In France, Fives SAS, an international industrial engineering company, and Waga Energy SA, a compatriot landfill gas (LFG) to renewable natural gas (RNG) technology provider have signed a partnership agreement to accelerate the deployment of Waga Energy's proprietary "WAGABOX" units.
Fives, a technology leader in cryogenics, has supported Waga Energy since its creation in 2015, and the agreement strengthens the long-term cooperation between Waga Energy and Fives, enabling both partners to optimize the design and manufacture of WAGABOX units.
Proprietary process
These units, developed and patented by Waga Energy and in which Fives’ heat exchangers are integrated and play an essential role, upgrade landfill gas (LFG) into gas grid-compliant biomethane aka renewable natural gas (RNG).
To upgrade LFG into RNG, the methane has to be separated from the other components to a concentration of over 98 percent.
The process is carried out in two stages: the landfill gas is first filtered using membranes to separate carbon dioxide (CO2), then distilled at cryogenic temperature to separate the methane from the nitrogen and oxygen.
At the end of the treatment process, the result is a high-quality RNG compatible with network operators’ injection criteria.
Since 2015, the Fives teams have been supporting us in the deployment of our WAGABOX renewable natural gas production units. We are proud to bring this partnership to fruition, bringing together two French companies with an international outlook and a focus on climate issues, said Nicolas Paget, co-founder and deputy CEO of Waga Energy.
Long-term French tech partnership
The technical excellence of the two industrial groups is being combined. Fives is a leading manufacturer of heat exchangers, one of the components of the cryogenic distillation module in WAGABOX units.
Its highly specialized teams can meet the requirements and specifics of each project while assisting Waga Energy with the standardization of its equipment.
By upgrading LFG, a by-product of waste management, WAGABOX units supply large volumes of competitively priced RNG to businesses and consumers, helping to decarbonize the energy mix.
This innovative technology contributes doubly to the fight against global warming by encouraging the capture of methane emitted by landfills and reducing the use of fossil fuels.
International development
By partnering with Fives, Waga Energy aims to accelerate its development in Europe and North America.
The 28 WAGABOX units delivered thus far, all equipped with Fives technology and operated by Waga Energy in France, Spain, Canada, and the United States, have helped avoid the emission of 63,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2 eq) during the first half of 2024, through the substitution of fossil gas.
To meet the challenges posed by climate change, we need to bring together the world’s best expertise. Fives, a technological leader in cryogenics for over 65 years, and Waga Energy, a specialist in the upgrade of renewable natural gas from landfill waste, are perfect examples of this synergy. We are delighted to be supporting them in this project, which will accelerate the energy transition, said Vincent Pourailly, President of Fives’ Energy, Cryogenics Business Line.
