Total secures SAF feedstock for Grandpuits site through agreement with Saria Group

Total Energies' Grandpuits refinery in northern France (Photo: Total Energies)

French multinational energy company Total Energies and Germany-based Saria Group, a leader in the European market for the collection and valorization of organic materials into sustainable products, have concluded an agreement to develop sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production on the Grandpuits (Seine-et-Marne in northern France) zero-crude platform, Total Energies announced Sept. 26.

This agreement is a major step in securing feedstock supply (used cooking oils and animal fats) eligible to produce SAF and will enable the SAF production capacity to reach 210,000 tons (approximately 70 million gallons) per year, 25 percent higher than foreseen in the initial project announced in 2020.

“Under this agreement, Total Energies will take 50 percent of a production activity of Saria, that will supply animal fat esters to Grandpuits,” Total Energies stated.

Saria, in turn, will take an equivalent stake in the biofuels business of the Grandpuits biorefinery, which will remain operated by Total Energies.

Saria will also directly supply used cooking oils.

“I am delighted to conclude this strategic partnership with Saria, which reinforces the conversion of the Grandpuits refinery into a zero-crude platform oriented towards SAF,” said Bernard Pinatel, president of refining and chemicals at Total Energies. “This is a major milestone in our ambition to become one of the leaders in sustainable aviation fuels. SAF is the most efficient solution to immediately reduce CO2 emissions from air travel, and its development is fully in line with the company’s climate ambition to get to net zero by 2050, together with society.”

The project is subject to the legal process for notifying and consulting Total Energies’ employee representatives and the approval of the competent authorities.

Commissioned in 1966, Total’s Grandpuits-Bailly-Carrois refinery was for a long time the only refinery in the Paris region.

In September 2020, Total Energies launched a project to convert the site, in line with its strategy to become carbon neutral by 2050.

This zero-crude project, with a total investment of more than 500 million euros, is based on the development of several future-oriented activities in the field of biomass, renewable energies, and the circular economy—chemical recycling of plastic waste, production of biosourced and biodegradable bioplastics, production of biofuels for the aviation sector, construction of a solar farm and electricity storage by batteries. The start-up of these new units will begin this year, and they should all be operational by 2025.

Saria is a German family-owned company with operations around the globe. Committed to the principles of the circular economy, the group’s activities are centered around converting products of animal origin and other organic materials into highly valuable and sustainable ingredients for the food, animal feed, pet food, pharmaceutical, and energy sectors.