After our articles taking stock of the North-East, North-West, Centre and South-West of France, here is the last in the series with an analysis of methanisation in the South-East of France.

The map below created by Methappro represents all the methane digesters in operation or planned in metropolitan France. The yellow markers are the injection sites (production of biomethane) and the blue markers are the cogeneration sites (production of electricity).

The area more particularly concerned by this article is roughly defined by a circle: it includes Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur, the East of Occitanie (Lozère, Gard and Hérault) and a large part of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (everything except Allier, Loire and Puy-de-Dôme which we have included in the article analyzing the Centre zone) .

In the defined area, there are approximately 130 methanization units in operation or planned (including treatment plants). Compared to similar areas in the North of France, this is very little. Methanization, particularly agricultural methanization, is in fact much less developed in this area, although it is set to evolve since more and more approaches are being put in place.

The Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region is working with several partners, including the regional Chamber of Agriculture, to support this development in the coming years via the 'Métha'Synergie' program. The goal is to develop around thirty units (excluding wastewater treatment plants) by 2030.

Today, it has only 6, not all of which are agricultural – but others are already under construction. Including the sewage treatment plants and sites already in the pipeline, the figure reaches around twenty.

Large-scale crops are present in the region with a very interesting methanogenic power, but it is also the leading region in France for the production of fruits, fresh vegetables and flowers – which despite a lower methanogenic power constitute large volumes. Overall, the deposit potential is still less than in regions further north.

Just to the west, Lozère , Hérault and Gard follow a similar dynamic. Lozère has 3 units (including 2 agricultural and 1 industrial), Hérault 3 units (including 1 agricultural, 1 industrial and 1 wastewater treatment plant) and Gard only 1 wastewater treatment plant unit (but 2 industrial sites are planned).

Moving up into Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (still in the area defined at the top of this article), methanization has developed more. Including the planned sites, we arrive at almost 100 units, the majority of which are agricultural and then industrial.

The distribution between cogeneration and injection units is almost identical – still including projects which are mostly injection.

The two departments that stand out the most are Ain (23 units including 3 projects) and Isère (21 units including 7 in project or construction). The two that have the least are Ardèche and Cantal : 5 each (including 1 project in Ardèche).

It is therefore in this area of ​​the South-East of France that methanisation, particularly agricultural, has developed the least for the moment. Nevertheless, we can see ambitions emerging for the years to come, with more and more support for future projects – despite departments in which local opposition from local residents is still strong.

National ambitions for better waste management should encourage this type of initiative in the future, as well as the need to diversify and secure farmers' incomes.

Industrialists from the region or elsewhere: if you wish to revalue your biowaste through methanization, contact us! louis@methappro.fr

The figures in this article come from the Methappro database and may change depending on the criteria chosen and actual developments (new projects, unit sales, etc.).