Air Liquide inaugurates a new biomethane production unit near Bordeaux, France

Today in Cestas, near Bordeaux, Air Liquide inaugurates a biomethane production unit and a multi-energy distribution station nearby. Thanks to its complete mastery of the biogas recovery chain, Air Liquide is deploying its clean mobility offer in France, designed for road freight transport. By replacing a fossil fuel with biomethane, a renewable energy, the Group is committed to a circular economy approach serving the energy transition.

The new biomethane production unit operated by Air Liquide enables the production of biogas from organic matter of farm origin and its purification into biomethane. This energy injected into the natural gas grid supplies a new multi-energy station that distributes, in particular, bio-NGV (Natural Gas for Vehicles). This clean non-fossil fuel reduces fine particulates emissions by 85%, CO2 emissions by 90%, and noise pollution by up to 50%.

This biomethane production unit, coupled with a multi-energy distribution station, illustrates the strong growth of the new energy transition markets, notably in France. This example of a circular economy that revolves around the biogas recovery chain also demonstrates Air Liquide’s commitment to the deployment of clean transportation solutions in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality.

Accessible to overland transportation professionals, the multi-energy  station is open 24/7 and can refuel up to 100 trucks daily. By the end of 2018, the station will also supply liquid nitrogen to trucks equipped with cryogenic coolers used for the refrigerated transport of food products, without emitting CO2 nor particulates. Combined with bio-NGV, the liquid nitrogen silent solution known as Air Liquide blueeze^TM offers a real advantage for urban and suburban deliveries, particularly those that occur at night.

Air Liquide is developing technologies and expertise that cover the entire biomethane value chain and currently operates a total of 10 biomethane production units worldwide. Its production capacity stands at 60 MW, which comes to 500 GWh for a full year of production. To date, Air Liquide has rolled out more than 60 bio-NGV stations around the world.

For more information about Air Liquide and biomethane