Eranova chooses Provence to transform algae into bioplastics

Inauguration of an industrial demonstrator and a new plant in the pipeline

On February 18, 2022, seven years after the very first meeting with Provence Promotion, the founders of Eranova, originally from Savoie, officially opened a pre-industrial demonstrator in Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône for the production of biomaterials from algae washed up in the Étang de Berre. A crucial step before a €63 million investment in the construction of a 30,000 ton capacity plant in the area. As a creator of wealth and innovation in the Bouches-du-Rhône region, Eranova has been honored with the "Invest in Provence" label from Provence Promotion.

To test its invention, Eranova hesitated between Provence and Brittany, before leaning towards the Mediterranean basin after a decisive meeting with Provence Promotion in 2015, one year before the creation of Eranova. "The agency has been a catalyst. It made me realize that there were areas that wanted our technology to change the way industry was viewed. I couldn't turn down this opportunity. We are located in the port of Marseilles in Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône and we intend to export our production to the entire Mediterranean basin," explained Philippe Lavoisier, Eranova's founder and CEO, on February 18, 2022, at the inauguration of the demonstrator.

The 1.3-hectare site uses green algae from the Étang de Berre to produce bioplastics. "We did it! And people are impressed. They didn't think it was doable. We will now move to a larger scale because we have customers waiting for this solution. We will produce nearly 400 tons of biomaterials per year here, and eventually we will produce nearly 30,000 tons with a new plant in the pipeline," the chemical engineer enthusiastically points out.

Export opportunities

After an investment of €63 million, Eranova will go from proof of concept to industrial scale, creating 140 jobs by 2024. Eranova is planning to set up shop on a 100-hectare former industrial site on the Mediterranean coast. Not only to treat the algae collected by the surrounding municipalities, but also to export its production of bioplastics to numerous outlets (garbage bags, cups, etc.). The company has already signed with chain stores for the production of plastic bags and partnered with the Pure Ocean Foundation.

Winner of the Provence Industry'Nov call for projects, supported by Ademe as part of the Investment for the Future program, Eranova has received financial backing from the South Region (€500K) and the Aix-Marseille Provence Metropolitan Area (€250K), as well as a €200K grant from TotalEnergies. Alongside the industrialist, Eranova is also a partner of the Port of Marseille-Fos within the framework of the Vasco 3 industrial emissions recovery program.

Photo of the inauguration of the Eranova industrial demonstrator on February 18, 2022.
From left to right: Philippe Michon, co-founder of Eranova, Isabelle Campagnola Savon, regional councilor for the South of France, Martial Alvarez, mayor of Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône and Vice-Pesident of the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolitan Area, Isabelle Patrier, director of TotalEnergies France, and Philippe Lavoisier, CEO of Eranova.