Pension fund ABP and EIT InnoEnergy lead a €6 million investment fund for Methaplanet

By Team IO

Methaplanet International BV, an innovative scale-up focused on preparing and optimizing agricultural waste streams to enhance their utilization in biogas plants, has concluded a €6M investment round. The investment was led by pension fund ABP, with backing from EIT InnoEnergy and business angels.

Methaplanet aims to address challenges within the agricultural sector, reduce emissions, and actively participate in the energy transition. A biogas plant can ultimately produce more biogas within the same facility by optimizing the biogas yield from agricultural residual streams. “By incorporating energy pellets made from, for example, straw-based manures, we can significantly enhance biomethane production in mono-manure biogas plants”, the company says in a press release. “This will help farmers increase the profitability of their biogas plants while giving them an alternative source of sustainable income from manure.” Both options lead to increased biomethane production, contributing to the RePowerEU ambitions of achieving 35bcm of biomethane by 2030 (in 2022,  the biomethane production was only 3.4bcm). This ambitious target requires a significant increase in capacity and more efficient use of feedstock.

Pension funds as catalyst for NL deep tech and energy transition: ‘We can help close funding gap’

Recently, Effect Photonics announced it had raised 35 million euros in funding. The vast majority of that amount – twenty million – comes from pension … Continued

With ABP joining the shareholder team, alongside EIT InnoEnergy and angel investors, Methaplanet strengthens its position in making biogas production more efficient. ABP’s investment underscores their recognition of the potential of Methaplanet’s innovative approach, the company claims.

This capital injection will empower Methaplanet to embark on new initiatives, including establishing production facilities for its energy pellets. Additionally, the funding will accelerate research and development efforts, enabling Methaplanet to advance innovation and enhance its offerings.

Innovaton Industries raises €500 mln for deep-tech investments

Earlier this year, Innovation Industries also raised €100 million for another fund, the Strategic Partners Fund, which invests in scale-ups from its existing portfolio.

In addition to enhancing the efficiency of biogas plants, Methaplanet aims to further reduce CO2 emissions by limiting its own ecological footprint and operating with a sustainable supply chain. Martijn Olthof, investment manager at ABP’s Netherlands Energy Transition Fund, said that Methaplanet’s ability to convert agricultural waste streams into sustainable energy products will allow it to generate substantial positive environmental impact. “We are very excited to embark on this journey with the Methaplanet team and look forward to seeing financial returns and environmental impact go hand in hand.”

Jacob Ruiter, Member of the Executive Board at EIT InnoEnergy and CEO for the Benelux region, added that Methaplanet’s solution to turn typically low-value feedstock into highly efficient pellets for biogas production can contribute significantly to achieving the EU climate goals. “Therefore, we see a great fit with our broader investment portfolio that works toward the common goal of accelerating the energy transition.”