Construction should begin before the summer

Matthew Breusse is grain. In 2000, after University studies in law, he returned on the exploitation family of 400 hectares, located near Sancerre. Renewable energy interest him and he deplored the fact that agricultural waste are not valued. But the creation of a profitable chain using agricultural biomass to produce for example methane would require boost. He finally arrived in 2006, in the form of a redemption price increased by EDF of electricity produced from the anaerobic digestion plants. The electrician is committed for fifteen years to buy back the electricity so generated at 14 eurocents (15 cents since 2009).

Should be not more that Matthew Breusse sailed in a methanisation project feasibility study on its operation. "Such a project must take into account three technological, agricultural and financial dimensions", explains Matthieu Breusse. To give themselves the means to succeed, it creates its own Office of studies, Ledjo energy, which employs, three years later, 8 persons. If the economic incentive is, administrative journey, he is more like an obstacle course to a health walk. Matthew Breusse not less three years it took to obtain the permit to construct, the permissions on the classified installations for the protection of the environment (Icpe) and realize the public inquiry. "We're counting of offers from manufacturers and we have made our choice of here in a few weeks," said. Construction should begin before the summer.

Perennial waste deposit

To be successful a project, need favourable conditions. Let's start with the existence of a long-term waste deposit in a nearby area. Not question indeed, both of a financially that ecological, transport the biomass over long distances. By chance, it is possible to collect in a radius of 30 kilometres from agricultural waste in sufficient quantity, quality and diversity. Marnay site, in addition to its own production of vegetable waste 5,000 tonnes of intercultures is near both of the Sancerre vineyard will supply it marc (8,000 tonnes per year) and products of distillation (8,000 cubic metres per year) and Chavignol and his goat farms which will provide 2,500 tons of manure and 2,500 cubic metres of "small milk" derived from the manufacture of the famous feces. Will be finally added 1,000 tonnes of waste of cabbage. Liquid-solid mixture which any wood fibre should nevertheless be excluded should particularly well suited to populations bacterial anaerobic (without oxygen) responsible for make methane, to be feeding. The methane produced is then used to run an engine which produces electricity (via a generator) and heat. The solid residue or "Digest" may, use of organic fertilizers and be applied in place of mineral fertilizers. As the CO2 (between 40 and 45 of the produced gas mixture), it is not planned for the moment to use but, says Matthew Breusse, "it is 21 times less harmful methane for the greenhouse effect."

Exploiting heat

Benefit from EDF plus buyback price to value 75 of the energy produced, which involves operating the heat. After studying the possibility of feed greenhouses or a district heating network, Matthieu Breusse finally did business with a local company of garden waste recovery. Heat on the site of Marnay will thus be used to dry wood, manufactured chips with wood waste as fuel, while the other digestible waste, such as for example, lawn mowing will go feed the bacteria.

Left to raise the funds needed to finance the project. A facility capable of produce 1 megawatt hour as in Marnay, to invest approximately EUR 5 million. Matthew Breusse had much personal, but quite insufficient, intake and bankers were take the ear. While it is knowledge, in 2008, founders of Holding green (see box), a company created to invest in units of methanation in agricultural and industrial environments. "Marnay is going to be our first investment 34 percent of the capital , explains André May, Holding green associate, Matthieu Breusse remain the majority shareholder." A quarter of the project is thus financed on own funds, the balance by debt. And the commissioning of the site is provided for in the first quarter of 2010.