BTS and Eiffel Investment Group Unveil New Biomethane Plant in Northern Italy with a 4,500-Ton CO₂ saving goal

Affi (VE), May 16 – The Chiesone biomethane plant in Gazzo Veronese, in Veneto Region, was officially inaugurated today. The facility stands as a prime example of collaboration among European companies dedicated to the ecological transition. Originally built in 2012 for biogas production, the plant has been recently upgraded through a strategic partnership between BTS, a world leader in anaerobic digestion technology, and Eiffel Investment Group, a French asset manager with a strong expertise in the energy transition sector. The newly reconfigured plant began operations in December 2024, with partial funding from Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) under the biomethane decree of September 15, 2022.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by Franco Lusuriello, CEO of BTS Biogas; Angelo Baronchelli, Chairman of AB; Stefano Negrini, Mayor of Gazzo Veronese; Cristian Curlisi, Director of the Italian Biogas Consortium; Giacomo Beltrame, vice-President of Coldiretti Verona.

"I am proud to inaugurate this facility alongside our partners and esteemed institutional representatives," said Franco Lusuriello, CEO of BTS. "This marks our first fully owned plant after over 25 years in the biogas and biomethane sector, both in Italy and abroad. Investing in Italy sends a strong signal of our confidence in the country where our company was founded, and we remain committed to supporting its ecological transition."

Deputy Minister for the Environment Vanna Gavia also expressed her support in a video message: "This plant is not just a technological and industrial achievement; it symbolizes the ecological transition and serves as a prime example of innovation, sustainability, and successful public-private collaboration. Together, we can create environmental, economic, and social benefits. Our role as the government is to ensure projects like this are not exceptions, but the standard."

Also attending were MP Paola Boscaini, Veneto Regional Councilor, the Councillor for the Province of Verona with responsibility for the Environment, Alberto Mazzurana and with a video message from MEP Flavio Tosi and an audio call-in from Veneto Regional Councillor and member of the Agriculture Committee, Alberto Bozza

The Chiesone plant is part of a portfolio of facilities owned by the Green One platform, the joint venture between BTS DevCo, BTS’s subsidiary dedicated to biomethane plant development and operation in Italy, and Eiffel Gaz Vert, the green molecule focused investment fund managed by Eiffel Investment group. 

The Chiesone plant currently produces approximately 250 Sm³/h, or 2,125,000 Sm³ annually, enough to power over 1,500 households. The plant is expected to save 4,500 tons of CO₂ each year—equivalent to planting about 150,000 trees—and produces over 30,400 tons of organic fertilizer annually. *

“Biogas is a cornerstone of the energy transition in Europe, and we strongly believe in its potential to decarbonize industry, enhance energy sovereignty across regions, and valorize local agricultural resources. With this new facility in Gazzo Veronese, we are proud to strengthen our footprint in Italy—a key geography in our development strategy. This project perfectly reflects our ambition: to support, alongside our partners, sustainable infrastructures with strong environmental and territorial impact,” said Pierre-Antoine Machelon, Head of Energy Transition Infrastructure at Eiffel Investment Group, and Marc-Etienne Mercadier, fund manager of Eiffel Gaz Vert fund.

"This high-tech plant serves a dual purpose: it ensures environmentally sustainable operations while also providing a positive impact on the agricultural economy, which is currently under pressure," said Stefano Negrini, Mayor of Gazzo Veronese.

“Taking part in the inaugurations of biomethane plants renews our enthusiasm for working in the field to support the supply chain and confirms that the agricultural sector can play a key role in the ecological transition. Società Agricola Chiesone has successfully seized the opportunities offered by the NRRP and will be able to generate added value for the local area through renewable production, sustainably enhancing local resources,” said Christian Curlisi, Director of CIB – Italian Biogas Consortium. It is now essential to work towards the completion of all projects approved under the competitive procedures of the Biomethane Decree, ensuring prompt responses also for those still awaiting confirmation of refinancing, which is necessary to activate the capital grant. A swift response from Brussels is needed to meet NRRP deadlines and provide certainty to the companies that have invested. In this journey, the role of local territories is crucial – we hope they will increasingly promote measures that accelerate administrative processes. On this front, CIB and CIB Service will continue to support companies throughout this process,” concluded Director Curlisi.

Eiffel Gaz Vert is a specialized professional fund strictly reserved for institutional investors.

*Internal company sources