Published by Todd Bush on November 29, 2022
Shell Petroleum NV, a wholly owned subsidiary of Shell plc (Shell), has reached an agreement with Davidson Kempner Capital Management LP, Pioneer Point Partners and Sampension to acquire 100% shareholding of Nature Energy Biogas A/S (Nature Energy) for nearly USD $2 billion (€ 1.9 billion). The acquisition will be absorbed within Shell’s current capital range, which remains unchanged.
Based in Denmark, Nature Energy is a producer of Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) from agricultural, industrial, and household wastes.
By purchasing the shares in Nature Energy, Shell will acquire the largest RNG producer in Europe, its portfolio of cash generative operating plants, associated feedstock supply and infrastructure, its pipeline of growth projects and its in-house expertise in the design, construction, and operation of innovative and differentiated RNG plant technology.
This acquisition will further increase Shell’s ability to work with its established customer base across multiple sectors to accelerate its transition to net-zero emissions. It will also support Shell’s ambition to profitably grow its low carbon fuels production and customer offering in our world-leading customer-facing Marketing business.
“Shell’s competitiveness in low carbon fuels derives from capabilities across the value chain, combining a world-class Trading and Supply organisation with access to differentiated technology and production assets,” said Huibert Vigeveno, Shell’s Downstream Director. “Acquiring Nature Energy will add a European production platform and growth pipeline to Shell’s existing RNG projects in the United States. We will use this acquisition to build an integrated RNG value chain at global scale, at a time when energy transition policies and customer preferences are signalling strong growth in demand in the years ahead.”
The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close in Q1 2023. Nature Energy is cash generative, and the acquisition is expected to be both accretive to Shell’s earnings from completion and deliver double digit returns.
Nature Energy was founded in 1979 as a natural gas distributor. The company established its first biogas plant in Denmark in 2015 and now has 14 operating plants with associated infrastructure, feedstock arrangements, and current 2022 production of around 6.5 mln MMBtu/yr (3,000 boe/d1).
The company also has a pipeline of around 30 new plant projects in Europe and North America. More than a third of these projects are in medium to late development stage in Denmark, the Netherlands and France and could deliver up to 9.2 mln MMBtu/yr (4,400 boe/d) by 2030, subject to future final investment decisions and relevant regulatory approvals.
Nature Energy and its 420 employees located in Europe and North America will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Shell, initially under its existing brand.
This transaction fits Shell’s Powering Progress strategy to accelerate its energy transition. Similar to the Sprng Energy transaction earlier this year, this acquisition will be absorbed within our current capital range.
RNG, also known as biomethane, is chemically identical to conventional natural gas and can be used in existing transmission and distribution infrastructure. This makes it a competitive option to help decarbonise multiple hard to abate sectors including commercial road transport, marine, heating and heavy industry. The sustainability benefits are amplified by the processing and use of methane that could otherwise be released to the atmosphere from the decomposition of organic by‑products and waste.
Shell has an existing RNG production business in North America, with one operational site and three* under construction. Shell is a trader of RNG and has a wide range of RNG and bioLNG customers, including large corporate, road hauliers and marine customers. (*This number was corrected from four to three on 20 February 2023)
Shell has a target to be a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050. This means net-zero carbon emissions from our operations (Scope 1 and 2 emissions) and also net zero from the end use of all the energy products we sell (Scope 3 emissions). In October 2021, we set an additional target to reduce Scope 1 and 2 absolute emissions on a net basis under operational control by 50% by 2030, compared to 2016 levels. This complements our existing targets to reduce the carbon intensity of the energy products we sell by 3-4% by 2022, by 6-8% by 2023, by 9-12% by 2024, by 20% by 2030, by 45% by 2035, and by 100% by 2050. For more information on Shell’s Powering Progress strategy, please visit http://www.shell.com/poweringprogress.
Follow the money flow of climate, technology, and energy investments to uncover new opportunities and jobs.
Inside This Issue 🚆 Ballard to Supply 8 MW of Fuel Cell Engines to Stadler for Californian Passenger Rail 🧪 Revolutionizing Carbon Capture: Scientists Double MOF Efficiency 🌍 Mines Researchers Pri...
Inside This Issue 🌱 California Hydrogen Leadership Summit to Focus on State and Federal Policies to Strengthen the Hydrogen Economy 🌍 Compassionate Carbon and Catona Climate Join Forces to Scale N...
Inside This Issue 🌍 KAPSARC and Climeworks to Explore Feasibility of Direct Air Capture Solutions in Saudi Arabia 🔋 Advent Technologies Awarded Grant for H2VE Proposal 🏭 SLB Capturi Completes Cons...
Nuada and Carbfix Collaborate to Offer Complete Carbon Capture and Storage Solutions
Partnership combines advanced carbon capture technology with leading underground mineralization to capture and store industrial CO2 emissions BELFAST, UNITED KINGDOM, December 10, 2024 /EINPresswi...
Britain's INEOS And Partners to Invest in CO2 Storage Off Denmark
OSLO, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Chemicals group INEOS has taken a final investment decision with partners to build a CO2 storage project off Denmark, potentially the first such EU project to start operati...
Catona Climate, Compassionate Carbon Team Up to Boost Nature-based Projects
The collaboration aims to restore and protect vast land areas across the Global South and remove millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. >> In Other News: Air Liquide Recei...
Air Liquide (Paris:AI) has been awarded a grant of 110 million euros from the European Innovation Fund for its ENHANCE project in the port of Antwerp-Bruges, Belgium, that aims to produce and distr...
Follow the money flow of climate, technology, and energy investments to uncover new opportunities and jobs.