Global major Shell in deal for Danish RNG producer

UK-based global major Shell said November 28 it had reached an agreement to acquire Nature Energy Biogas, a Danish producer of renewable natural gas (RNG), for US$2bn (€1.9bn).

The acquisition, expected to close in Q1 2023, will add Europe’s largest RNG producer to Shell’s portfolio of low-carbon energy businesses and accelerate its net-zero transition. 

“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 US.”

Nature Energy was founded in 1979 as a natural gas distributor but has been developing RNG since 2015 and now has 14 operating plants producing some 6.5mn mnBtu/year. It also has 30 new projects in varying stages of development across Europe and the US, with more than a third in late-stage development in Denmark, the Netherlands and France that could deliver up to 9.2mn mnBtu/year of RNG by 2030.