To develop biogas value chain, TotalEnergies buys stake in Ductor

TotalEnergies has acquired a 20% stake in Ductor, a Finnish start-up that has developed an innovative technology to process high-nitrogen organic waste, such as poultry manure, which is usually difficult to use for biomethane production. 

By allowing  the treatment of new types of input, this technology is helping to accelerate the development  of the biogas value chain, thus contributing to the energy transition. It will also enable TotalEnergies to seize new market opportunities, the French energy company said. 

TotalEnergies has also formed a partnership with Ductor to develop and invest in several  biomethane production projects, primarily in the United States and Europe. Ductor already has  a pipeline of 15 to 20 projects, some of which are at an advanced stage. The partners  are planning to develop an initial facility in the U.S. state of Ohio. Under the terms of this joint  venture, TotalEnergies will market the production of the biomethane, and Ductor the production of sustainable biofertilizers. 

“We are pleased to partner with Ductor, a start-up with an innovative pre-treatment technology  that will enable us to develop new biomethane production projects, using organic waste that is  currently not, or only slightly, reused. By accelerating the biogas chain, this technology  contributes directly to the energy transition and to TotalEnergies’ ambition of producing  20 terawatt hour (TWh) of biogas worldwide by 2030,” said Olivier Guerrini, vice president, Biogas at  TotalEnergies. 

“The partnership with TotalEnergies will allow us to move forward faster and rapidly develop our project portfolio. In today’s world, local energy production, food security and global  warming are essential concerns for everyone. Ductor’s solution for repurposing high-grade  organic residues into renewable energy and sustainable fertilizer is part of the answer. The  markets for organic fertilizer and biogas are expected to grow strongly in the years to come,”  said Ductor’s Chief Executive Officer Bernard Fenner.