Following the recent acquisition of 80% of the Noguera Renovables project at the Torre Santamaría biomethane plant by Axpo Iberia and Sorigué, the Bioenergy Cluster of Catalonia has awarded this initiative the prize for the best biogas project in Catalonia, recognising its contribution as a practical and pioneering example of circular economy by converting all of its agri-food waste into biomethane, which is injected directly into the grid. 
 
During the celebration of the 1st Bioenergy Night, organised by the Bioenergy Cluster of Catalonia in the Auditorium of the CosmoCaixa Science Museum, the 2023 Bioenergy Awards were presented to companies, public and private entities and local bodies that have carried out remarkable actions in the use and promotion of bioenergy in Catalonia. 
The different candidatures submitted were eligible to win four possible awards: the Biomass Award, the Biogas Award, the Bioenergy Innovation Award, and the Lifetime Achievement Award. 
 
The prize for the best Biogas project was awarded to Torre Santamaria farm for its pioneering contribution to the circular economy and was collected by Ignacio Soneira, CEO of Axpo Iberia; Joan Pons, Director of Innovation at Sorigué; and Sebas Farré, representing Torre Santamaria. “Following the signing of the first long-term biomethane offtake agreement in Spain between Torre Santamaria farm and Axpo Iberia in 2020, the project began injecting biomethane into the gas grid in February 2022”, commented Ignacio Soneira upon receiving the award. “At that time, Axpo Iberia made a pioneering project possible in Spain by exclusively using livestock waste from the Torre Santamaría farm for the production of biomethane. The plant is currently injecting 26 gigawatt-hours (GWh) into the gas distribution network each year and, in collaboration with Sorigué, we have ambitious expansion plans with the goal of producing 115 GWh of gas per year”, he added. 

The event was closed by Jordi Serra, President of the Bioenergy Cluster of Catalonia, and Teresa Jordà, Minister of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda of the Generalitat de Catalunya. 
 
A pioneering circular economy project in full swing 
 
The Torre Santamaría farm is a practical and pioneering example of the circular economy, converting all of its agri-food waste into biomethane, which is injected directly into the grid. An estimated 17 million tonnes of slurry are generated in Catalonia alone. With the transformation of methane gas into biomethane, clean energy is obtained for direct consumption on farms or for injection into the gas grid, as in the case at Torre Santamaría. 
 
In addition to obtaining energy in the form of biomethane, a series of by-products in the form of organic and ecological fertilisers are obtained after the treatment of the organic remains discarded from the process, which in turn are reused as fertiliser for the same pastures that the cows will consume again.  
 
Following the acquisition of 80% of the shares of the company that owns the biomethane plant (Noguera Renovables) by Axpo Iberia and Sorigué (40% Axpo Iberia, 40% Sorigué, 20% TSM), this second phase is intended to give a major boost to the project and increase production to 115 GWh per year, a highly significant contribution to achieving the environmental, energy and climate objectives proposed by the European Union for 2030.