatment,
- diversify economic activities, including those related to agriculture.
To achieve these goals, expanding anaerobic digestion in the region was essential. Biogas production through anaerobic digestion is indeed a key asset for the energy and ecological transition of Seine-et-Marne, one of France’s most dynamic departments in terms of feed-in anaerobic digestion and the leading department in the Île-de-France region.
Inaugurated yesterday in Moret-Loing-et-Orvanne, Equimeth—developed by CVE and SEM Ile-de-France Energies (which holds a 15 % stake in the project)—is one of many projects being developed in the region. It was delivered by the Seine-et-Marne-based Elcimaï Group, through its subsidiary Elcimaï Environnement, a leader in the field of energy transition.
“Elcimaï Environnement was tasked with project management for the design of the peripheral systems (excluding the process system), as well as full project management for construction, including the anaerobic digestion and gas purification processes,” explains Luc Michard, Head of Process, Energy, and Environmental Engineering at Elcimaï Environnement.
The biomethane production unit is now operational. The inputs for methanization include agricultural waste, fats, bio-waste slurries, and agro-industrial byproducts—all organic materials sourced from a variety of activities within a 60-kilometer radius of the unit : restaurants, equestrian centers, agri-food industries, and more.
The biomethane produced is intended to supply the municipalities of Moret-Loing-et-Orvanne, Saint-Mammès, Thomery, Champagne-sur-Seine, Avon, and Fontainebleau, covering 15 % of the gas consumption of residents in these municipalities. Equimeth is also introducing a new, high-performance supply chain for organic inputs and fertilizers for partner farmers.
“Through this project with high environmental value, the Elcimaï Group, a key player in the Seine-et-Marne economy, is contributing its expertise to the proactive policy of developing anaerobic digestion undertaken by the Department,” says Jean-Pierre Fradin, President of Elcimaï Ingénierie.
The project in figures :
– Developed area : 23,000
m²- Earthwork : 20,000
m³- 1 digester and 1 post-digester, each with a
capacity of 4,250 m³- 1 liquid digestate storage tank of 7,260
m³- 1 preparation and storage building of 800
m²- Inputs : 25,000
t/year- Liquid digestate : 9,000
t/year- Solid digestate : 11,000 t/year (agricultural application)
– Biomethane production : 250
Nm³/h- Total cost of the project : €11.8 million