TotalEnergies and Veolia to develop next-generation biofuels

French energy major TotalEnergies and ecological transition company Veolia will develop CO2-based microalgae cultivation to produce next-generation biofuels for the energy transition.

The two companies plan to develop a four-year research project at the TotalEnergies-operated La Mède biorefinery with the goal of producing biofuel.

Through photosynthesis, microalgae use 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, TotalEnergies reports.

A test platform will be set up as a part of the project. It will be able to compare different innovative systems for growing microalgae and identify the most efficient ones.

TotalEnergies will bring its expertise in the cultivation and refining of biomass to produce advanced biofuels, and CO2 capture and utilization technologies.

Veolia will contribute with its expertise in the water sector to optimize management of the microalgae’s aquatic environment, the development of algal biomass as an effective solution for CO2 capture.

“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,” said Marie-Noëlle Semeria, chief technology officer at TotalEnergies.

“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. This partnership is an excellent example of the ecological innovation capacities that Veolia wants to offer its customers in response to the climate change,” added Philippe Seberac, technical and scientific Ddirector at Veolia.