A new project to recover energy from waste in the Toulouse area

Decoset, Toulouse area public waste management service, has just awarded SUEZ and Banque des Territoires, a Caisse des Dépôts Group entity, a concession contract for the management of two waste-to-energy plants. The two industrial facilities, located at Toulouse and Bessières, convert into energy the residual waste from over a million inhabitants.

“Given the major issues at stake for our region and the fact that Decoset is committed to a 20-year contract, the concession file had to be innovative and exemplary. We focused on the technical criteria, that were designed to optimize the incinerators’ operations, to guarantee the price framework and the legal risk taken by the future concession holder, and to maintain the relationship with the users and the local residents. Decoset paid special attention to the environmental performance of the facilities and its integration in the urban landscape. It has also taken into account the means of control available to the Syndicate in order to ensure the optimum use of its resources management of the public waste treatment service.” Vincent Terrail-Noves, President of the Decoset Joint Syndicate, 1st vice-president of Toulouse Métropole in charge of waste and the circular economy and mayor of Balma.

“Supporting the ecological transformation and the development of innovations in the field of energy recovery from resources is a key part of our strategic ambitions. This concession contract, the only one of its kind for the two waste-to-energy plants in the Toulouse area, is the result of a strong mobilisation and commitment of SUEZ and Banque des Territoires. This project, in partnership with Decoset and the affiliated local authorities, will ensure that the 1 million inhabitants of the area have their waste treated in efficient and environmentally-friendly facilities, mainly due to the construction of a new facility in Toulouse, which will become a European reference”, Olivier Sichel, Director of Banque des Territoires and Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Caisse des Dépôts.

The contract, that is worth €1.4 billion, includes the modernisation of the Bessières waste-to-energy facility, the reconstruction of a new plant in Toulouse and the operation of these two waste-to-energy plants for the next 20 years. By weighing up every expense and optimising every revenue stream, the concession contract guarantees to Decoset the best possible economic balance over its entire term. It also includes the implementation of a modern, open and digital governance, securing transparent data for all stakeholders.

A global vision of waste treatment in the region to maximise the energy production

As part of the circular economy, the project, has been designed to meet the region’s energy challenges and support its transition. The equipment and operating methods of the two waste-to-energy plants will maximise energy production, delivering more than 220 GWh/year of electricity and more than 360 GWh/year of heat. The future Toulouse waste-to-energy facility will cover almost 80% of the needs of the city's district heating networks, which represents more than 60 MW, with continuity of service and guaranteed energy supply.

Particular attention has been paid to improving energy efficiency, notably to increase the amount of process heat that can be recovered and used locally. This energy will be fed into the Toulouse district heating network, significantly improving the system's environmental impact. 

The concession, which is unique for the two waste-to-energy units, guarantees Decoset the continuity of a public service based on all possible synergies. Waste flows will be managed dynamically between the two sites to maximise their energy potential. The non-compliant fraction of the selective collections with a high calorific value will be stored at the Bessières site. In winter, it will be fed into Toulouse's new waste-to-energy to supply the two district heating networks.

A new integrated and efficientwaste-to-energy plant in Toulouse, set to become a European reference

From January 1st, 2025, SUEZ and Banque des Territoires will take over the Toulouse waste-to-energy plant with the highest operating standards. Concurrently, it will carry out studies for the construction of a new plant to replace the old one, whose equipment is reaching end of life. This new industrial facility, which is scheduled to begin construction in 2026 and become operational in 2031, will be a European benchmark in terms of environmental and performance standards.

Designed as a “resource plant” and equipped with the best available technologies, the waste-to-energy facility will produce optimised thermal and electrical energy, while treating less waste than the previous one (240,000 t/year, i.e. a capacity reduction of 50,000 t/year). To ensure that the facility blends in with its surroundings, SUEZ and Banque des Territoires have made major commitments to ensure maximum control of emissions, dust, odours, noise and light pollution. The building, whose architecture is sober and compact, will be semi-buried and its surroundings will be planted with trees and shrubs, creating a green island of freshness of almost a hectare. The site will also house a research centre andan Energy Centre open to local authorities, visitors, partners and residents. This space will include an exhibition hall, a large educational area dedicated to waste prevention and reduction, a training campus, a centre of expertise and innovation, and areas reserved for Decoset.

The Bessières waste-to-energy plant: a safe and attractive facility for understanding energy recovery

At Bessières, renovation works will be carried out to improve the performance of the plant and the comfort of users and visitors. The equipment - furnaces, boilers, turbo generator unit, bottom ash treatment - will be renovated and modernised in order to optimise the plant's energy production (+400 KW or 3 GWhs), reduce water consumption by almost 30,000 m3/year and increase the recovery of non-ferrous metals by a factor of 3. The waste-to-energy plant, which has been open to visitors since inception in 2001, will benefit from a new secure indoor/outdoor visitor circuit focusing on energy recovery and incorporating a new educational area designed to welcome the public.

Supporting the region in its ecological transition

In terms of ecological transition, significant technical resources will be deployed to improve air quality. Atmospheric emissions will be minimised and subject to a specific monitoring programme. Measures will also be taken to conserve water resources and develop biodiversity on the Bessières site and on the site of the future waste-to-energy facility, in collaboration with nature conservation associations. Finally, the project will help to reduce the region's overall carbon emissions by reducing the number of tonnes of waste processed, increasing the amount of energy produced and metal recycled, and using low-carbon modes of transport.

From a social point of view, the project aims to involve the local population in the life of the sites, by regularly informing them at each stage (pre-publication consultation, works, operation) and organizing events to make the sites open and welcoming. The operator, in collaboration with Decoset, will also be able to play an active role in raising public awareness of waste prevention.

A visionary project anticipating the total decarbonisation of waste-to-energy plants by identifying regional pathways 

Given the urgency of climate change and the need to anticipate regulatory changes, particularly in terms of carbon taxation, SUEZ proposes to support Decoset through an innovative approach, linking it to several emerging projects in the region that are pioneering decarbonisation solutions, such as CO₂ capture and conversion into sustainable sviation fuel.

This innovation programme involves the creation of a centre of expertise and innovation in energy efficiency, waste energy, CO₂ and sustainable fuels at the waste-to-energy facility in Toulouse. Funded by SUEZ, this R&D laboratory will consist of a team of three researchers working in close collaboration with academic institutions, start-ups and local companies.