On Thursday, April 5, 2012 the experimental basins used for the Salinalgue project in Gruissan (South of France) are inaugurated by Dominique Gruson, Director of Air Liquide’s Claude-Delorme Research Center, Paris-Saclay, and Thierry Conil, CEO of La Compagnie du Vent, GDF SUEZ Group.

Developed on the Gruissan salt fields by 13 academic and industrial partners*, among which Air Liquide, the Salinalgue project offers a promising and environmentally friendly production pathway of bioenergy and bioproducts.

Salinalgue will enable the development and promotion of microalgae production for energy purposes, in particular the production of biofuel, while reducing greenhouse gases emissions. Salinalgue is part of Air Liquide’s broader strategy of contributing to meeting energy and environmental challenges through innovation.

Salinalgue’s budget will amount to €7.5 million, €3.9 million of which will be financed by the French Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable development, Transport and Housing, the regions concerned as well as the Regional European Development Fund (FEDER).

The gradual industrial deployment of the project is expected to begin in 2015.

(*) La Compagnie du Vent, Air Liquide, Ifremer Institute, CEA (Atomic Energy Authority), Naskeo, IDEE aquaculture, INRIA, INRA, Avignon University, Aix-Marseille University, INSA Toulouse, Tour du Valat and SOMEVAL.