While adoption in Spain and Italy has been more gradual compared to other European markets, its growth potential is substantial. “Spain and Portugal are among the largest waste producers in Europe,” says Ceño, “which positions them as key markets for the development of this technology. Moreover, the current European regulatory framework is significantly accelerating its deployment.”
Beyond Europe, BBVA’s investment banking team sees strong potential in Latin America, especially in countries with a solid agricultural and livestock base such as Brazil and Argentina. The experience and progress achieved in Europe will serve as a blueprint for the global scale-up of biomethane, supporting a more inclusive and sustainable energy transition.
Leadership in financing and expert advisory
BBVA has taken a proactive approach to financing biomethane projects, with a strong emphasis on project finance as an effective model to mobilise sustainable investment. This approach allows financing to be based on the cash flows generated by the project itself, aligning stakeholder interests, distributing risk and enabling scalability.
“We have been pioneers in financing biomethane projects under project finance structures,” says Karla Ceño. “Thanks to this financial solution, we have participated in landmark transactions such as Ence’s project in La Galera (Spain), the financing of Verdalia, and the three plants closed with Total at the end of last year. One of the most notable examples in Europe this year was the structuring of our first biomethane financing in Italy alongside Suma Capital, which involved the conversion of seven biogas plants and has paved the way for the financing of additional portfolios in the country.”
“We have been pioneers in financing biomethane projects under project finance structures”
These transactions demonstrate BBVA CIB’s ability to structure advanced financial solutions tailored to each client’s needs. Its deep sector expertise, combined with a global outlook, enables the integration of various clean technologies into long-term strategies, supporting enterprises across all sectors in transforming their production models.
The push for biomethane is part of this broader strategy to support the energy transition. This technology falls under the “green molecules” vertical, one of the four strategic pillars of Cleantech, alongside energy storage, electric mobility and the CO₂ value chain, all of which BBVA promotes to accelerate the decarbonisation of the corporate sector.
With its ability to mobilise global investment, structure sustainable financing and provide expert advisory, BBVA reaffirms its commitment to innovation and sustainability. Its mission is to help companies transform their production models, making them more competitive, efficient and environmentally responsible. Biomethane is not only a bet on a proven technology, it is a tangible example of BBVA’s role as a strategic partner in the transition towards a decarbonised and circular economy.