- Type: Thermal biomass power plant
- Installed since: 1992
- Installed capacity: 108 MW
- Workforce: 88
The Bois-Rouge thermal power plant, located in the north of Réunion Island, is Albioma Group’s first emblematic site in the French overseas territories. Commissioned in 1992, it was the first French facility capable of converting bagasse — the fibrous residue from sugarcane — into renewable electricity, from the outset embracing a strategy focused on the valorisation of local resources and energy cogeneration.
With an installed capacity of 108 MW, Bois-Rouge supplies a significant share of electricity to the Réunion grid. Connected to the neighbouring sugar refinery, it uses bagasse during the sugar season to produce steam and electricity, part of which is returned directly to the sugar industry, with the remainder fed into the grid.
A major transformation towards 100% renewable energy
As part of its decarbonisation strategy and its support for greening Réunion’s energy mix, Albioma carried out a large-scale conversion programme to shift the plant to 100% biomass. This project, completed at the end of 2023, enabled the permanent abandonment of coal, thereby increasing the share of renewable energy in the island’s electricity mix and significantly reducing the site’s greenhouse gas emissions.
This transition is part of a broader energy dynamic: thanks to the conversion of the Bois-Rouge and Le Gol power plants, renewable energy now represents a clear majority of Réunion’s island energy mix.
Innovation and circular economy: waste recovery
Beyond traditional biomass, the Bois-Rouge plant is innovating by integrating the energy recovery of Solid Recovered Fuels (SRF) — high-calorific-value residues derived from household waste — from waste treatment facilities in the north and east of the island. To this end, Albioma has launched the construction of a new boiler dedicated to SRF, a strategic project scheduled to be commissioned by the end of 2026.
This solution will divert approximately 70,000 tonnes of waste per year from landfill, promoting a local circular economy while contributing to energy security and territorial autonomy.
News on the progress of the SRF project at Bois-Rouge, on Réunion Island!
