French investment manager Epopee Gestion and energy company Enervivo have launched a 10 million euro financing platform to support biomethane injection projects in France, with the initial funding primarily provided by Epopee Gestion, reported Bioenergy Insight.
Developed in partnership with project developer Urbeez, the platform aims to finance around 10 biomethane projects over the next three to four years. It will mainly focus on converting existing biogas cogeneration facilities into biomethane injection units, while also considering new projects.
The first investment has been earmarked for a facility at La Chapelle in Charente, which will have an annual production capacity of 25 GWh. The unit is expected to be commissioned in autumn 2027.
The platform will primarily target agricultural anaerobic digestion facilities with capacities ranging from 15 GWh to 40 GWh annually.
The initiative comes as France’s biomethane sector explores financing models beyond traditional feed-in tariffs. While some projects in Urbeez’s existing portfolio operate under feed-in tariff arrangements, the new platform will rely mainly on biogas production certificates. It may also use biogas purchase agreements, which are emerging as alternative market-based mechanisms for supporting project revenues.
Sylvie Perrin, partner at law firm De Gaulle Fleurance, which advised Epopee Gestion and Enervivo on the transaction, said the initiative marked a new phase in the development of France’s biomethane industry. She noted that converting existing facilities for grid injection could accelerate capacity deployment, while mechanisms such as biogas production certificates could create new opportunities for project financing.
By prioritising brownfield conversions, the platform aims to bring additional biomethane production capacity online by upgrading existing infrastructure rather than relying exclusively on the development of new facilities.
