Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) has made a final investment decision on Via Verde, an Italian biomethane platform, marking its first move into the country's biomethane sector.
The investment is made through CIP's Advanced Bioenergy Fund II (ABF II), which focuses on developing, building and operating biogas plants across Europe that convert agricultural waste and other sustainable feedstocks into biomethane. Via Verde is the fund's first investment.
The platform has a development pipeline of 20 projects in several Italian regions, including Lombardy, Abruzzo and Campania. Each plant is expected to process roughly 60,000 to 100,000 tonnes of agricultural waste a year.
Once all 20 projects are operational, Via Verde is expected to produce about 1 TWh of biomethane annually, equivalent to the yearly gas consumption of around 60,000 Italian households.
CIP said the investment will create local jobs and supply domestically produced biomethane in place of imported fossil gas.
Andreas F. Brandt, Partner at CIP, said: "Via Verde marks our entry into one of Europe's most attractive biomethane markets, giving us a strong foothold as Italy scales towards its 2030 biomethane targets. CIP will leverage its advanced bioenergy expertise to support Via Verde's experienced local team and substantial project pipeline, laying a strong foundation for long-term growth. We believe biomethane will play a key role in strengthening Italy's energy independence and supporting its transition to a lower-carbon energy system."
