Energy

Ludoil issues 40 million Green Bond for biomethane: Engas plant in Dittaino

The issue, underwritten by Crédit Agricole Italia and UniCredit, is backed by SACE’s Archimede Guarantee. The plant in Enna will be able to produce over 5 million cubic metres of biomethane

by Nino Amadore

25 June 2026

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3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Key points

A plant with an annual capacity of 69,000 tonnes
The role of banks and Sace
Ludoil’s diversification

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

A €40 million green bond to finance the construction of a new biomethane plant in the Dittaino industrial estate, in the Enna area. The Ludoil Group is entering the sustainable finance markets with a seven-year bond issue, intended to finance the Engas project and fully underwritten by Crédit Agricole Italia and UniCredit.

The project, backed by SACE’s Archimede Guarantee, aims to support the construction of a new facility for the treatment of organic waste and the production of renewable energy. The project involves an integrated anaerobic digestion and composting plant, with an authorised capacity of over 5 million standard cubic metres of biomethane per year.

A plant with an annual capacity of 69,000 tonnes

The Engas plant will be built in the Dittaino industrial estate and will have an authorised treatment capacity of approximately 69,000 tonnes of material per year. Of this, 51,000 tonnes will consist of Forsu, the organic fraction from separate waste collection, whilst a further 18,000 tonnes will comprise the green waste fraction.

The biomethane produced will be fed into the national grid. The industrial model outlined by the group is based on the circular economy: organic waste is converted into an energy resource through a process that combines material treatment, anaerobic digestion and composting.

The initiative forms part of national and European policies designed to support the development of biomethane and benefits from the scheme set out in the Ministerial Decree of 15 September 2022 – the so-called Biomethane Decree – and subsequent amendments. The legislation aims to incentivise the construction of new plants fuelled by advanced organic feedstocks, thereby strengthening the contribution of renewable gas to decarbonisation and energy security objectives.

The role of banks and Sace

Crédit Agricole Italia and UniCredit acted as co-arrangers and underwriters of the Green Bond. Crédit Agricole Italia will also act as the paying agent for the transaction.

The financing is backed by SACE’s Archimede Guarantee, the scheme designed to support initiatives deemed strategic for the growth and competitiveness of the Italian manufacturing sector. The Green Bond has been structured in accordance with the ICMA Green Bond Principles, the international benchmark standards for bond issues intended for investments with proven environmental value.

The ESG framework for the transaction was developed by teams from Crédit Agricole Italia Banca d’Impresa and UniCredit. Switch Engineering, meanwhile, acted as an independent technical adviser, carrying out due diligence on the technical, environmental and industrial aspects of the project and drafting the Second Party Opinion.

Ludoil’s diversification

For the Ludoil Group, this issue represents a step forward in its industrial diversification and the development of an investment platform in renewable energy. Alongside its traditional activities, the group is focusing its projects on the biomethane, hydrogen and renewable energy sectors.

“With the issue of this Green Bond, the Ludoil Group is consolidating its position as Italy’s leading private multi-energy company,” said Donato Ammaturo, Chairman of the Ludoil Group. “The Engas project, together with the Raco and Gaia plants and our renewable generation portfolio, demonstrates the Group’s concrete commitment to the national energy transition.”

Ammaturo emphasises that the decision to invest in biomethane and renewable energy sources represents ‘structural diversification’ capable of addressing both decarbonisation targets and the issue of energy security. “We would like to express our gratitude to Crédit Agricole Italia and UniCredit for structuring this transaction in accordance with the highest standards of sustainable finance, and to Sace for recognising the strategic value of this infrastructure,” he added.

On the issuer’s side, the Green Bond was co-ordinated by the Finance and Legal departments of the Ludoil Group, led respectively by Raffaele Romano and Marco Russo Spena, with the assistance of Fabrizio Mancino, Matteo Ticli, Camilla Lentini and Martina Mangano. The ESG aspects were managed by Emanuele Bernava. In the transaction, Chiomenti acted as legal adviser to the two arranging banks, whilst Fivers assisted Ludoil in reviewing the contractual documentation. Glas acted as Calculation Agent.