Ahlstrom expands renewable energy transition in Italy through biomethane agreements
Ahlstrom has signed long-term biomethane supply agreements with two energy producers in Italy, marking a significant step in the company’s strategy to reduce carbon emissions from its industrial operations. The contracts represent the largest biomethane supply volume agreed in Italy to date and cover production from seven biomethane plants. The renewable gas will partially replace fossil natural gas currently used at the company’s Italian facilities.
Italy represents an important part of Ahlstrom’s global operations, accounting for approximately 13% of its asset base and 9% of its workforce. The agreements therefore play a key role in the company’s broader decarbonisation programme.
Under the contracts, biomethane certified through recognised renewable origin schemes will be supplied and used directly within Ahlstrom’s existing energy infrastructure. Because biomethane can be utilised as a drop-in replacement for conventional natural gas, the transition can be implemented without significant modifications to industrial assets.
The company estimates that the agreements will reduce carbon emissions from its Italian industrial operations by approximately 44%, corresponding to an annual reduction of around 65,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent through the replacement of fossil natural gas in combustion processes.
“This agreement represents a concrete step in the execution of our industrial energy transition strategy,” said Juan García Marquina Prieto, Vice President Energy Procurement and Energy Transition at Ahlstrom. “By replacing part of our natural gas consumption with biomethane, we are achieving immediate and scalable CO₂ reductions while making use of existing assets and infrastructure.”
Marco Bellezza, Head of Special Projects, FLS & Technical Manager, highlighted the practical impact of the initiative at site level. “At site level, the transition to biomethane translates ambition into action. By integrating biomethane into day-to-day operations in our operations in Italy, we are reducing fossil fuel use while maintaining reliability and operational efficiency. It is a practical step that supports both our local operations and Ahlstrom’s climate targets,” he said.
Ahlstrom noted that the agreements also demonstrate the growing role of biomethane in helping energy-intensive industries reduce their environmental footprint. The company added that collaboration between industrial manufacturers, renewable energy suppliers and supportive public policies will be essential to accelerating Europe’s transition toward lower-carbon energy systems.
The initiative forms part of Ahlstrom’s wider sustainability programme, which includes climate targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and a long-term commitment to achieving net-zero emissions.
