TotalEnergies and Veolia team in a microalgae cultivation project

TotalEnergies and Veolia partnered in a microalgae cultivation project using CO2 with a long term goal of producing biofuel. It is a four year partnership at the La Mede biorefinery, in France

“We are pleased to join forces with Veolia at our La Mède site to accelerate the assessment of microalgae cultivation systems using CO2, in the aim of producing next-generation biofuels,” said Marie-Noëlle Semeria, Chief Technology Officer at TotalEnergies.

“Biofuels will enable TotalEnergies’ clients to reduce their carbon footprint, and thus contribute to the ambition of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 together with the society,” she added.  

The companies explained in the statement that microalgae uses sunlight and CO2 from the atmosphere or from industrial processes to grow. When mature, they can be transformed into next-generation biofuels with low carbon intensity.

The companies will set up a test platform to compare different innovative systems for growing microalgae, they said in a statement.

While TotalEnergies will bring its expertise in the cultivation and refining of biomass to produce biofuels; Veolia brings expertise in the water sector, to optimise management of the microalgae's aquatic environment.

 “This unique partnership enables TotalEnergies and Veolia to accelerate the production cycle of a promising alternative energy that is necessary to protect the planet. With this project, Veolia can contribute its technical expertise in optimizing and securing biological treatments to a more global context that will have a positive impact on the ecological transformation,” said Philippe Seberac, Technical and Scientific Director at Veolia.

“This partnership is an excellent example of the ecological innovation capacities that Veolia wants to offer its customers in response to climate change,” he added.