The transaction involved UniCredit, which structured the financing as Global Coordinator & Bookrunner, Mandated Lead Arranger, and Sustainability Coordinator, subscribing for €75 million, and Banca Ifigest as Lending Bank for €5 million. UniCredit also acts as Agent Bank, Custodian Bank, and Sole Hedging Bank.
The Arpinge Group has finalized an €80 million project financing for the construction of a portfolio of four biomethane plants in Sicily and Basilicata.
The transaction, structured by UniCredit as Global Coordinator & Bookrunner, Mandated Lead Arranger, and Sustainability Coordinator, and Banca Ifigest as Financing Bank, was underwritten by UniCredit for €75 million and by Banca Ifigest for €5 million. UniCredit also acts as Agent Bank, Custodian Bank, and Sole Hedging Bank.
Arpinge is a private, institutional investment company, owned by three pension funds (Inarcassa, Cassa Geometri, and EPPI) representing technical professions. It operates as a promoter and investor in infrastructure, focusing on investing in new projects and redevelopments focused on sustainability and transition. The Group's portfolio is fully aligned with the EU Taxonomy criteria for environmentally sustainable activities and has received numerous ESG awards, including second place in Europe for sustainability performance among peer funds in the GRESB Infrastructure Fund Benchmark Report 2024.
For over a year, the Arpinge Group, pursuing its strategy of supporting the country's energy transition, has significantly expanded its investment scope to include sectors such as BESS and biomethane. The Group, which is also active in social infrastructure, aims to complement these new sectors with its existing renewable energy (through its subsidiary AEER) and urban mobility (through its subsidiary Parkinge) through internal and external growth.
Specifically, with the project financing transaction finalized recently, Arpinge will build four biomethane plants fueled by agricultural by-products and livestock products, each with a capacity of 500 Sm3/h. One plant will be located in Basilicata (in the province of Potenza) and the other three in Sicily, in the provinces of Catania and Messina. The plants, currently under construction, will produce over 16 million cubic meters of biomethane once fully operational, avoiding over 75,000 tons of CO2 equivalent annually and helping meet Southern Italy's significant demand for green fuel. Arpinge is also continuing its authorization development efforts in the biomethane sector with the goal of becoming a key player in the market.
Federico Merola, CEO of Arpinge, comments: "We are very pleased with UniCredit's support for the transaction, a tangible sign of confidence in our company, which we hope will consolidate into a lasting partnership. UniCredit itself financed the group's first transaction, anticipating the widespread support Arpinge subsequently received on national and international financial markets."
Roberto Fiorini, Regional Manager for Central Italy at UniCredit, comments: "UniCredit has made a concrete commitment to the transition to a green and sustainable economy through financial support for investments in the sector. This transaction in favor of the Arpinge group demonstrates our ability to provide clients with innovative solutions that can also have a positive impact on our country's energy independence".
Massimo Pecorari, CEO of Banca Ifigest, added: "With this transaction, we are entering a sector, biomethane, which is assuming a central role in the Italian energy landscape. It contributes to reducing emissions and could replace significant amounts of imported fossil gas, thus promoting energy security and strategic autonomy. Supporting the Arpinge Group means supporting the growth of a key sector that requires significant structural investments and continuous technological innovation".