Waga Energy has opened a new industrial facility in the French Alps to double the production capacity of its WAGABOX庐 units. This new workshop, will play a key role in meeting rising global demand for renewable natural gas (RNG) and supports the company’s expansion into seven countries. The goal: accelerating the energy transition with a reliable, local, and renewable energy solution.
A decade after founding Waga Energy, co-founders Mathieu Lefebvre (CEO), Nicolas Paget (Deputy CEO and Industrial Director), and Gu茅na毛l Prince (US Director) officially inaugurated a metalworking workshop for its cryogenic equipment聽鈥攁n essential component of WAGABOX庐 systems.
WAGABOX庐 units, located at landfill sites, use cryogenic distillation combined with membrane filtration to extract methane from landfill gas. This unique, patented process is a global first. The cryogenic equipment is built by long-standing partner Ravanat, known for its high-performance industrial standards. The new facility enhances Waga Energy鈥檚 quality control, agility, and technological independence. With this strategic investment, Waga Energy is set to double its production capacity and support its ambitious growth plans abroad.
The facility will be jointly operated with Ravanat. With over 25 years of experience in the manufacture of cryogenic equipment, Ravanat has been a key industrial partner of Waga Energy since the manufacture of its first WAGABOX庐 unit in 2016.
Founded in the late 1970s, the company manufactures high value-added boilerwork using technological expertise that makes it one of the world leaders in the field. Based near Waga Energy鈥檚 headquarters in Grenoble, Southeastern France, the company employs 40 people and generates 25% of its revenue through exports.
鈥淰ery few companies have the specialized welding skills that Ravanat鈥檚 team brings,鈥� emphasizes Nicolas Paget. 鈥淗aving our industrial partner on-site is therefore a strategic advantage. It allows us to work with confidence, it gives us greater control over our technology and better coordination for future projects.鈥�
This international expansion has been made possible by a technological breakthrough that offers exceptional performance in separating methane from other gases. WAGABOX庐 units are standardized and are adaptable to landfill sites, regardless of gas quality, and require no constraints for site operators. Waga Energy鈥檚 long-term business model鈥攁cting as developer, financier, and operator for 10 to 20 years鈥攅nsures consistent and sustainable growth. 鈥淲e aim to install WAGABOX庐 units across in Europe, North and South America, and even possibly expand into Eastern Europe and Asia,鈥� explains Gu茅na毛l Prince.
The three co-founders are deeply committed to climate and earth issues, an added dimension that contributes to the company’s success. Producing affordable RNG using high-performance technology from a methane-emitting sector is a vital challenge for them. Methane is a greenhouse gas 80 times more potent than CO鈧� over a 20-year period. However, it can be captured and transformed from a pollutant into a local, renewable energy source that can replace fossil fuels.
“Methane emissions are an extremely critical issue and an urgent priority in the fight against climate change, says Mathieu Lefebvre, CEO of Waga Energy. However, we are having a major positive impact on these emissions thanks to WAGABOX庐 units, and we need to step up our efforts. Our mission is to accelerate the energy transition by scaling up our RNG production every year. Since 2017, we have prevented the emission of nearly 280,000 tons of CO2-equivalent into the atmosphere. For the past 10 years, we have been driven by a desire to work for the common good.”