The First Biomethane Purchase Agreement (BPA) in Europe
In Els Hostalets de Pierola, near Barcelona, Waga Energy, PreZero and Nedgia have brought online one of Europe's largest plants producing biomethane from landfill gas. Commissioned in 2023 at the Can Mata landfill, this WAGABOX® unit is backed by Waga Energy's first Biomethane Purchase Agreement (BPA) in Europe, showing how a diffuse source of emissions can be turned into bankable, local renewable energy injected straight into the gas grid.
Commissioned in June 2023, the Can Mata WAGABOX® is the first landfill-gas-to-biomethane plant in Spain.
Unlocking a Major Landfill Gas Resource in a Challenging Market
Can Mata is one of the largest landfills in Spain. Operated by PreZero some 40 km from Barcelona, it spans 68 hectares and has received more than 20 million tonnes of waste over the past two decades. As in any landfill, the breakdown of organic matter releases a methane-rich gas that must be captured and put to use to curb its climate impact.
Until then, that biogas was mostly burned to generate electricity and to fuel a nearby ceramics plant. But the site's energy potential called for a step change: producing a grid-quality renewable gas able to displace fossil natural gas and serve local consumers directly.
The challenge was twofold: converting a large flow of landfill gas into grid-ready biomethane, and doing so within a Spanish market still in the early stages of biomethane development. Can Mata had to prove that a large-scale project could be financed, certified and operated over the long term without relying solely on public subsidies.
The plant is located in Els Hostalets de Pierola, near Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain).
A WAGABOX® Unit Backed by an End-to-End Industrial Partnership
PreZero chose Waga Energy to produce biomethane from the landfill gas captured at Can Mata. Waga Energy deployed its WAGABOX® technology, which combines membrane filtration and cryogenic distillation to upgrade landfill gas into a biomethane that meets grid specifications.
The plant can process up to 2,200 Nm³ of raw gas per hour and produce up to 70 GWh of biomethane per year. The renewable gas is injected into the grid operated by Nedgia, a subsidiary of Naturgy, through a dedicated 6 km connection pipeline built as part of the project.
The project draws on an end-to-end value chain: PreZero provides the biogas resource and site know-how, Waga Energy finances, builds and operates the production unit, and Nedgia takes care of grid integration. The plant has also secured ISCC EU certification, confirming that it meets the sustainability and greenhouse-gas reduction criteria set out in the EU's RED II directive.
Can Mata also marks a milestone for Waga Energy's business model in Europe. The project was backed by Waga Energy's first Biomethane Purchase Agreement (BPA) in Europe: a long-term private offtake contract securing the sale of the biomethane produced by the plant. This agreement helped make the project bankable in a still-emerging Spanish biomethane market, and was complemented by a €2.4 million grant from the European Union under the Innovation Fund Small Scale call, which supports breakthrough technologies for cutting greenhouse-gas emissions.
With output of up to 70 GWh per year, the plant covers the equivalent annual gas consumption of 14,000 Spanish households.
A European Benchmark for Biomethane from Landfill Gas
Commissioned in June 2023 and officially inaugurated in October 2023, the Can Mata WAGABOX® is the first landfill-gas-to-biomethane plant in Spain. It stands among Waga Energy's flagship European projects and acts as a showcase for biomethane development across the Iberian Peninsula.
With output of up to 70 GWh per year, the plant covers the equivalent annual gas consumption of 14,000 Spanish households, or the fuel needed for 200 trucks or buses running on renewable gas. By replacing fossil natural gas with biomethane, it avoids around 18,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent every year.
The project has also strengthened biomethane integration into the Spanish gas grid. A reverse-flow station installed by Nedgia near Barcelona now absorbs the full output of the plant and extends the reach of renewable gas well beyond the local network it initially served.
Beyond its energy and climate performance, Can Mata shows how the Waga Energy model can be replicated: turning a by-product of waste management into local, certified renewable energy through a long-term partnership between a waste operator, a biomethane producer and a grid operator.
Key Facts
- Site: Can Mata landfill, Els Hostalets de Pierola, Catalonia
- Partners: PreZero, Waga Energy, Nedgia
- Technology: WAGABOX®
- Processing capacity: up to 2,200 Nm³/h of raw landfill gas
- Output: up to 70 GWh of biomethane per year
- Consumption equivalent: 14,000 Spanish households or 200 trucks/buses
- Climate impact: around 18,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent avoided per year
- Certification: ISCC EU
- Commercial framework: Waga Energy's first Biomethane Purchase Agreement (BPA) in Europe
- European support: €2.4 million through the Innovation Fund Small Scale
“ISCC certification guarantees that the RNG we produce is traceable and compliant with European biofuel regulations, which helps boost its value. This will enable us to increase the selling price of RNG produced by our first Spanish facility,”
Waga Energy And Ferrovial Servicios to Deliver Massive Landfill Gas-to-Biomethane Project In Spain
Waga Energy awarded an EU grant of €2.4 million to Deploy its Technology Worldwide
Waga Energy Awarded ISCC EU Certification for its Spanish RNG Production Facility
A project funded by the European Union’s Innovation Fund programme
*Disclaimer: the contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of Waga Energy and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Union.
At a glance
New RNG facility launched in Iowa
Waga Energy installs a 1000 scfm WAGABOX® unit at Scott Area Landfill, converting waste gas into renewable natural gas.
Strong environmental impact
The project produces over 205,000 MMBtu/year and avoids ~15,800 tons of CO₂ emissions annually, supporting regional decarbonization goals.
Circular economy in action
The project transforms 185,000 tons of yearly waste from 17 municipalities into clean, pipeline-quality energy, showcasing scalable waste-to-energy innovation.
