Weltec Biopower Builds Biomethane Plant with 60 GWh Annual Output in Spain

Vechta/Madrid – Weltec Biopower, together with environmental services provider PreZero and Enagás Renovable, began construction of a biomethane plant in Colmenar Viejo, north of Madrid, in August 2026. Once commissioned, the plant is to process up to 75,000 t of organic waste per year and produce up to 60 GWh of biomethane. According to the company, this is equivalent to the energy demand of around 11,700 households.

The project combines the energy use of municipal biowaste with the expansion of biomethane production in Spain. The country aims to raise biogas production to 20 TWh per year by 2030 and is currently preparing binding biomethane quotas for the gas market for the first time. At the same time, the EU requires the share of landfilled municipal waste to be reduced to a maximum of 10 percent by 2035.

The plant, developed by PreZero and Enagás Renovable, is to process, among other feedstocks, separately collected biowaste from Colmenar Viejo and surrounding municipalities. Weltec Biopower is supplying three stainless steel digesters, each with a volume of 5,067 m³. The biogas produced will be upgraded to biomethane and then fed continuously into the gas grid.

According to Weltec, around 60 percent of waste in the region is still being landfilled. Organic components account for roughly 40 percent of the weight of household waste. The new plant is intended to make greater use of these material streams for energy generation.

According to the company, the required urban planning and environmental permits for the project are already in place.

Source: IWR Online, 21 Sep 2026