Every year, millions of tons of municipal waste in Italy generate biogas as they decompose. According to national data, Italy operates several hundred landfill sites, a significant share of which still produce biogas that is not fully recovered or utilized.
Traditionally, this gas has been flared or used to produce electricity with limited efficiency. Waga Energy’s WAGABOX® technology transforms this challenge into an opportunity by upgrading landfill gas into grid-quality RNG - a renewable substitute for fossil natural gas. Thanks to a unique combination of two purification technologies, WAGABOX® units produce RNG that is 100% suitable for injection into the natural gas grid, enabling direct substitution of fossil gas and immediate reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. This approach is consistent with Italy’s broader objective of increasing domestic renewable gas production and reducing reliance on imported natural gas.
Technical performance and adaptability
Landfill gas composition can fluctuate greatly depending on waste type, landfill age, and operating conditions. WAGABOX® technology is designed to adapt seamlessly to these variations. Its robust engineering ensures stable performance and continuous operation even when gas quality and flow rate change, guaranteeing reliable RNG production over time.
In Italy, landfill sites show significant variability due to regional differences and historical waste management practices. As a result, landfill gas composition can vary considerably depending on waste type, site age, and operating conditions.
WAGABOX® units are designed to handle these variations over time. Their configuration enables continuous operation despite fluctuations in gas quality and flow rates, ensuring stable and consistent biomethane production.
Environmental Impact
By efficiently capturing and upgrading landfill gas, WAGABOX® solution minimizes fugitive methane emissions — one of the most potent greenhouse gases. Injected RNG can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90% compared to fossil gas, while use as bio-CNG in transport can lower CO₂ emissions by up to 90%, fine particles by 95%, and NOx by 50% compared to diesel or gasoline.
This makes WAGABOX® technology a cornerstone solution for municipalities and landfill operators seeking to contribute to Italy’s climate goals and circular economy targets.
The transport sector in Italy accounts for a substantial share of total greenhouse gas emissions, making its decarbonization a key priority. Biomethane is recognized in national policy frameworks, including the Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC), as an effective lever to support this transition.
In this context, capturing and upgrading landfill gas contributes to reducing methane emissions, a greenhouse gas with a high global warming potential. The resulting biomethane can lower greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90% compared to fossil natural gas. When used as bio-CNG in transport, it also enables significant reductions in CO₂, particulate matter, and nitrogen oxide emissions compared to conventional fuels.
CSAI landfill site in Terranuova Bracciolini (Italy), where a WAGABOX® unit is being developed
Economic and regulatory considerations
Beyond its environmental benefits, WAGABOX® technology brings a clear economic advantage. By combining superior energy recovery with exceptional operational reliability, the technology maximizes biomethane output and revenue from landfill sites - outperforming other biogas valorization solutions currently available on the market.
For Italian landfill operators, this means turning an underused resource into a profitable, sustainable energy stream, while supporting the country’s ambition to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 (according to Italian government).
Engaging Local Stakeholders in Sustainable Development
Collaboration with local stakeholders is fundamental, as each project is developed through dialogue with landfill operators, public authorities, regulators, consultants, and local suppliers.
Waga Energy fully finances, builds, and operates its units over the long term, removing upfront investment burdens for local partners.
This shared approach improves the environmental performance of landfill sites by reducing diffuse emissions and odor impacts, while enhancing safety and site quality.
Together, we turn an environmental challenge into tangible benefits for local communities, supporting the country’s ecological transition.
Driving the Future of Renewable Gas in Italy
Waga Energy has been expanding its activities in Italy in recent years. The company has been established in the country since 2022, with headquarters in Milan.
In October 2024, Waga energy signed a contract with Centro Servizi Ambiente Impianti (CSAI), a subsidiary of the Iren Group, to develop a biomethane production unit at a post-operational landfill in Terranuova Bracciolini (Tuscany). The unit is designed to produce up to 29 GWh anually, corresponding to an estimated avoidance of approximately 5,900 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per year.
A second contract was signed in April 2025 with Scapigliato S.r.l., which manages waste for the municipality of Rosignano Marittimo (Tuscany). This unit is expected to have an installed capacity of around 92 GWh per year and an estimated avoidance of approximately 15,500 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent annually.
Together, these two projects represent a total installed capacity of approximately 120 GWh per year. The biomethane produced will be injected into the Italian gas transmission network and sold under private off-take agreements (BPAs).
At a glance
An untapped energy resource
In Italy, landfill gas remains underutilized despite its potential to reduce methane emissions and produce renewable energy locally.
A solution adapted to Italian landfill conditions
WAGABOX® technology is designed to handle the variability of landfill gas typical of Italian sites, ensuring reliable biomethane production compatible with the national gas grid.
Supporting Italy’s renewable gas development
Initial projects in Tuscany illustrate the role of landfill-based biomethane in complementing Italy’s agricultural sector and expanding renewable gas production across the country.
Contact our experts
