TotalEnergies has signed a 100 GW biomethane purchase agreement with Saint-Gobain France for a three-year period starting in 2024.

The biomethane will be produced by TotalEnergies at its BioBéarn biomethane plant, which came on stream at the beginning of the year and whose production is certified sustainable by ISCC¹  under the highest sustainability criteria of the European Union REDII Directive. TotalEnergies is one of the very first producers to obtain this certification in France.

By acquiring the Guarantees of Origin, and thanks to their sustainable certification, Saint-Gobain will be able to attest, within the framework of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, to the decarbonization of its energy consumption in France. This contract is also an example of a purely commercial sale, i.e., non-subsidized, of biomethane.

“With this contract, TotalEnergies is supporting Saint-Gobain in its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in France, in line with TotalEnergies’ ambition to help its customers decarbonize their activities. It is also a first step towards the emergence in Europe of a merchant biomethane market, allowing the development of production without public subsidies,” said Stéphane Michel, President Gas, Renewables & Power at TotalEnergies. “This contract is also in line with our ambition to actively participate in the development of biogas in France, and more widely in the world.”

“The signing of this contract opens up promising prospects for biomethane players to develop infrastructures on the French territory. This first for Saint-Gobain in France demonstrates the intention to diversify the sourcing of decarbonized energy, supporting the development and viability of new local energy networks. This decarbonized energy supply is also part of Saint-Gobain’s commitment to reduce its CO₂ emissions by 33% (from scopes 1 and 2) by 2030 compared with 2017, and to reach carbon neutrality by 2050″, said Thierry Fournier, General Director of Saint-Gobain France.

¹International Sustainability & Carbon Certification