The French energy group Engie announced Thursday the acquisition of the British biomethane producer Ixora Energy Ltd for 65 million pounds (75 million euros), an operation which is part of its development strategy in renewable gases on the continent European.
Ixora Energy Ltd, which has three production units in the United Kingdom, produces 160 GWh of biomethane per year, according to a press release.
“With a target of 10 TWh (10,000 GWh, Editor’s note) of biomethane production per year by 2030 in Europe, this acquisition fuels Engie’s new ambitions in terms of renewable gas production,” commented the group, which aims to achieve “net zero carbon by 2045” and aims for “100% green gas by 2050”.
Engie claims a leading position in the production of biomethane in France, with an installed production capacity of 670 GWh per year as of June 30, neck and neck with its rival TotalEnergies. Other projects are in development, particularly in the Netherlands and Germany.
The European Union has set itself the objective of producing 380 TWh of renewable gas in 2030. In France, the gas industry estimates its production potential at 60 TWh per year by this horizon.
Including this acquisition, “Engie will reach around 1 TWh of biomethane production capacity at the start of 2024” in Europe, indicated Camille Bonenfant-Jeanneney, Managing Director of Renewable Gas Europe, during a press briefing.
To support this strategy, the group plans to invest 3 billion euros in the development of bio-methane and synthetic gas (or e-methane), equally between acquisitions, site construction or partnerships.
At a time when France is working on its future energy roadmap and preparing for massive electrification to move away from fossil fuels, the historic gas group Engie (formerly GDF) defends “the major role” of gas “in the energy transition “, believing that electricity alone will not meet all decarbonization needs.
“We know well that for the transition, gas must become green and today it is widely committed, both in public policies and on the ground,” underlined Cécile Prévieu, deputy general director of Engie in charge of infrastructure.
Produced in methanizers, biomethane is a renewable gas resulting from the fermentation of agricultural and agri-food waste. Other technologies, still in their infancy, make it possible to produce synthetic methane (or e-methane) by combining CO2 and hydrogen.
This article is originally published on linfodurable.fr
