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- First implementation at a waste-to-energy facility to capture up to 10 tons of CO2 per day, with a 90% capture rate.
- The captured CO2 will be used locally, creating new circular economy loops and strengthening community resilience.
- This groundbreaking project marks the first phase of a comprehensive carbon capture program, in which Veolia will invest €12M through 2028, aligned with the decarbonization goals of its GreenUp strategic program.
- A second pilot project will launch in 2026 at the hazardous waste recovery facility in Port Arthur, Texas.
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Veolia is partnering with Le Mans Métropole to launch the first phase of its comprehensive carbon capture and valorization program. This pioneering industrial-scale project will take place at Le Mans’ waste-to-energy facility — operated by Veolia for 50 years and a leader in innovation. The industrial demonstration unit will be operational in 2026, processing up to 10 tons of CO2 per day with a 90% capture rate.
A groundbreaking global project takes shape in Le Mans
This unprecedented and technically ambitious project stands out for its innovative approach to CO2 valorization. After capture using solvents followed by liquefaction, this CO2 can serve as a new resource for local agriculture or industry. Applications include supplying greenhouse operators to replace fossil-based CO2 for crop growth, recharging fire extinguishers, producing dry ice, or transforming it into mineral materials or sustainable fuel.
The potential applications are numerous. Veolia is committed to exploring all CO2 valorization pathways while prioritizing local applications to create a circular approach at the community level — in line with its GreenUp strategic program. This pragmatic, collaborative approach builds on close cooperation with Le Mans Métropole, a long-standing Veolia partner.
“Innovation is at the heart of our industrial approach to ecological transformation. As a global leader, we can deploy our expertise and cutting-edge technologies in decarbonization and the circular economy to deliver concrete industrial solutions for communities. We are extremely proud of this French first, which demonstrates that industry in France can be ambitious, realistic, and circular all at once,” says Jean-François Nogrette, CEO of Veolia France.
"With this carbon capture project, Le Mans Métropole is at the forefront of innovation in energy transition. This project underscores our full commitment to fighting climate change and our ambition for industrial and economic development. We are extremely proud that Le Mans’ waste-to-energy facility is pioneering this new decarbonization technology on a global scale," adds Stéphane Le Foll, Mayor of Le Mans and President of Le Mans Métropole.
The carbon capture program will continue in Port Arthur, United States in 2026
Leveraging its expertise in water technologies, Veolia will deploy a second pilot in the United States in 2026. This facility will be capable of capturing and utilizing one ton of carbon per day using innovative technology currently under development. The medium-term goal is to advance decarbonization of waste incineration activities and diversify CO2 capture solutions to meet the needs of industrial partners.
In North America, Veolia aims to decarbonize the Port Arthur hazardous waste incinerator as part of its commitment to achieving a 50% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by 2032.
"Within two years, Veolia will invest €12 million in industrial-scale carbon capture and valorization pilot units. Our international footprint and innovation capabilities enable us to embark on this forward-looking project. Like the project launched in France, successive implementations — particularly across the Atlantic — will demonstrate how our cutting-edge technologies can be deployed at large scale and contribute to the ambitious decarbonization goals of our GreenUp strategic program," says Anne Le Guennec, CEO of Veolia's water technologies activities.
This comprehensive carbon capture and valorization program aligns directly with Veolia's GreenUp strategy to depollute, decarbonize, and regenerate resources.
Veolia and Syner'val - 50 Years of innovation at the heart of the community :
- For 50 years, under the leadership of Le Mans Métropole, the Syner'Val waste-to-energy facility has evolved from an incineration plant to a nationally leading industrial model. This public-private partnership addresses energy transition challenges by transforming and recovering non-recyclable waste into thermal and electrical energy.
- Syner’Val by the numbers:
- 40 local jobs
- 150 000 tons of waste transformed annually
- A 97% household waste recovery rate
- 170 000 MWh of heat produced, equivalent to heating 17,000 homes
- 58 000 MWh of electricity produced
- 40% renewable energy in the energy mix by 2030
- Since 1975, the facility has continuously modernized. A key turning point came in 1991 with connection to the district heating network.
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ABOUT VEOLIA
Veolia group aims to become the benchmark company for ecological transformation. Present on five continents with 215,000 employees, the Group designs and deploys useful, practical solutions for the management of water, waste and energy that are contributing to a radical turnaround of the current situation. Through its three complementary activities, Veolia helps to develop access to resources, to preserve available resources and to renew them. In 2024, the Veolia group provided 111 million inhabitants with drinking water and 98 million with sanitation, produced 42 million megawatt hours of energy and treated 65 million tons of waste. Veolia Environnement (Paris Euronext: VIE) achieved consolidated revenue of 44.7 billion euros in 2024.
ABOUT LE MANS MÉTROPOLE
Founded in 1972, the urban community of Le Mans, now known as Le Mans Métropole, pools services for the benefit of its 20 member municipalities. Elected officials have formalized a development strategy through 2040 with the aspiration to build a sustainable metropolis together with residents. Major objectives include supporting innovation across all sectors, showcasing cultural events, advancing an ambitious healthcare policy, facilitating mobility, and increasing renewable energy production. These projects and ambitions reflect a commitment to quality of life and to sustainably building the Métropole’s vision, solidarity, and influence for all community stakeholders.