CIP Takes FID on Finnish Industrial Biogas Plant

Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), through its CI Advanced Bioenergy Fund I (CI ABF I), on Wednesday said that it has taken final investment decision (FID) on what will be Finland’s largest industrial biogas plant Nivalan Biokaasu.

The investment in Nivalan Biokaasu is CI ABF I’s third investment, and the first outside of Denmark. CI ABF I is thus well on track to deliver on its expectations for capital deployment and greenfield development.

The plant received a significant CAPEX grant by the Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment in 2024 underpinning its national and regional importance.

With an estimated annual biomethane production of more than 200 GWh, Nivalan Biokaasu will be the largest biogas project in Finland, displacing up to 38,000 tons of fossil CO2 per year.

Development of the plant began in 2023 in close collaboration with a local developer, Wega, and local authorities.

Construction will start in late 2025, with operations expected to commence in the second half of 2027. When fully operational, Nivalan Biokaasu will process more than 600,000 tons of feedstock annually, converting agricultural and industrial organic waste into biomethane, which plays a crucial role in securing Finland’s energy independence and the green transition.

Thomas Dalsgaard, Partner at CIP, said that they were excited to enter the Finnish bioenergy market with its first investment in Nivalan Biokaasu.

“It represents a major milestone for our fund and investors and will make a significant contribution to energy security and the green energy transition, create local jobs and drive investments across the agricultural sector and surrounding rural communities. We look forward to starting construction and progressing the project in close collaboration with local farmers and authorities,” he said.

CIP in Vietnam

Meanwhile, CIP, through its Growth Market Fund II, and Vietnam National Industry – Energy Group (Petrovietnam) – have signed a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) last week to collaborate on the development of an offshore wind project in Vietnam’s south-central region valued $10.5 billion.

The project – in early development phase and subject to relevant regulatory approvals – is expected to be among Vietnam’s first offshore wind initiatives and represents a significant step in the country’s efforts to diversify its energy mix and accelerate its green transition toward a sustainable energy future.

The project is expected to unlock long-term economic value, contribute significantly to Vietnam’s energy security and lay the foundation for the development of a robust local supply chain. CIP is developing the project together with Copenhagen Offshore Partners, CIP’s exclusive offshore wind development partner.

About CIP

Founded in 2012, CIP is currently the world’s largest dedicated fund manager within greenfield energy investments. The funds managed by CIP focus on investments in offshore and onshore wind, storage, solar PV, biomass and energy-from-waste, transmission and distribution, reserve capacity, advanced bioenergy, and Power-to-X.

CIP manages 13 funds and has to date raised approximately $37.21 billion for investments in energy and associated infrastructure from approximately 180 international institutional investors. CIP has projects in more than 30 countries and more than 2300 employees across platforms.