The Romandy region takes center stage in green innovation
On February 26, 2026, the French-speaking Swiss weekly Terre&Nature—a leading publication on agriculture, local culture, and the environment—published a feature article on the CO₂ capture system deployed by WasteOlas at the Docteur Gab’s Brewery in Puidoux (VD). Written by journalist Élise Dottrens, the report offers an accessible, technical look behind the scenes of this circular innovation.
A compact device with big ambitions
The article provides a detailed description of the three key components of the installation, which take up only “a few square meters” of floor space in the brewery:
- A system for filtering and purifying raw CO₂ produced during fermentation, which is transported through a network of pipes;
- A flexible storage balloon with a capacity of about 5 cubic meters—described by the reporter as a “mini-Zeppelin”—that inflates and deflates in response to gas flow;
- A bright yellow compressor that optimizes storage and prepares the CO₂ for reintroduction into the production process.
Reto Engler, co-founder and production manager at Dr Gab’s, sums up the goal: “The ultimate goal is to be self-sufficient. We want to minimize waste as much as possible—not only to reduce pollution, but also to cut down on purchases.”
The numbers speak for themselves
The article provides specific financial details about the project:
- Total investment: 250,000 Swiss francs
- Cantonal funding: 50%, provided by the Office for Economic Development and Innovation (SPEI) of the Canton of Vaud
- Goal: To meet 100% of the brewery’s CO₂ needs through recovery by 2027
- Four tanks are already connected to the system, with plans to extend the connection to the outdoor tanks once the liquefaction system is installed
A sector-specific pilot project
Terre&Nature highlights the project’s cross-cantonal collaborative aspect—with WasteOlas based in Lancy (GE) and the brewery in Puidoux (VD)—as well as its potential for application far beyond the brewing industry.
Reto Engler looks ahead: “Another benefit of the project would be to develop this solution and make it useful to other companies that use carbon in their production processes, whether they’re breweries, wineries, or other types of businesses.”
The article also mentions the initiative by La Nébuleuse in Renens, which is collaborating with the Vaud-based startup Circea on a different model—the resale of captured CO₂ to third parties—thus confirming the emergence of a thriving ecosystem in French-speaking Switzerland centered on the utilization of biogenic CO₂.
A commitment to sustainability
The report notes that this innovation is part of a broader initiative at Dr Gab’s: reusing bottles collected at recycling centers since the company’s inception, the recent replacement of plastic packaging with cardboard, and membership in the Swiss REuse association’s committee.
WasteOlas at the heart of a proven market trend
This coverage in Terre&Nature—a publication read by professionals in agriculture, viticulture, and the local food industry in French-speaking Switzerland—is strategically significant for WasteOlas. By explicitly highlighting the potential for application in the wine industry and other CO₂-emitting sectors, the article opens the door to new target markets that are perfectly aligned with WasteOlas’s vision.
The fact that the Canton of Vaud co-financed 50% of this project demonstrates the public authorities’ confidence in the validity of this approach. As for the emergence of competitors like Circea, far from being a threat, it validates the size and maturity of the local CO₂ recovery market—a strong signal for the entire ecosystem and for WasteOlas’s positioning as a Swiss-made pioneer in this sector.
The next step—installing a liquefaction system to store excess CO₂—demonstrates the path of continuous innovation that defines the WasteOlas–Dr Gab’s partnership, with a goal of achieving carbon self-sufficiency by 2027.
📰Original source : « Chez Dr Gabs, on ouvre la voie à une bière zéro carbone » — Élise Dottrens, Terre&Nature, February 26, 2026
📸 Photo credit: © Élise Dottrens