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Biomethane Initiatives, a joint venture formed a year ago by Suma Capital, a manager of investments in sustainable infrastructure, and SITRA, has reached an agreement with Nedgia, the gas distributor of the Naturgy group, for the injection of 40 GWh/year of biomethane into its gas network.
Installation Biomethane Montes de Toledo Located in the municipality of Noez, the site covers 12,4 hectares, four of which will be dedicated to biomethane production. This is Biomethane Initiatives' first renewable gas plant and is expected to generate 40 GWh of biomethane annually, equivalent to the annual energy consumption of 6.500 homes. The facility will also produce 30.000 tons of solid fertilizer, preventing the emission of 7.280 tons of CO2.
The project represents an investment of €15 million and is scheduled to begin operations in the summer of 2024. Nedgia will construct a dedicated 700-meter gas pipeline from the production site to the gas distribution network. The company's infrastructure across the country comprises more than 57.000 kilometers of network, essential for the development of biomethane.
The construction and operation of this facility is aimed at the energy recovery of various agricultural byproducts, ranging from cattle manure and pig slurry to sewage sludge and waste from nearby agri-food industries. It will also have a byproduct and waste management capacity of 100.000 tons per year for the production of biomethane and fertilizers.
The plant will process waste annually from nearby facilities, producing locally sourced renewable gas. Specifically, it will process 50.000 tons of manure from beef cattle farms; 30.000 tons of pig slurry from pig farms; and 20.000 tons of sewage sludge and agri-food waste.
Castilla-La Mancha is the third autonomous community with the greatest potential for biomethane production, representing 13% of the total in Spain and enough to decarbonize 100% of the region's current natural gas consumption. According to a recent report by the consultancy firm Biovic, experts in renewable gases, and PwC for Sedigas, fully developing the region's biomethane potential would involve the construction of 305 plants and a total investment of €5.500 billion in plants and networks, significantly contributing to local job creation. This plant is a first step in this direction and will create 60 direct and indirect jobs.
“With Biomethane Initiatives, we continue to advance our goal of joining forces with companies like Nedgia that share our vision, laying the foundations for a more circular and sustainable economy through new infrastructure. We believe this platform is a leader and unique in biomethane production assets,” highlights Sergio Fernández, Partner at Suma Capital.
For his part, Ricardo Sáez, CEO of SITRA, emphasized that "the Montes de Toledo Biomethane plant will not only contribute to the decarbonization of our current natural gas consumption, but will also generate local employment." Sáez added that it is "a project, in which Biovic has also participated as the engineering firm, that reinforces our commitment to creating sustainable and energy-efficient solutions for a more resilient and environmentally conscious society."
On the other hand, Raúl Suárez, CEO of Nedgia, points out that "renewable gas and the networks that transport it are crucial for the energy transition and represent a great opportunity for Castilla-La Mancha. This project reaffirms Nedgia's commitment to the region, consolidating our firm commitment to biomethane as a sustainable, safe, and competitive energy source."
