Energy

Reducing UK emissions by investing in a leading UK biogas platform

Macquarie Capital invested in Adapt Biogas, a leading UK green gas production platform. Adapt Biogas are developing and operating Anaerobic Digestion (AD) plants in East Anglia and the South West of England, thereby supporting the UK government’s drive for low carbon heating.

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Sector Energy
Sub-sector Renewables
Location United Kingdom 

Opportunity

Since 2012, Adapt Biogas has pioneered the use of agricultural waste at scale within the UK energy sector through anaerobic digestion (AD), where waste is broken down by naturally occurring micro-organisms into biogas1.

AD plants produce biogas that can be used in a number of beneficial ways. Raw biogas can be used to generate heat and electricity. By removing carbon dioxide and impurities from the biogas it is upgraded to biomethane which can be injected into the national gas grid. Alternatively, biomethane can be used as a transport fuel2.

In its 2019 report, Biomethane: The Pathway to 2030, the UK’s Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association, established that the AD industry could cut annual UK greenhouse gas emissions by 6% by 20303


Approach

Macquarie Capital acquired Adapt Biogas in 2019, with the goal of building a platform of multiple AD plants that could share best practices and drive cost efficiencies.

Investment from Macquarie Capital has been used to expand existing operations in Cambridgeshire and invest in a greenfield AD development in the South West of England. 

Outcome

In May 2021, Macquarie Capital expanded its Adapt Biogas portfolio and acquired a majority stake in Evercreech Renewable Energy Ltd – a UK greenfield AD development that is currently under construction in Somerset and is expected to begin injecting green gas into the UK’s national gas network in 2022. 

The Evercreech plant will support the nearby residential population, as well as more than 400 local dairy, brewing and baking manufacturers with a less carbon-intensive waste disposal service. Once fully operational, the plant is expected to save 95,000 tonnes of food waste from landfill each year - the equivalent to food waste produced by over 400,000 homes in the UK annually.

This investment comes amid growing demand for biomethane as an increasingly important part of the UK’s energy mix - providing much needed growth capital to a sector known for its operational and supply chain complexity.

Potential reduction of UK greenhouse gas emissions by 6% by 2030 1

through the UK anaerobic digestion and biogas industry

95,000 tonnes of food waste expected to be saved from landfill1

each year by the Evercreech plant 

The team at Adapt Biogas has made great progress since our initial acquisition in 2019, deploying our capital to scale this green energy source whilst leveraging our expertise across energy and infrastructure. The technology could make a significant contribution to the UK’s energy transition, and we look forward to continuing to support growth in the sector, expanding through new partnerships to achieve our goal.”

Patrick Ottersbach, Managing Director at Macquarie Capital Principal Finance