Agro-industrial group Lesaffre has inaugurated a waste heat recovery unit at its historic site in Marcq-en-Barœul, using thermal energy generated during the yeast fermentation process. Designed, financed and operated by ENGIE Solutions under a fifteen-year contract, the facility relies on two industrial heat pumps with a total thermal output of 19 megawatts. This system now covers 70% of the thermal energy requirements of the Société Industrielle Lesaffre site.
A system integrated into the drying process
The waste heat is recovered during the cell multiplication stage of the fermentation process and reinjected into the yeast drying phase. The main objective is to repurpose a previously unused heat source to supply another key stage of the production chain. The installation is expected to prevent the annual emission of 30,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) and reduce water consumption by 150,000 cubic metres.
Completed after twelve months of construction, the project forms part of an industrial strategy to increase the site’s energy efficiency without affecting the performance of the production units. It received support from the French Agency for Ecological Transition (ADEME), which provided a €5.6mn ($5.9mn) grant under its industrial decarbonisation call for projects.
A long-term lever for energy optimisation
This initiative complements other investments made by Lesaffre in its production infrastructure, including a biomass plant in Cérences and a wind turbine on the Algist Bruggeman site in Belgium. The group has also signed direct power purchase agreements with electricity producers for its sites in France.
With this unit, Lesaffre strengthens its control of thermal flows at its main production site. By stabilising internal energy consumption, the group reduces its dependence on fossil fuels and limits the impact of energy market volatility on its industrial costs.
ENGIE Solutions in charge of operations
ENGIE Solutions handled the entire project, from design and financing to construction and maintenance. The partnership follows a fifteen-year performance-based contract model, ensuring Lesaffre a stable and competitive heat supply.
This model enables the agro-industrial group to integrate complex technological solutions without significant direct investment, while benefiting from external expertise in energy management. Similar contracts may be implemented at other group sites with high thermal recovery potential.
