Newheat and Agrial’s Dairy Division have announced the construction of an unprecedented industrial thermal infrastructure at the Herbignac site in Loire-Atlantique. This industrial partnership marks a new milestone in Agrial (new window)’s decarbonisation strategy. It will deliver a lasting reduction in the site’s natural gas consumption through the construction of France’s largest solar thermal plant, developed, financed and operated by Newheat (new window).
A major project supporting the energy transition of the Herbignac Ingredients & Nutrition site
A major industrial facility within Agrial’s Dairy Division, the Herbignac site processes 650 million litres of milk each year to manufacture high-value-added dairy ingredients for the food industry, foodservice and sports nutrition markets. The heat requirements associated with these industrial activities make Herbignac a priority site in Agrial’s decarbonisation pathway.
The project developed with Newheat supports the objectives of the Agrial Climate Plan, which aims to reduce the cooperative group’s carbon footprint by 35% by 2035 compared with 2019, notably by halving direct greenhouse gas emissions across its operational scope (energy, transport, packaging and waste). The project will replace a significant proportion of the fossil fuels used in industrial processes with locally produced renewable heat from solar energy.
Once fully operational, the installation will reduce the site’s gas consumption by approximately 12% and avoid nearly 1,360 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per year, representing more than 34,000 tonnes over 25 years.
Credit: Agrial. Herbignac’s site, with a visual projection of Newheat’s solar thermal plant in the background.
An innovative solution designed with Newheat
To supply the site with renewable heat, Newheat is beginning construction of France’s largest solar thermal plant. Solar thermal energy, also known as solar heat, uses the sun’s rays for heating applications.
With a capacity of 18.5 MWth and approximately 22,000 m² of solar collectors across a total site area of six hectares, the plant will deliver nearly 10,700 MWh of renewable heat per year, supported in particular by a 4,000 m³ thermal storage tank.
Designed, developed, financed and operated by Newheat under a long-term heat supply agreement, the infrastructure combines:
- Renewable heat production,
- Thermal storage,
- Advanced control systems,
- Multi-process distribution network
to supply several processes at the Herbignac site.
Beyond solar power generation, the facility was designed to evolve over time and integrate new carbon-free heat sources in the future, thereby supporting the site’s energy transition.
This facility received financial support from ADEME and the Pays de la Loire Region
Newheat also relied on two long-standing banking partners, Crédit Coopératif and Banque Populaire Aquitaine Centre Atlantique. The company also chose to open up part of the project’s financing to the public through a crowdfunding campaign conducted on the Lendosphere platform.
An industrial partnership dedicated to a shared ambition
This partnership illustrates the alignment of Agrial’s and Newheat’s ambitions regarding the energy transition.
For Agrial, the aim is to continue the industrial transformation that began several years ago in order to reduce the carbon footprint of its milk processing operations while enhancing the competitiveness of its industrial sites.
For Newheat, this project confirms the viability of industrial energy models based on renewable heat, thermal storage, and smart management of energy needs.
“This partnership with Newheat is a pivotal step in the decarbonization of the Herbignac site. This project allows us to sustainably reduce our dependence on natural gas while securing an efficient and competitive energy solution to support the site’s development. It also enables us to offer our customers products with a reduced environmental footprint,” says Gérald Dard, Managing Director of the “Ingredients & Nutrition” business unit ”
“With this project for Agrial, we are taking a new step forward: Newheat is now designing a new generation of comprehensive industrial thermal infrastructure systems that combine the production, storage, and smart management of various carbon-free energy sources. This shift in our business model allows us to provide sustainable support to manufacturers by balancing economic performance with decarbonization. ” according to Ignace de Prest, President of Newheat.
