ENGIE to build biomass boiler for Syensqo

Syensqo has partnered with ENGIE Solutions for the installation of a biomass boiler at its Clamecy site (Nièvre, France). Syensqo’s Clamecy site manufactures more than 150 products and solutions with a wide range of applications in healthcare, beauty care, home care, agriculture and paints.

The project will enable a reduction of up to 7,000 tons of CO₂ emissions per year, representing nearly 70% of the site’s current annual emissions. This new investment strengthens Syensqo’s decarbonization roadmap in France and builds on other major initiatives, including the installation of a biomass boiler and a large-capacity electric boiler at its Saint-Fons site.

The new biomass boiler, supported by ADEME and scheduled to be operational by mid-2027, will replace natural gas-based steam production with low-carbon biomass steam, significantly reducing the site’s reliance on fossil fuels. Under the agreement, ENGIE Solutions will design, invest in, install, operate and maintain the biomass boiler on Syensqo’s premises.

Syensqo will purchase the steam produced from biomass, enabling the site to secure a stable, competitive and low-carbon energy supply and reducing the site’s dependence on natural gas.

This project builds on previous investments aimed at reducing CO₂ emissions at the site. In 2024, with the support of ADEME under the “Decarb Flash” call for proposals, a steam condensate recovery network was commissioned, with a potential reduction of up to 1,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per year.

“Together, our initiatives are reshaping the site’s energy profile and bringing us closer to our ambition of carbon neutrality while reinforcing the site’s long-term competitiveness and strengthening our industrial footprint in France. They also highlight the essential role of public financial support in enabling industrial decarbonization while preserving industrial competitiveness,” says Hassan Elbasri, Syensqo Clamecy site manager.

Benoît Martin, Central West French Territory Director, ENGIE Solutions, stated, “This project demonstrates how long-term partnerships between industrial players and energy providers can accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels while ensuring energy reliability and competitiveness. By designing, financing, operating and maintaining this installation, ENGIE Solutions is contributing to a concrete and measurable reduction in CO₂ emissions and supporting the transformation of French industry toward a low-carbon future.”