Elyse Technology installs a circular economy demonstrator at the Port of Marseille-Fos

Named "Combigreen", a first test is launched in mid-March

Starting in mid-March, a full-scale pyro-gasification demonstrator (European patents, CarbolyseTM), will begin operating to qualify the energy recovery performance of non-hazardous industrial secondary raw materials. The demonstrator, known as "Combigreen", is located at the INNOVEX innovation incubator at PIICTO in the industrial-port zone of Fos; it was developed by the company Elyse Technology and marks the first step toward building a plant, which is slated for 2021.

The project was selected through the Provence Industry'Nov call for projects issued in April 2018. The circular economy-focused concept is backed by key partners, including Provence Promotion. The company is receiving assistance to meet an array of needs, including land, networking, identification of potential clients and search for funding. Its goal is to raise between €7 and 9 million to build a plant that can inject 5 MW into the power grid.

Imagine an industrial waste processing plant that handles tires, wood, plastic and so on at a super compact scale. A proven vacuum recovery technology has been redesigned to meet present and future needs, integrated in just two 20-feet containers, for a total footprint of 500 m2, including ancillary equipment. Imagine a mobile plant that enables a manufacturer or construction site to become energy self-sufficient while preserving the environment.

Starting in mid-March, this "Combigreen" project that caught the eye of the Provence Industry'Nov* jury will become a reality.

"We are building the prototype straightaway to reassure the investors. We are going to demonstrate the effectiveness of our process and its economic viability. The CEA Tech in Grenoble validated our dimensioning and our heating systems (patented). The area around Fos has many manufacturers that are likely to be interested and potential clients have already been approached. We are looking for investors to launch construction of the first plant on the same site, which will generate 5 MW of electricity with 20,000 metric tons per year of inputs (biomass).

We are concentrating on environmental actors and related businesses (e.g. operators of boiler rooms and/or recycling units), manufacturers that produce waste and consume energy, and investment funds. We want to raise between €7 and 9 million to start building in the first half of 2021", explains Philippe Dalles, President of Elyse Technology.

"Provence Industry'Nov is helping us bring our plan to life"

In 2018, on the advice of Provence Promotion, they submitted an application to the Provence Industry'Nov call for projects which aimed to develop 200 acres of land to the west of the Aix-Marseille-Provence metropolitan area by drawing businesses working on industrial ecology, the energy transition, biofuels and bio-industry. "Provence Promotion opened doors for us. They paved the way for us to be well received by industrial actors and gain local recognition. After meeting with the PIICTO association and Rising Sud, we were selected to take part in the New Energies regional interest initiative," boasts Philippe Dalles.

Thus, Elyse Technology, which was also awarded a label by the Capenergies competitiveness cluster, received support from Région Sud in the amount of €330,000, as well as a reimbursable advance of €250,000 from Bpifrance.

A signed lease and the first test

Elyse Technology just signed its lease with the Port of Marseille-Fos in early February. "We are based at the Innovex platform with PIICTO, alongside the Jupiter demonstrator 1,000, with which we envision potential synergies, especially in biomass recovery and the installation of recharging stations for electric vehicles", explains Philippe Slabs.

The demonstrator, 80% of which was built locally, is ready to operate and to carry out its first test on March 17. "Our goal is to promote the development of the regional economy through our partners working in the towns of Aubagne, Martigues, Aix and Fos", the engineer adds. Elyse Technology aspires to sell three to five units in France over the next five years and export two to three units for overall sales of around €40 million.

* The jury of Provence Industry’Nov comprises representatives of the French Government, the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Region, the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolitan Area, the Grand Port Maritime of Marseille, Kem One, Total, LyondellBasell, the PIICTO association, Novachim, Provence Promotion and the Aix-Marseille Provence CCI. The Provence Industry'Nov call for projects spearheaded by the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolitan Area extends to three sites: 70 acres at PIICTO (total footprint: 3,000 acres); 12 at La Mède (total footprint: 617 acres) and 123 at Berre (total footprint: 1,800 acres)