Canadian biocarbon producers, technology providers, and project developers CHAR Technologies Ltd (CHAR Tech) has announced that it has entered into a formal technology know-how licensing agreement with GazoTech SAS (GazoTech), a France-based energy developer, to support deployment of CHAR Tech's technology in France and selected European markets.
According to a statement, the agreement follows recent commissioning progress at CHAR Tech’s Thorold Renewable Energy Facility in Canada, complementing the company’s ongoing development of larger-scale projects in North America.
A suitable technology for GazoTech
GazoTech is a developer of technologies and projects that reduce reliance on fossil natural gas by producing low-carbon gas through the pyro-gasification of residual biomass and waste, for on-site industrial use or grid injection, with the valorization of co-products such as biochar for agricultural use or biocarbon for industrial coal replacement applications.
Under the agreement, CHAR Tech is the licensor of its proprietary High-Temperature Pyrolysis (HTP) technology, granting GazoTech a know-how licence for projects developed in France and certain additional European markets, subject to a project-by-project application of the licenced technology.
GazoTech has multiple projects in development in France, notably:
- An industrial integration opportunity where waste biomass would be converted into syngas to serve the industrial thermal energy needs while also producing biocarbon for metallurgical applications; and
- Bio-Méthane Provence (BMP) project, co-located with a former biomass-fired power generation facility and advanced by GazoTech in partnership with key project partners.
Both companies expect these projects to progress through the development and execution phases, with additional details disclosed as project milestones are achieved.
We are thrilled to partner with CHAR Tech to introduce their HTP technology into France and Europe. The ability to convert waste wood into low-carbon gas and biocarbon at an industrial scale aligns well with the needs of European industrial and energy users, said Maël Disa-Vingataramin, CEO of GazoTech.
Synergistic licensing structure
Under the licence agreement, CHAR Tech will be engaged on a paid basis to provide process design, technology transfer, and engineering support. GazoTech would be responsible for supplying HTP equipment under license to the projects.
CHAR Tech will receive a one-time licence fee upon delivery of licensed HTP equipment to a project, together with ongoing royalties linked to biocarbon production. This licensing structure enables CHAR Tech to generate revenue without deploying project-level capital.
The agreement also provides CHAR Tech with the opportunity, subject to further negotiation, to participate in the equity of projects developed by GazoTech using the licensed technology.
Working with the team at GazoTech over the last couple of years has been extremely collaborative. They have advanced a number of projects in France efficiently, and we see a strong opportunity to leverage their development and technical capabilities to deploy HTP projects in France and, over time, across Europe, said Andrew White, CEO of CHAR Tech.
Currently under commissioning, CHAR Tech’s Thorold Renewable Energy Facility is structured as a Limited Partnership with the BMI Group, in which CHAR Tech is a 50 percent owner.
