Vyncke : Vyncke Enhances Methanization with Thermal Energy

Methanization, also known as anaerobic digestion, is gaining traction across Europe as a key strategy to reduce landfill and to extract value from waste. In France, upcoming new restrictions on the use of digestate from mechanically sorted municipal solid wastes are accelerating the need for systems that combine methanization with heat recovery. Vyncke is at the center of this transition, delivering energy installations that support and energize the methanization process.

Founded in 1912, Vyncke designs and builds industrial energy plants that generate clean energy from biomass or sorted commercial and industrial waste. Each solution is engineered to match the specific energy profile of its site, including steam, hot water, thermal oil, or combined heat and power. With more than 4,400 references worldwide, the company supports industries and municipalities aiming to reduce emissions and close the loop on waste.

An example of a Vyncke installation that generates energy for the methanization process can be found at Trifyl’s household waste treatment facility in Labessière-Candeil, located near Albi in the Tarn department. This installation exemplifies how methanization and thermal systems can work hand in hand. Operated by Urbaser Environnement, this plant processes up to 91,000 tons of household waste, 8,000 tons of biowaste and 11,000 tons of combustible mixed waste every year.

At the core of the process is Valorga anaerobic digestion technology. After extraction, the organic fraction of the waste stream is sent to digesters, where biogas is produced through controlled fermentation. This biogas is a valuable renewable energy source, while the digestate by-product presents a growing challenge. With regulations tightening, digestate from mechanically sorted waste will no longer be permitted for compost.

To address this problem, Trifyl has selected a solution where Vyncke’s hot water boiler plays a crucial role. The digestate is pre-treated and prepared with dry RDF issued from municipal solid wastes sorting lines, resulting in a well-calibrated RDF stream of 24,000 tons per year that is then combusted in the Vyncke boiler. The boiler generates more than 40,000 MWh of heat per year, which is then fed back into the process, maintaining optimal digester temperatures and drying RDF to improve its quality so it can be used in the local cement factory nearby. This way, the thermal plant at Trifyl’s site stabilizes and strengthens the entire methanization loop.

Typically, a portion of the biogas produced during methanization is consumed on-site to maintain reactor temperatures in an optimal range. However, by using the digestate-RDF-calibrated-fuel stream, one maximizes the net production of the biogas. With the support of an RDF boiler, 100% of the produced biogas, or Renewable Natural Gas, remains available for the gas network.

Methanization creates the foundation for turning waste into energy. By capturing biogas and managing digestate, it provides a dual pathway to recovery. Vyncke’s systems strengthen this model by ensuring that thermal energy is available to keep digesters efficient and by transforming unusable residues into clean fuel.

This partnership between biology and combustion reflects the future of waste treatment. As the EU continues to regulate land use of digestates and push for landfill reduction, this site in the south of France offers a clear example of how thermal energy can complete the methanization cycle.

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For more information about Vyncke’s energy solutions, visit www.vyncke.com.