Plenium Partners from Spain has reached a significant milestone in its drive to decarbonise Europe’s energy mix. The company has secured €25 million from ING Italia to bankroll its inaugural biomethane plant in northern Italy. This funding, arranged as a bilateral Project Finance agreement, not only underlines investor confidence in renewable gases but also sets a precedent for circular economy initiatives in regions traditionally reliant on fossil fuels.
The financing package provided by ING Italia, a major player in sustainable banking, will cover the construction and commissioning of the Pavia plant, marking the first operational phase of a four‑facility platform. By structuring the deal under a Project Finance model, Plenium Partners transferred construction and operational risks to dedicated project vehicles, while locking in long‑term debt at competitive rates. This approach both safeguards returns for lenders and accelerates deployment timelines for developers.
A national platform for circular energy
Situated in Lombardy’s agricultural heartland, the Pavia facility is slated to begin operations in Q1 2026. Its placement leverages abundant livestock and crop residues from surrounding farms, ensuring a steady feedstock supply. With each plant designed to process nearly 50,000 tonnes of organic waste annually, the entire platform will collectively divert 200,000 tonnes of material from landfill, reinforcing Italy’s waste‑to‑wealth ambitions.
This project is part of a broader collaboration initiated in mid‑2024 between Plenium Partners and Aragorn Value Leadership under the Ecualia Capital fund. With an overall investment exceeding €100 million, the scheme envisions four identical plants across different Italian regions, each capable of producing 500 standard cubic metres of biomethane per hour. The group’s participation in GSE’s third biomethane tariff auction secured guaranteed incentives, enhancing project bankability.
Unlike conventional anaerobic digestion facilities, Plenium’s design incorporates full carbon dioxide capture and purification systems. By capturing and recycling CO2, rather than venting it, the plant will achieve a substantially higher net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. This technological edge not only aligns with Italy’s stringent environmental targets but also opens potential revenue streams from selling or utilising the recovered CO2 in food and beverage, horticulture, or chemical industries
Biomethane’s role in Europe’s energy mix
Founded in Spain in 2007, Plenium Partners has steadily expanded its footprint, entering the Italian market in 2010. Today, it manages over 35 operational photovoltaic assets nationwide, demonstrating expertise in project development, financing, and operations. The new biomethane platform represents a strategic diversification into gas‑based renewables, complementing its solar portfolio and reinforcing its status as a pan‑European green infrastructure investor.
Biomethane produced from agricultural residues, manure, and organic waste offers dual benefits: it mitigates methane emissions from decomposing biomass and displaces natural gas usage. In rural areas, these plants generate local employment, diversify farmers’ income streams, and stimulate ancillary services in waste collection and maintenance.
As Europe pursues its 2030 climate and energy targets, biomethane will play an increasingly vital role alongside electrification and hydrogen, solidifying the circular bioeconomy at the heart of regional development.
Plenium Partners’ Pavia project, therefore, stands as more than an isolated endeavour. It exemplifies how targeted finance, innovative technology, and cross‑sector partnerships can unlock the potential of renewable gases. As the plant readies for production in early 2026, it heralds a new chapter in Italy’s energy transition, one where waste becomes a resource and the path to decarbonisation is paved with green molecules.
