SUEZ deals underline eco-friendly transition

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of China-France diplomatic ties — a milestone that serves as an ongoing reminder that the two nations have enjoyed wide-ranging cooperation for decades. SUEZ, a France-based global environmental solutions provider, considers the Chinese market as the cornerstone of its global business and will continue to support the country's ecological transition and circular economy.

"China is a key market for SUEZ. We are the first multinational environmental services company to enter the Chinese market. I'm glad that today SUEZ has become a preferred partner for customers and industries here and have forged strong and long-term partnerships with municipal and industrial clients in more than 30 major cities and regions across the country," said Sabrina Soussan, chairman and CEO of SUEZ.

Soussan is proud to have been a part of two significant collaborations between China and France in the field of ecological and environmental protection, which have further solidified SUEZ's contribution to ecological transition and were witnessed by high-profile officials from both nations.

As a notable environmental services company, SUEZ is the only foreign company ranked among the Top 10 Most Influential Companies in China's Water Industry for the past 21 consecutive years at the Water Sector Strategic Forum. And it aims to generate approximately 40 percent of its international market revenue in China by 2027.

"Prior to taking up my role at SUEZ, I've been to China many times, for professional and personal reasons. Last year, I even had the privilege of visiting China four times to meet and exchange with our team, our partners and our clients. Additionally, as a member of the Chongqing Mayor's International Economic Advisory Council, it allows me to engage in insightful discussions with local authorities and partners to understand their expectations toward companies like SUEZ," she said.

A testament to the company's increasing investment and commitment to China's environmental goals is the signing of some recent significant contracts in the water and waste markets.

In Dongguan, Guangdong province, SUEZ plans to construct the world's largest stand-alone municipal sludge incineration facility, utilizing waste heat to generate approximately 96 million kilowatt-hours per year. In Chongqing, SUEZ has entered into an agreement in the waste-to-energy sector to construct plants that extend landfill lifespans and decrease fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, SUEZ announced a strategic collaboration with China's Envision Energy to set up a Net-Zero Battery Industrial Park in France. It will cultivate a wide range of cooperation, from renewable energy supply to battery recycling and digital decarbonization platforms.

The agreements, witnessed by high-profile officials from both countries during the state visit of the Chinese president to France in May, underscore SUEZ's support for France and China in ecological transformation and development of the circular economy, she added.

Soussan also shared her insights on reducing customers' carbon footprints by transforming wastewater and waste into valuable resources. By deploying integrated and circular solutions in areas like water supply, wastewater treatment and hazardous waste management in the Shanghai Chemical Industrial Park, SUEZ is helping the site become a global model of environmental protection.

Soussan said SUEZ will emphasize the alteration of water quantity and quality, which is considered as one of the primary impacts of climate change. According to the company, issues related to micropollutants are gaining increasing attention, particularly in China. Since 2018, SUEZ has initiated a research and development program to analyze the occurrence and treatment of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, tackling the pressing micropollutant issues in water. Addressing wastewater reuse and seawater desalination, the company's wastewater power plant in Chongqing is equipped with a water reuse system, which is applied to greening, road cleaning, equipment cooling and other applications, saving about 94 percent of the water use across the whole plant.

In 2023, SUEZ inked a deal to construct a seawater desalination plant in Shandong's Yantai with chemical manufacturer Wanhua Chemical Group. Given the scarcity of the resource, it will conserve 36 million cubic meters of fresh water annually.

Currently, SUEZ is embarking on a new frontier in plastic recycling. In East China, it is assisting in plastic collection and recycling industry. A partnership agreement has been struck with Taichu Environmental Resource Management to collectively invest, construct and manage six plastic waste collection and sorting centers, each with an annual capacity of 30,000 metric tons.

"The slogan 'In China, for China' sums up the belief behind our development in China. At SUEZ, we wholeheartedly support this shift toward green competitiveness, which we believe is essential for enduring resilience and adaptability to the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow," Soussan said.