Methaplanet Secured €6 Million for Biogas Tech
The startup will expand its agricultural waste-to-energy operations to help meet EU biomethane production targets.
Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Energy
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Methaplanet has secured €6 million in funding led by Dutch pension fund ABP, with participation from EIT InnoEnergy. The company produces energy-dense pellets from agricultural residues designed to boost output at existing biogas facilities.
Why it matters
By increasing the efficiency of organic feedstock digestion, this technology addresses a critical bottleneck in scaling renewable gas. The funding accelerates development as the EU works to hit an annual biomethane production goal of 35 billion cubic metres by 2030.
The process uses pre-treatment to break down complex molecular structures in agricultural residues, such as straw-based manure, to create energy-dense pellets. These pellets enhance feedstock digestibility, allowing biogas plants to increase output without expanding physical facility footprints.
The players
Methaplanet
A biogas technology company operating facilities in the Netherlands, France, and Spain that specializes in converting agricultural residues into energy-dense pellets.
ABP
A Dutch pension fund that manages retirement assets and serves as the lead investor in this funding round.
EIT InnoEnergy
An innovation engine supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology that invests in and accelerates sustainable energy startups.
The details
Methaplanet optimizes energy production by converting tough agricultural materials into a more reactive form for anaerobic digesters—tanks where bacteria break down organic matter to produce gas. By improving the digestibility of feedstock, the process maximizes the methane yield per ton of material. The company currently maintains a production facility in France and a demonstration plant in Spain to validate these yields.
Timeline
2030: The deadline for the EU to reach its annual biomethane production target of 35 billion cubic metres.
The Tech Race
This development aligns with the EU's 2030 biomethane production target of 35 billion cubic metres, marking a move toward intensifying existing infrastructure output rather than building new facilities. The effort follows the trajectory of increasing agricultural circularity as a core pillar of European renewable energy policy.
The technology aims to increase the efficiency of biogas plants, potentially lowering the costs associated with organic waste management and renewable gas generation. Implementation will begin with the expansion of existing Dutch facilities, with broader industrial adoption contingent on further technical scaling.
The takeaway
This funding signals a shift toward maximizing existing anaerobic digestion infrastructure through chemical pre-treatment methods. Stakeholders should track the company’s output metrics at its French and Spanish sites as a proxy for the scalability of these pelletized feedstocks.
Further reading
For more on the technologies shaping the transition, visit Energy.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Gasworld.
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