Watson Farley & Williams (“WFW”) is currently advising Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (“CIP”), through its CI Advanced Bioenergy Fund I (“CI ABF I”), on its investment, from the initial phase of promotion and development, in two large industrial-scale biogas plants currently in Spain. The plants, for which land has been already secured, will be located at La Sentiu and Linyola, Catalonia.
The La Sentiu project is considered a ‘project of strategic importance’ by the Catalan government meaning they will prioritise the plant’s permit application. Together with Spanish developer Connect Bioenergy, CIP will develop both plants towards an expected Final Investment Decision in 2024. Danish biogas technology provider Lundsby Biogas A/S (“Lundsby”), will also help develop the La Sentiu project as minority shareholder.
Both biogas plants will use green sustainable organic waste including pig manure from local farms, slaughterhouse waste and other industrial organic waste. The biomethane produced by the plants will be injected into the existing natural gas grid which are expected to deliver total CO2 emissions savings of over 150,000 tons annually.
Established in 2012, CIP is a world leading investment management company specialising in energy infrastructure sector, including offshore and onshore wind, photovoltaic and biomass projects. Connect Bioenergy is a Spanish renewable natural gas project developer with a strong presence in Catalonia. Lundsby has over 25 years’ experience developing and building high-performance biogas plants.
The WFW Madrid Energy team advising CIP is led by Partners Javier Ester and David Diez, supported by Counsel Luis Gonzalez, Senior Associates Fernando Santos and Jacobo Hermidas, and Associates Daniel Schaub and Paula Pérez .
Javier commented: “Our involvement in this transaction highlights once again WFW’s standing as the ‘go-to’ law firm for complex, big scale renewables projects expertise in Spain”.
David added: “It is worth mentioning that this is one of the most advanced biogas projects currently under development in Spain”.
