MÉTHA’VÉLO 2025 - Cyclo-tourism event in support of the energy transition

On 31 May 2024, 30 gas operator employees covered 150-kilometres around the Toulouse area, connecting four operational methanisation sites. This chiefly internal, team-driven initiative was designed to highlight the importance of locally produced renewable gas. Through meaningful exchanges with farmers, local officials and the media, and with the participation of professional cyclist Lilian Calmejane, the Métha’Vélo 2024 event left a lasting impression and laid the groundwork for a more ambitious edition in 2025.

This year, the 80 cyclists rode through the stunning landscapes of the Arcachon Basin, completing a 112-kilometre loop that linked the Atlantic Ocean, the Dune of Pilat, forests and lakes across the Gironde and Landes regions. Starting and finishing at the EQUIBIO Pays-de-Buch methanisation unit in Mios, developed by CVE Biogaz, the cycling route took participants past several symbolic sites of the green gas transition in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The peloton passed close to GRDF’s site in Le Teich, gas transmission infrastructure operated by TERÉGA, and the La Teste-de-Buch wastewater treatment plant, which upgrades local wastewater into renewable gas. These key steps highlighted the growing role of biomethane in tomorrow’s energy mix, while also reinforcing participants’ connection to the local energy ecosystem.

The second edition of Métha’Vélo aimed to strengthen the visibility and value of green gas and methanisation, while fostering committed partnerships. The Arcachon Basin, where over 40% of green gas is already transported in the grid during summer, offers a strong example of this positive momentum. As part of the day’s programme, participants were invited to a guided tour of the Mios methanisation site, led by CVE Biogaz, followed by a roundtable discussion that brought together representatives from the regional government, local authorities and industry stakeholders. The conversation focused on the challenges and opportunities surrounding green gas: its regional deployment, its concrete applications. Twenty-four students from the Libourne Montagne agricultural and viticulture secondary school took part in the discussions, where they explored the virtuous cycle of methanisation through the educational workshop La Fresque du Gaz Vert. They also had the opportunity to design their own methanisation unit by participating in an interactive serious game. An educational journey into hydrogen explored the potential uses of this molecule and its role in the energy transition. Métha’Vélo 2025 thus reaffirms its key role in driving momentum across the sector and raising awareness of the energy transition, already well underway across the region.