TotalEnergies launches biomethane joint venture with Vanguard in the USA

TotalEnergies has formalized its alliance with Vanguard Renewables, the US leader in biogas from organic waste. This joint venture, owned equally by the two companies, will focus on biomethane production for industrial customers. This collaboration symbolizes a step forward in TotalEnergies’ diversification strategy.

A national project

The two companies will develop ten biomethane projects, spread between Texas and the Great Lakes, with a total annual capacity of 0.8 TWh. These initiatives involve converting food industry waste and dairy manure into biogas. This will then be injected into the natural gas network, providing a renewable alternative for heavy industries without requiring major modifications to their existing equipment.

Investment and economic outlook

TotalEnergies’ Biogas Director Olivier Guerrini revealed that annual investments would amount to several hundred million dollars. The potential of these projects appears robust, with long-term plans that could extend over more than fifteen years. This initiative could redefine the approach of energy-intensive industries to their energy needs, offering them immediately accessible decarbonization solutions.

The US biogas market has been driven mainly by the transportation sector and various federal programs, particularly in California. TotalEnergies is not limiting itself to this new partnership; with Clean Energy, they already operate a methanization plant in Texas. This project, in addition to the ten new ones, could breathe new life into the biomethane market, with significant growth potential over the coming years.