The FY24 CLIMR Lab Call is the largest amount of funding yet and represents coordinated investments from the largest set of DOE program offices.

Announced in November 2023, the FY24 TCF Base CLIMR lab call invited proposals from National Laboratories to advance energy technologies and strengthen existing practices.

The TCF was established by Congress through the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and reauthorized by the Energy Act of 2020 to promote promising energy technologies. The selected projects will simplify commercialization processes, accelerate the development of existing promising technologies, and kickstart the development of new energy solutions.

OTT coordinates the TCF and strengthens DOE’s commercialization partnerships. OTT collaborated with fourteen DOE program offices for the FY2024 CLIMR lab call, including the Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO).

BETO-funded CLIMR projects included:

• Decarbonizing and improving the profitability of organic waste treatment through an innovative process and value chain with lead laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory;
• Integrated processing and hydrothermal pretreatment of corn stover into a second-generation ethanol facility with lead laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory (INL), and partner laboratory, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

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This new operation marks Qualitas Energy’s reentry into the Spanish market and represents its first venture into renewable natural gas (RNG) investment within the country.

A 1 TWh per annum RNG project pipeline

At EUR 2.4 billion, Qualitas Energy Fund V stands as the largest private equity fund in Spain and one of the most significant in renewable energy across Europe.

The initial projects have already entered preliminary approval stages and are anticipated to become operational between 2027 and 2028.

Collectively, these projects are set to deliver a production volume of approximately 1 TWh per year, equivalent to the average annual natural gas consumption of over 120,000 households, significantly reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions.

Álvaro Pérez has been appointed as Director of Renewable Gases to lead this new business venture.

With over 15 years of industry experience, he brings valuable expertise to the company and will be backed by a team of seasoned professionals with deep expertise in the development, design, and construction of renewable energy assets.

Complement UK RNG project portfolio

In 2022, Qualitas Energy acquired a controlling stake in Acorn Bioenergy, a British company specializing in the production of RNG and biogenic CO₂ through the upgrading of biogas generated in anaerobic digestion (AD) facilities.

Currently, Acorn Bioenergy has a portfolio of 14 AD projects, with construction already underway for two of them.

Once fully commissioned Acorn Bioenergy is expected to become a leading RNG and green-CO₂ platform in the UK.

Qualitas Energy is also exploring investment opportunities in RNG across other regions where it has business operations.

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The significant mandate the value of which has not been disclosed bolsters BioticNRG’s ability to build value, create a highly sustainable bioenergy platform, and deploy its decarbonization credentials across hard-to-access sectors such as transport, waste, energy, and agriculture.

Concurrently, Palisade Real Assets has announced that on June 1, 2024, it signed the parallel acquisitions of AD Aggregator Platform Ltd (ADAP) and Material Change Ltd (MCL).

These acquisitions build on the establishment of BioticNRG over the past two years and expand its footprint in the organics and bioenergy sector in the UK.

Investing in biogas and biomethane offers a promising solution to mitigate climate change, reduce waste, and provide renewable energy solutions while contributing to carbon-negative practices. We have been working with the Palisade Real Assets team to establish BioticNRG and ensure it fits ABP’s commitment to the energy transition while securing attractive returns for its participants. Their subsequent acquisition of ADAP and MCL brings the expertise and commitment that will underpin our long-term vision for sustainability. We look forward to the further growth of the BioticNRG platform, said Iulia Grosu, APG’s Senior Portfolio Manager Infrastructure.

Six AD plants

ADAP is a bioenergy platform located in the east UK and consists of six operating anaerobic digestion (AD) plants and a composting business.

The AD assets have strong operating track records and includes four gas-to-grid biomethane plants and two combined heat and power (CHP) plants.

MCL is a UK-based AD and composting operator and developer with certified sustainability and ESG credentials.

MCL has been operating since 2003 and currently manages five of the ADAP AD plants and the ADAP composting business.

The MCL acquisition brings a wealth of in-house operational capability across the bioenergy supply chain to the BioticNRG platform.

This will help Palisade Real Assets build, grow, and run AD assets and adjacent infrastructure while meeting the highest sustainable investment standards.

We are thrilled to have closed the APG mandate and signed these milestone transactions which brings together infrastructure asset ownership and strong operational capability within the same organization. The MCL team, led by CEO Ed Bastow, are industry veterans with exceptional experience in development, operation, and supply chain management. Their expertise is key to delivering the growth ambitions for the ADAP assets and the BioticNRG platform, which play an important role in renewable energy generation in the UK, said Stephen Burns, CEO of Palisade Real Assets.

BioticNRG was advised by Stifel Nicolaus Europe Ltd (financial advisory), White & Case (legal), A&M (tax and financial) and Marsh (insurance).

We are looking forward to joining BioticNRG and delivering the PRA vision for BioticNRG and APG. We have exciting times ahead with a pipeline of opportunities and the support of our new partners which will allow us to innovate and optimize for long-term growth, said Ed Bastow, CEO of Material Change.

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Investments are crucial to fully unlock biomethane production potential and streamline the development of new plants across Europe.

The 2^nd edition of the EBA Biomethane Investments Outlook forecasts some EUR 2.1 billion extra investment in the pipeline but that is yet to be allocated.

According to EBA’s Outlook, the projected investments by 2030 will result in the installation of 950 new biomethane plants across Europe, alongside the 1,300 facilities already operational.

This will add 6.3 billion cubic meters (bcm) of biomethane capacity annually to the continent, which could contribute to avoiding nearly 29 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions each year, providing renewable energy to 5 million European households year-round, and producing 830,000 tonnes of biofertiliser annually.

According to the report, investments will be mostly located in Denmark (EUR 3.6 billion), Poland (EUR 3.4 billion) and Italy (EUR 2.4 billion).

In the case of Denmark, the share of biomethane in the gas grid is close to 40 percent and there are plans to increase this production to substitute 100 percent of the gas demand before 2030.

Policy alignment will direct capital

EBA stresses that aligning the EU Taxonomy with the REPowerEU objectives for biomethane will direct capital towards the sector.

The EU Taxonomy plays a “crucial role in incentivizing green investments, although challenges in implementing screening criteria persist. To secure the announced investments, it is essential to implement aligned policies, maintain stable regulatory frameworks, and facilitate long-term end-use of biomethane and its co-products.”

EBA will present the key outcomes of this analysis on July 5, 2024, at a webinar “Biomethane scale-up in figures: Mapping new plants and investments across Europe”, which will also unveil the new edition of the European Biomethane Map.

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That adds up to a job multiplication factor of 12. For comparison’s sake, the job multiplication factor for the sector that includes solar photovoltaics (PV) is 6.50 and the multiplier for the sector that includes wind turbines is 3.73.

Providing new impetus for President Biden’s National Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative launched in June 2023, the report illustrated state-by-state gains linked to the transformation of renewable biomass into new products.

And most importantly for policymakers, the report explains why, “A considerable competitive and policy advantage of these industrial bioeconomy jobs is their tie to U.S. soil, both literally and figuratively—these jobs are here and stay in the U.S.”

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The agreement with Frontier and their prominent member companies shows that Stockholm Exergi’s BECCS project is both effective and sustainable. With forerunners like Frontier, we can jump-start the industry for permanent negative emissions and drive ambitions by gathering private and public funding. The climate is the main winner when, in this way, we contribute to getting society on the right track to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. The agreement with Frontier is an important milestone on the way to our final investment decision, said Anders Egelrud, CEO of Stockholm Exergi.

Advance market commitment

Frontier is an “advance market commitment” (AMC) that aims to accelerate the development of carbon removal technologies by aggregating and guaranteeing future demand for carbon removals.

Frontier’s goal is to build a portfolio of companies working on carbon capture that together can reach a climate-relevant scale in the coming decades. Frontier is a market commitment that effectively pre-guarantees future demand to reduce the risk of entrepreneurs starting carbon capture businesses.

Carbon sequestration is essential to balance the remaining residual emissions when our goal of reducing emissions by at least 90 percent has been achieved. That is the only way we will be able to achieve and maintain net zero emissions. We were the first European company to become members of Frontier and working with Frontier allows us to develop a diversified portfolio of technicians and suppliers. This latest purchase of carbon capture from Stockholm Exergi and other purchases we have made recently can catalyze similar installations at other existing bioenergy plants, creating an opportunity to scale up carbon capture in a responsible way, said David Dahl, Head of Climate and Nature at H&M Group, a Frontier member company.

Stockholm Exergi’s goal is to make a final investment decision (FID for its full-scale bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) plant later in 2024.

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The green loan is used to finance Gasum’s strategic investments into increasing biogas production both by expanding biogas production at existing plants as well as construction of new large-scale plants.

The green loans are administered under Gasum’s Green Finance Framework, where biogas-related assets have a top rating of Dark Green from independent ratings issuer Shades of Green.

The green loan will be exclusively used for assets related to biogas production and distribution.

Sustainability embedded into strategy

The margin of the sustainability-linked revolving loan facility is tied to Gasum’s own sustainability goals related to renewable gas volumes, sustainable biogas production, and safety.

These newly negotiated financing facilities demonstrate Gasum’s commitment to sustainability. The green energy transition is embedded into our business strategy, and this long-term financing is vital to our ability to make the necessary investments that enable us to deliver more and more renewable energy to our customers, said Kai Laitinen, Gasum’s Chief Financial Officer.

Gasum’s strategic goal is to bring seven terawatt hours (7 TWh) of renewable natural gas (RNG) yearly to the Nordic market by 2027.

This is four times more than today and would mean a combined annual carbon dioxide (CO₂) reduction of 1.8 million tonnes for Gasum’s customers.

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Aromatics are essential for producing everyday products like insulating foams, coatings, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, batteries, and pharmaceuticals, and will now have a sustainable alternative to fossil-based
sources, presenting a major opportunity for circular business models.

Scale-up technology

As a leading technology developer since 2012, Groningen-based BioBTX aims to scale up its revolutionary technology at the PETRA Circular Chemicals Plant in Delfzijl, the Netherlands.

The PETRA plant will convert 20,000 tonnes of mixed plastic waste annually into renewable aromatics, replacing fossil resources and recycling low-value plastic waste into high-value chemicals.

Once production is proven, the company intends to roll out the technology to chemical industry customers worldwide.

New and existing investors

The €80 million investment round includes €42 million in equity from new shareholders Invest-NL, Infinity Recycling, and Covestro, alongside existing shareholders including Carduso Capital, NOM, and Groninger Groeifonds.

Additional funding comprises €15 million in debt financing from the Polestar Capital Circular Debt Fund and €4 million from the Province of Groningen, along with a €14 million grant from the Dutch Government via RVO, and other subsidies.

Invest-NL’s investment is partly backed by InvestEU, a European Commission program that supports initiatives aligned with EU policy priorities.

According to the company, securing such an amount with new partners mentioned above is impressive, given the current investment climate, and highlights the confidence in BioBTX’s innovative approach.

We are extremely proud to welcome this unique consortium of investors and finance providers. A milestone like this is only achieved when parties come together to contribute to a greater goal. This funding is a crucial step in creating a sustainable pathway for the chemical industry – and we are excited to take the lead from Groningen, said Ton Vries, CEO of BioBTX.

The post BioBTX secures funding for first commercial-scale renewable aromatics plant appeared first on Bioenergy International.

The City of Irbid is a significant hub of agriculture and economic activity but lacks sustainable water solutions. The investment will help the Water Authority of Jordan (WAJ) to treat collected wastewater for irrigation and promote sustainable water management in the region.

We are delighted to promote the sustainability of Jordan’s municipal sector in partnership with the EU and the UK government. We are committed to providing support for improved sanitation services to the local and refugee populations in Jordan and, more importantly, helping to alleviate the challenges of water resources and scarcity in the country. We extend our appreciation to Minister Toukan for the excellent partnership, said Heike Harmgart, EBRD Managing Director of the southern and eastern Mediterranean region.

Over €27 million in funding

Totaling €27.1 million, the financing package consists of an EBRD loan of up to €17.1 million, along with an investment grant of €7.2 million from the UK Government under the High-Impact Partnership on Climate Action (HIPCA) and a €2.75 million investment grant from the European Union under its Neighbourhood Investment Platform.

The financing will contribute to the construction of a new and efficient wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in the area of West Irbid to complement the wastewater networks financed by the EBRD in 2018.

Once completed, the new facility will have the capacity to treat 12,000 cubic metres per day (m3/d), thereby enhancing the quality and treatment of wastewater in the West Irbid region.

It will provide sanitation services to surrounding towns for the first time and serve both local communities and refugees who have settled in the area.

The funds will be accompanied by a comprehensive technical cooperation package by the EBRD to support project preparation and implementation.

A further technical cooperation program will be provided to assist the WAJ in introducing inclusive procurement practices, fostering capacity-building, and providing on-the-job training opportunities for underserved groups, including youth, women, and people with disabilities.

The West Irbid wastewater treatment plant, which will be implemented over a period of four years in terms of construction and operation, complements the existing project (West Irbid Wastewater Network)   aiming to provide wastewater services for 17 villages in West Irbid, reaching approximately 200,000 people by 2045. The new treatment plant has a total capacity of 12,000 cubic meters/day and the treated wastewater will be reused in irrigating surrounding agricultural land, said Jordan’s Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Zeina Toukan.

The HIPCA was launched by the EBRD and partner governments in 2021, supported by Austria, Canada, Finland, South Korea, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Spain, Taiwan ICDF, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.

Since 2012, the EBRD has invested more than €2 billion in Jordan through 72 projects.

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The EBRD and the Government of Ukraine will work together to define priority focus areas in the energy sector, and the outcome will guide EBRD support.

The Bank, which has made more than EUR 4 billion of financing available to Ukraine since Russia embarked on its full-scale war there in February 2022, has reworked its investment plans for this year to address the urgent energy needs arising from the recent attacks.

Distributed energy generation development, including from renewable sources, and the resilience of the power transmission system are key priorities in the EBRD’s engagement with energy sector clients.

Energy security is one of the EBRD’s five investment priorities in Ukraine, along with vital infrastructure, food security, trade, and support for the private sector.

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