Exclusive interview: Nature Energy comes out of its Shell

Ole Hvelplund, CEO at Nature Energy, Europe’s biggest biomethane producer, spoke to Bioenergy Insight about Shell’s recent acquisition of the Danish company, and about the growth he foresees for the firm. Nature Energy hit the headlines earlier this year, following Shell’s acquisition of 100% of its shares. The petrochemical giant therefore acquired Nature Energy’s portfolio of operating plants, associated feedstock supply and infrastructure, its pipeline of growth projects and its in-house expertise in the design, construction and operation of innovative and differentiated renewable natural gas (RNG) plant technology. On asking for insight into the background of the acquisition, Hvelplund said that Nature Energy’s former owners, a consortium of institutional investors including Davidson Kempner Capital Management LP, Pioneer Point Partners and Sampension (collectively, the “NGF Partnership”) – ran a sales process from which Shell emerged as the buyer. “The details of that process are confidential, and we therefore cannot comment on the detailed discussions that took place. What we can say...