TotalEnergies Développement Régional and Provence Promotion are advancing the cause of industry attractiveness

Support projects focused on the green economy

TotalEnergies Développement Régional, which has been committed to supporting the economic development of French regions for 40 years, is continuing its efforts to enhance industry attractiveness and drive the energy transition alongside Provence Promotion in 2021. With zero-interest loans, equity investments, subsidies, and international assistance, the energy company offers multiple mechanisms to create jobs and support projects focused on the green economy. This boost encourages the development of new products and services in the Bouches-du-Rhône area. From the expansion goals of the Charles André Group to Eranova's bioplastics to the upcycling of oil residues by Ecoslops...

TotalEnergies Développement Régional spearheaded its own industrial transformation by supporting the conversion of the TotalEnergies refinery in La Mède into a multi-energy platform that has focused on biofuels since 2019 and will soon add green hydrogen production. It also assists around 180 other companies each year in France. "We finance projects at the rate of several thousand euros per job created. We grant €7 million per year in zero-interest loans to enable the creation, acquisition and development of businesses. Since 2020, our efforts have also focused on companies engaged in the energy transition with 12 companies supported in this area, including 10 in the Étang de Berre area", stresses Isabelle Patrier, Director of France Relations and Regional Development at TotalEnergies.

At the Châteauneuf-Les-Martigues site, Ecoslops has built a unit to recycle bilge residue from ships. In early July 2021, the first liters of recycled fuels were produced with a capacity of up to 30,000 tonnes per year (naphtha, diesel and fuel oil). TotalEnergies firmly believes in this virtuous circular economy project, in which it has taken a 25% stake. South of the Tellines terminal, Eranova manufactures bioplastics from algae. "This is one of the most promising sectors," adds Isabelle Patrier. TotalEnergies subsidized Eranova within the framework of the Voluntary Convention for Economic and Social Development signed with the national government, Région Sud and the Aix Marseille Provence Metropolis.

Incoplex Sud, a green regional accelerator

With the Inco group, Région Sud and ADEME, TotalEnergies Développement Régional is supporting and assisting with the creation of Incoplex Sud, an accelerator formed as part of the Climate Plan for the Southern Region, a "COP ahead", to enable the emergency of the "green" companies of the future. In 2020, some 14 start-ups completed the full program, despite the public health crisis, resulting in the creation of 14 jobs. The third class has already been recruited and their assistance program will begin in September.

Hysilabs, which deals in hydrogen transport; BioMiMetiC, which specializes in repurposing plant waste through mass insect production; Green City Organization, which fights marine pollution by trapping waste; and Isowat, which improves the energy efficiency of buildings with insulation made from recycled cardboard, are all beneficiaries of the various mechanisms offered by TotalEnergies Développement Régional. The energy specialist assists businesses in building new manufacturing units.

"We have been working with Provence Promotion for four years on industry attractiveness because we have the same goal to promote job creation," notes Isabelle Patrier, citing as an example the project to build a factory in Fos for the Chinese manufacturer Quechen. While the company supports start-ups, it also lends a hand with large-scale projects undertaken by large groups such as Charles André, which is preparing to build a vehicle preparation platform in Fos-sur-Mer. The €30 million investment will generate around 90 jobs.