ICF finances with 3M€ the biogas plant of Alcarràs Bioproductors driven by 150 livestock families
29 October 2024The Minister of Economy and Finance, Alícia Romero, affirms that this is a “strategic” project for the territory in terms of environmental sustainability, “and that it improves the economic profitability of the primary sector and contributes to diversify its activity”. The project will transform 70,000 tons per year of livestock manure into energy for the electricity grid and the farmers' farms, improving their management and guaranteeing the continuity of the primary sector in the municipality.
The Catalan Institute of Finance (ICF) has granted a loan of 3 million euros to Alcarràs Bioproductors, the society that groups 150 livestock farming families of the municipality in the Segrià region, to finance the construction of a biogas plant. The project aims to be a real revolution in the local economy and ecosystem, as it will convert 70,000 tons per year of by-products generated by livestock into energy that will feed both the electricity grid and the family farms themselves.
The Minister of Economy and Finance of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Alícia Romero, today visited the facilities of the new plant, a project that she considered “strategic” for the territory, “not only in terms of environmental sustainability, but also because it improves the economic profitability of the primary sector and contributes to diversify its activity”. The Alcarràs biogas plant is one of the projects developed within the framework of the Shared Agenda of Lleida, Pyrenees and Aran, with the support of BIOHUB CAT, the hub of the circular bioeconomy of Catalonia.
For his part, Jordi Jové, representative of Alcarràs Bioproductors, said that ICF financing has been “key” to being able to move forward with the biogas plant project. “They offer us long loan repayment terms, which conventional banks do not grant, and more favourable conditions with guarantees. It is very important for plants like ours to have the capacity to be promoted and managed by the farmers themselves,” he added.
The loan from the ICF is part of the ICF EcoGreen line, which aims to finance self-employed individuals, companies and public or private entities with registered or operational headquarters in Catalonia to carry out sustainable and environmentally friendly investments or working capital needs that promote green economy projects, circular economy and energy efficiency.
Continuity of livestock farms
Alcarràs is one of the towns in Catalonia with the highest livestock farming activity, which creates a challenge when it comes to managing the high amount of slurry and manure derived from the sector. The Sociedad de Transformación Agraria Alcarràs Bioproductors was created with the aim of improving the treatment of these surpluses and, thus, guaranteeing the continuity of the municipality's livestock farms, as a result of the association of 150 families dedicated to pig and cattle farming, grouping together 160 farms.
Their first step was to acquire an 18-hectare farm in 2008 to be used solely for projects to treat livestock manure from their own farms. In 2021, they started up their composting plant, where they transform livestock manure, slurry and vegetable waste into high quality organic compost.
With the new biogas plant, the farmers of Alcarràs Bioproductors consolidate their pioneering project of collaborative circular economy.
After the visit to the plant, the councillor also participated in the closing of the XXVI Technical Conference of Beef Cattle of Alcarràs.