CIP invests in Via Verde having 20 biomethane projects in Italy

Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), through its Advanced Bioenergy Fund II (ABF II), has reached final investment decision (FID) on Via Verde, an Italian biomethane platform. ABF II invests primarily in the development, construction, and operation of biogas plants across Europe, converting agricultural waste and other sustainable feedstock into biomethane.

Via Verde represents ABF II’s first investment and marks CIP’s entry into the Italian biomethane market. The investment will create local jobs and supply domestically produced biomethane, which will replace imported fossil gas, supporting both Italy’s energy independence and decarbonisation efforts.

Via Verde comprises a development pipeline of 20 projects strategically located across multiple regions of Italy, including Lombardy, Abruzzo, and Campania. Each plant is expected to process approximately 60,000 to 100,000 tonnes of agricultural waste annually.

Once the 20 projects are fully operational, the Via Verde platform will deliver approximately 1 TWh of biomethane annually, equivalent to the annual gas consumption of around 60,000 Italian households.

Andreas F. Brandt, Partner at CIP, says of the new investment, “Via Verde marks our entry into one of Europe’s most attractive biomethane markets, giving us a strong foothold as Italy scales towards its 2030 biomethane targets. CIP will leverage its advanced bioenergy expertise to support Via Verde’s experienced local team and substantial project pipeline, laying a strong foundation for long-term growth. We believe biomethane will play a key role in strengthening Italy’s energy independence and supporting its transition to a lower-carbon energy system.”

Supported by favourable market fundamentals and policy support mechanisms, Via Verde is expected to establish an early at-scale position in the Italian biomethane market and support the expansion of domestic renewable gas production.

Copenhagen Infrastructure Advanced Bioenergy Fund II (CI ABF II) started fundraising in summer 2025. It leverages the seed portfolio and the in-house capabilities that CIP has built over the past four years for CI ABF I, providing a financially attractive product to our investors, both in terms of returns and diversified risks.

Italy currently has an operational biomethane production capacity of around 1.33 billion cubic metres (bcm) per year, with the number of operational plants estimated at 85–107, depending on the registry used and whether grid-connected facilities are included.