PôleBio Energies SA

What PôleBio Energies SA does

PôleBio Energies SA is a Swiss public-private joint venture, established in 2019 between Services Industriels de Genève (SIG) and Helvetia Environnement, building a purpose-built organic waste valorization facility in Vernier (Canton of Geneva) targeted for operational start around 2027. The facility will replace the existing 40-year-old Châtillon installation and apply two integrated processes — anaerobic methanization (carried out at approximately 53°C over roughly 15 days) and industrial composting (4–8 weeks with controlled aeration) — to an annual throughput of about 48,000 tonnes of household and commercial organic waste. Aeraulic (pneumatic) sorting upstream removes plastic contaminants from the feedstock, and a 1 MWc rooftop solar installation supplies ancillary electricity.

The facility is designed to produce three monetizable output streams from a single feedstock: purified and odorized biomethane injected into SIG's gas network (approximately 25 GWh per year, equivalent to 2,000 households), liquid nitrogen-rich digestate (about 20,000 m³ per year), and solid compost (about 12,000 tonnes per year), both distributed to Geneva farmers through AgriGenève. Revenue mechanics combine municipal waste-processing fees paid by the Canton and 30+ communes (underwritten by future LGD source-separation mandates), biomethane offtake by SIG on long-run terms, and direct biofertilizer sales to the agricultural sector, displacing both fossil natural gas and synthetic fertilizers.

The business model is community-led and infrastructure-anchored: PôleBio does not sell directly to consumers but reaches them through cantonal/communal sorting campaigns ("P'tite poubelle verte," already adopted by ~60% of Geneva households) and municipal collection systems. This structure locks feedstock supply, offtake, and policy support into a single public-private ecosystem, reducing typical demand-creation risk but concentrating exposure to a single canton and a small set of anchor public-sector counterparties.

Name

PôleBio Energies SA

Legal name

PôleBio Energies SA

Website

https://polebio.ch

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

PôleBio Energies SA is a Geneva-based public-private joint venture (SIG and Helvetia Environnement) building an integrated methanization and composting facility that will process 48,000 tonnes of organic waste annually into biomethane, compost, and liquid biofertilizer for Canton of Geneva households, municipalities, and farmers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Waste Management Services

NAICS

Fertilizer and Compost Manufacturing (32531), Nitrogenous Fertilizer Manufacturing (325311), Biomass Electric Power Generation (221117)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEUAAAEAL

Digestate Processing, Nutrient Recovery & Fertilizer Products (Struvite, Ammonia, Compost)

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Bioenergy, Natural Gas & Biomass/Biogas & Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) Production (AD, Landfill Gas, Wastewater Gas)

SECONDARYIMAIAFAF

Organics Collection & Processing (Composting/Anaerobic Digestion)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Industrial Services & Facility Operations/Waste Management & Recycling Services

SECONDARYEUACAIAJ

Biogas Upgrading-to-Power (Biomethane-to-Power, Pipeline Injection + Power)

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Electric Power Generation/Biomass & Biogas Power Generation (Waste-to-Energy, Landfill Gas)

Keywords

• Organic waste valorization
• Biomethane production
• Anaerobic digestion services
• Industrial composting services
• Organic fertilizer production

Headquarters

HQ city

Vernier

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Biomethane Sales to Gas Network: The facility produces approximately 25 GWh of biomethane annually through methanization, which is purified and injected into the SIG gas network, supplying renewable gas to approximately 2,000 Geneva households. Revenue is generated from the sale of biomethane to the gas distribution network.
2. Organic Fertilizer Sales to Agriculture: Production and sale of biofertilizers (20,000 m³ of liquid digestate and 12,000 tonnes of compost annually) to Geneva farmers, replacing synthetic fertilizers derived from fossil resources. Revenue from sales of organic fertilizers to the agricultural sector.
3. Municipal Waste Processing Fees: Processing fees charged to the Canton of Geneva and communes for treating collected organic waste from households and businesses. This replaces the higher cost of incineration (278 CHF per tonne) with lower-cost organic valorization.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

PôleBio Energies SA operates an industrial organic waste valorization facility in Vernier, Geneva, processing 48,000 tonnes of household and commercial organic waste annually through methanization (anaerobic digestion) and industrial composting. The facility produces biomethane injected into the Geneva gas network, liquid and solid organic fertilizers for local agriculture, and rooftop solar electricity. Operations are scheduled to commence in 2027, replacing the legacy Châtillon installation.

Product overview

PolesBio Energies SA operates a unified industrial facility for organic waste valorization in Geneva, combining methanization and composting processes to transform approximately 48,000 tonnes of organic waste annually into three main outputs: renewable biomethane injected into the gas grid (equivalent to 2,000 households), organic fertilizers and compost for local agriculture (20,000 m3 of biofertilizer and 12,000 tonnes of compost per year), and solar energy from a 1 MWc rooftop installation. The facility is structured as a single integrated plant with complementary operational streams rather than separate modular products. Community-facing services include household organic waste sorting consultation via the 'P'tite poubelle verte' program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Organic Waste Valorization Services Industrial methanization and composting service processing 48,000 tonnes per year of household and commercial organic waste from the Canton of Geneva into biomethane, liquid biofertilizer, and compost. Sold to the Canton of Geneva and its communes.
• Biomethane Production and Supply Purified and odorized renewable biomethane (approximately 25 GWh annually) produced via anaerobic digestion and supplied to SIG for injection into the Geneva city gas distribution network, equivalent to the gas needs of 2,000 households.
• Organic Fertilizer (Biofertilizer) Sales Sale of 20,000 m³ of nitrogen-rich liquid digestate and 12,000 tonnes of compost annually to Geneva farmers via the AgriGenève network, replacing synthetic fertilizers for agricultural and horticultural use.

Quantifiable outcome

• 48,000 tonnes of organic waste valorized annually
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Services Industriels de Genève (SIG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIG, Geneva's public utilities company, partnered with Helvetia Environnement to form Polesbio Energies SA. SIG contributes expertise in organic waste treatment accumulated over 40 years of operating the Chatillon facility. SIG serves as the biomethane offtake partner, receiving purified biogas for injection into the Geneva gas network.
• Helvetia EnvironnementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelvetia Environnement, a waste management company, partnered with SIG to form Polesbio Energies SA. The company brings expertise in waste collection and valorization operations to the partnership.
• Canton of GenevacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Canton of Geneva and its communes are the primary public partners, guaranteeing organic waste feedstock through the 'P'tite poubelle verte' collection program. The canton is developing new waste management legislation (LGD) to mandate source separation and ensure facility utilization.
• FTI (Fondation des Terrains Industriels de Genève)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFTI owns and manages the EcoParc industrial zone where the Polesbio facility is located. FTI's strategy to establish the Bois de Bay zone as a center of excellence for industrial ecology makes it a central ecosystem partner for the circular economy project.
• AgriGenèvecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgriGenève is the farmers' association representing Geneva agricultural producers. Polesbio collaborates with AgriGenève to develop the organic fertilizer distribution channel, ensuring quality standards, traceability, and appropriate fertilizer application for member farmers.
• Geneva CommunescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe 30+ Geneva municipalities collect organic waste from households and distribute sorting containers and compostable bags. They are responsible for the 'P'tite poubelle verte' program implementation at the local level.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Hitachi Zosen Inova: HZI is a leading European builder and operator of anaerobic digestion and biogas upgrading plants, directly comparable to Pôlebio's methanization + biomethane injection model. Operates multiple reference AD/biogas facilities across Europe including Switzerland.
• PlanET Biogas Global: PlanET designs, builds and services anaerobic digestion plants producing biogas/biomethane and digestate fertilizer, closely mirroring Pôlebio's integrated AD + fertilizer output. Operates across Europe with hundreds of installed plants.
• Organic Waste Systems: Belgian engineering and operating company focused on anaerobic digestion of organic waste streams with biogas utilization and digestate processing. Directly comparable technology stack and value chain to Pôlebio.
• Helvetia Environnement: JV parent and shareholder of Pôlebio; Swiss waste management company with collection and organics processing operations across western Switzerland. The most operationally comparable domestic peer and a direct value-chain partner.
• Services Industriels de Genève (SIG): JV parent and biomethane offtake partner of Pôlebio; Geneva's municipal utility operating the legacy CHATILLON facility plus gas distribution network. Most relevant Swiss operational and counterparty comparable.

Broad incumbents

• Veolia Environment: Global environmental services major operating waste collection, AD/biogas, composting and organic fertilizer production across Europe including Switzerland. Broader portfolio than Pôlebio but operates overlapping organics valorization assets.
• Suez (SUEZ Recycling and Recovery): International waste management and resource recovery group with significant European organics processing, anaerobic digestion, biogas-to-grid and composting infrastructure. Overlaps with Pôlebio on biomethane production and biofertilizer distribution.
• Renewi: European waste-to-product company operating organic waste collection, composting and biogas production facilities. Comparable organics valorization operations and customer base in adjacent geographies (UK, Netherlands, Belgium).

Regional players

• Attero: Dutch operator of large-scale anaerobic digestion and organic waste processing facilities producing biogas, biomethane and compost. Comparable integrated AD-composting business model but focused on the Netherlands.
• Thurgau Abfall (Thurgauer Abfallverwertungsanlage): Swiss regional operator of organic waste processing, composting and biogas facilities within the Canton of Thurgau. Closest like-for-like cantonal-scale organics valorization operator in Switzerland.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/polebio.ch
• Instagraminstagram.com/polebio.ch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about PôleBio Energies SA