CycleØ, the leading European developer, owner and operator of biogas plants, has acquired Spanish waste management facility Grupo Azón Ramón y Cajal S.L. (GARYC) in a strategic move to transform municipal waste into renewable natural gas (RNG). This acquisition, part of CycleØ’s €200 million expansion in Spanish renewable gas infrastructure, will enable the company to convert 121,000 tonnes of waste each year into biomethane, enough to supply the gas needs of approximately 4,000 Spanish homes.
GARYC’s Albarreal del Tajo facility in Toledo processes liquid and solid waste from Madrid and neighbouring areas. With its planned investment, CycleØ aims to achieve biogas output of 3.7 million nominal cubic meters (26 GWh) by 2027. The biogas will be upgraded to biomethane and injected into the Spanish grid through a virtual pipeline, helping to reduce emissions and advance Spain’s target of raising annual biomethane production to 10.4 TWh by 2030 under the Hoja de Ruta del Biogás (Spain’s 2030 Biogas Roadmap).
This acquisition is the first step for CycleØ in the production of biomethane from municipal waste, helping to further establish the company as a leading producer of renewable natural gas in Spain. Backed by Ara Partners, a global private equity and infrastructure investment firm dedicated to industrial decarbonization, CycleØ will draw on its experience operating three Spanish biogas plants and managing the first private grid injection point in Spain as it expands into producing RNG from waste, a further step towards its ambition to own and operate up to 30 biogas plants in Spain.
“CycleØ is one of very few developers that finance, build, own and operate biogas plants in Spain and across Europe.” said Laurence Molke, CycleØ CEO. “This acquisition enables us to expand our successful operation of agri-centric plants into industrial applications such as waste management”.
“Organic municipal waste is a critical environmental problem which generates significant amounts of greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants. Processing such waste and converting it to biomethane not only reduces emissions but also represents a valuable domestic source of clean energy,” said Christopher Picotte, Partner at Ara Partners. “This acquisition is further validation of the differentiating strategy of CycleØ and its capability across the entire biomethane value chain.”
CycleØ will retain all GARYC employees, ensuring continued expertise and seamless operation. Jordi Berengué, CycleØ managing director for Spain, added: “We are delighted to welcome the GARYC team. Their depth of expertise in waste valorization will help us realize further investment at the Toledo plant, extending capacity and emission reduction impact.”
Pedro Azón Ramón y Cajal, plant director, said: “This partnership enables us to expand the business my brother and I began in 2009 — securing jobs, creating new opportunities and ensuring GARYC’s legacy endures as we transform waste into valuable resources for Europe’s energy independence.”
