Decoding keys

Soils store carbon in the form of organic matter and release it as gas into the atmosphere, primarily in the form of CO2. When they store more than they release, they act as so-called “carbon sinks“. Therefore, soils can play a role in climate change mitigation strategies. Europe, spearheaded by France with its Low-Carbon label, encourages agricultural and forestry strategies promoting carbon storage in soils.

Water resources are becoming scarcer as they come under increased human and climate pressure. Over-use, drought, pollution and eutrophication* are complicating management of the domestic water cycle, including in Europe, where one third of the territory is exposed to high water stress.

Plastic is an integral part of our daily lives and consumption habits and continues to be produced in massive quantities, causing more and more waste. It’s a complex situation that has prompted a range of regulatory responses around the world.

Copper, cobalt, lithium... we are set to be increasingly reliant on metals due to the large-scale roll-out of renewable energies and new forms of mobility.

Oil is a fossil energy and a resource that is limited on a global scale. What is oil made of? How is it extracted? What is it used for? A review of the fundamentals

To achieve the objectives of the energy transition, France has turned its attention to the production and use of low-carbon and renewable hydrogen. Mainly used until now in the chemicals and refining sectors, this energy vector may be useful to contribute to the decarbonization of some industrial sectors, for electricity storage or as a fuel in the transport sector.

Energy storage consists in preserving a quantity of energy produced for later use. The idea is to ensure a balance between energy production and consumption, reduce losses and, hence, optimize costs.

Purified biogas, known as biomethane, which has equivalent characteristics to those of natural gas, can be used in natural gas networks or as engine fuel. A renewable energy source as promising as it is virtuous…

All-electric vehicles operate with a battery and an electric motor. The large-capacity battery has to be recharged with the vehicle stationary at a charging station.

CO2 capture, use and storage (CCUS) technology consists in capturing CO2 from its source of production, using it and storing it in an underground facility. It is of interest to industrial players since it would enable them to significantly reduce their CO2 emissions.