Sustainability
Our commitment to Sustainability
For IAM Carbonzero, developing biomethane plants is not only a commitment to energy innovation, but also a firm commitment to Environmental, Social and Economic sustainability. From the outset, we have aligned ourselves with the European Union’s most demanding sustainability criteria, applying the principles of the EU Green Taxonomy and the SFDR Regulation (EU 2019/2088) for sustainable investment products.
Our projects are designed under the standards of SFDR Article 9, which means having explicit sustainability objectives. This classification recognises activities that not only contribute to climate change mitigation, but do so without causing significant harm to other environmental objectives such as biodiversity, the circular economy or pollution reduction.
avoided
treated
With more than 20 projects, we manage 2 million tonnes of waste treated per year, generating 1,100 GWh/year and avoiding 475,000 tCO2e/year. All of this is driven by an investment of more than €475 million in the latest available technologies and innovation.
Each of our plants:
Promotes the proper management of local organic waste, collecting it for treatment through anaerobic digestion (without oxygen), generating biomethane and natural fertilisers or biofertilisers.
Applies the technical criteria established by the European Commission to ensure climate change mitigation and adaptation, with climate risk assessments based on IPCC scenarios and under International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) standards.
Eliminates methane emissions and other substances resulting from anaerobic treatment through advanced safety systems and continuous detection sensors.
Uses Best Available Techniques (BAT) to prevent polluting emissions and ensure environmentally responsible operation.
Ensures traceability and responsible use of digestate, for agricultural use when it meets the requirements of Regulation (EU) 2019/1009.
What we do and how we do it
Our biomethane projects are a clear example of how technological innovation can serve sustainability. Through a comprehensive approach, we transform organic waste into renewable energy, biofertilisers and local economic development. This is our model of action:
Circular economy
We use organic waste, such as olive pomace and other agri-food by-products, to generate biomethane through anaerobic digestion. This process not only prevents the emission of greenhouse gases from their natural decomposition, but also turns waste into a valuable resource. The digestate produced is used as an organic soil amendment or agricultural biofertiliser, always under the quality and safety criteria established by European regulations.
Emissions reduction and the fight against climate change
The plants incorporate active measures to minimise any type of emissions and contingency plans. In addition, we analyse the GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions balance of each facility, with an estimate of the climate impact throughout its life cycle. This approach is aligned with IPCC climate scenarios, as required by the EU Taxonomy.
Rural development and territorial revitalisation
We work with farmers, cooperatives and local stakeholders to integrate our projects into the rural environment. This creates direct and indirect employment, boosts the local economy and promotes a just transition towards more sustainable production models. In addition, most of our projects are located in municipalities at risk of depopulation, thereby contributing to their revitalisation.
Technology and environmental efficiency
All our facilities are designed to comply with the Best Available Techniques (BAT) in terms of energy efficiency, emissions control and waste management. We incorporate smart solutions for environmental monitoring, digestate traceability and process optimisation.
Aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals - SDGs
Our work directly contributes to meeting several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) defined by the UN in the 2030 Agenda. Each biomethane plant is an opportunity to move towards a fairer, more resilient energy and economic model that is more respectful of the environment.
Our most relevant SDGs, to which we contribute directly:
Affordable and clean energy: We produce biomethane from organic waste, offering a renewable, local and sustainable energy source that can be injected into the existing gas grid or used in a distributed way (LNG, CNG, etc.)
Responsible production and consumption: Biomethane is the paradigm of the circular economy. We help manage agricultural and livestock waste and transform waste into resources, closing the production cycle by recovering digestate and reducing dependence on chemical fertilisers.
Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure. Biomethane plants are an essential vector for the development of rural areas, promoting sustainable production and facilitating innovation in rural communities and local businesses. This ensures long-term economic and social development with quality employment.
Decent work and economic growth. Biomethane plants create quality jobs directly and indirectly for more than 25 years, and we always prioritise local employment. In addition, taxes paid to local councils help improve citizens’ quality of life. Economic growth is decoupled from environmental degradation.
SDGs to which we contribute indirectly:
