Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) has made its first move into Italian biomethane. Its ABF II fund is backing Via Verde, a platform that turns agricultural waste into renewable gas.
Via Verde is the first investment for ABF II. It is also CIP’s entry into the Italian market.
The platform has a development pipeline of 20 projects. They are spread across 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.
The waste becomes biomethane, a renewable gas that can replace imported fossil gas. Once all 20 projects are running, the platform is expected to deliver about 1 TWh of biomethane a year. That equals the yearly gas use of around 60,000 Italian households.
CIP says the investment will create local jobs. It also says domestic production supports Italy’s energy independence and decarbonisation goals.
Andreas F. Brandt, partner at CIP, described Italy as one of Europe’s most attractive biomethane markets. He said the deal gives the firm a strong foothold as the country works toward its 2030 biomethane targets. CIP plans to apply its bioenergy expertise to support Via Verde’s local team and project pipeline. Brandt added that biomethane should help Italy strengthen its energy supply and move to a lower-carbon system.
