The plant is the first asset to be built, owned and operated by CycleØ in Italy, and is located in Pontinia in the Lazio region to the south of Rome. It will use feedstocks from farms within a 15km radius of its location to produce 4 million cubic metres of biomethane per annum, or circa 45GWh, using anaerobic digestion (AD).
The biogas will then be upgraded to biomethane using proprietary CycleØ technology and injected directly into the SNAM gas grid through a new local direct pipeline access, planned as part of the plant’s construction. This plant will produce certified renewable energy in accordance with EU standards, delivering enough renewable natural gas in a year to meet the needs of around 3,000 Italian homes.
This new production capacity created by CycleØ builds on the country’s renewable energy assets which currently deliver 20.6% of annual energy needs. Italy intends to generate 39.4% of energy from renewable sources by 2030, including 6 billion cubic metres of biomethane, making this new asset an important step further to meeting this target.
In addition to producing clean energy, the construction of the plant will benefit the local community by helping to address the management of nitrates from livestock waste, supporting the reduction of emissions from agricultural activities. Digestate, a nutrient-rich by-product of the AD process, will be returned to farmers to provide organic fertilizer for crops in line with the principals of a circular economy.
The plant meets all the sustainability criteria needed to qualify for the Gestore dei Servizi Energetici (GSE) tariff and qualified for the recent 5th GSE auction. It will use co-generation to meet its own power needs and will source the water required for the AD process using a minimal amount of the abundant water present in the subsoil near the plant.
Contracts are already in place with local farmers to offtake animal waste for the feedstock required, primarily dairy and buffalo manure, although CycleØ remains interested in signing further feedstock agreements with farmers to keep the plant operating at optimal level.
Plans for the plant have been presented to both the Municipal Council and the Mayor Eligio Tombolillo of Pontinia, who have expressed their support for the project. Plant construction activities are now underway, generating ongoing local employment and business opportunities, with completion due by summer 2026.
This is the first of several plants that CycleØ intends to build, own and operate in Italy, where it is currently working on an active pipeline of potential M&A or greenfield plant opportunities. This Italian investment strategy recognises the favorable conditions in place in the country for the construction of biogas plants.
Speaking about the plant, Jaume Suriol, Operations Director for CycleØ, said, “We are delighted to announce this first step for CycleØ in Italy, an interesting market with great potential for the successful production of biogas for upgrading to biomethane."
Commenting on the announcement, CEO Laurence Molke added, “As the only developer, owner and operator of biogas plans in the Lazio region, we are pleased to confirm our investment and to bring our experience to support Italian gas decarbonization.”
