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From organic waste to biomethane, a circular revolution

A revolution rooted in the circular economy: thanks to separate waste collection, organic waste is fed into an anaerobic digestion process to produce biogas.

Biomethane: a clean resource of biological origin

So, what makes this source of methane “bio”? Quite simply, it’s how it is produced: not by drilling into deep underground deposits, but by fermenting organic waste in dedicated facilities. Biomethane can be produced continuously, it is inexhaustible, and production can be increased simply by building more plants. This makes it one of the clearest examples of a circular economy.

In Spilamberto, a biodigester converted into a biomethane plant

An innovative plant for the production of biomethane is in operation in Spilamberto, in the province of Modena. It was developed by the NewCo Biorg, a joint venture between the Hera Group and Inalca (Cremonini Group), through a total investment of around €28 million and the use of the best available technologies.

Starting from separately collected organic waste and agri-food effluents, the plant – the result of converting an old biodigester – produces, at full capacity, 3.7 million cubic metres of biomethane per year, a 100% renewable fuel intended for transport, and around 18,000 tonnes of compost.

A cutting-edge plant for the energy transition and the circular economy
The 100% renewable natural gas is produced through anaerobic digestion of organic waste from separate collection carried out mainly in Modena and the province, along with waste from local agri-food processing and meat production by Inalca. Once refined, it becomes biomethane and can be fed into the gas network.

Significant environmental benefits: around 7,000 tonnes of CO₂ avoided
Thanks to the injection of biomethane into the network and its use in transport, significant environmental benefits are expected. Every year, around 3,000 tonnes of oil equivalent (TOE) in fossil fuels are saved, and approximately 7,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions are avoided. Absorbing such an amount of CO₂ would require, on average, 280,000 trees.

What happens in our plant in Sant'Agata

Organic waste, collected through separate waste collection, undergoes anaerobic digestion to produce biogas. This is how the process works: the waste is shredded and screened, then remains for about 21 days in four horizontal digesters, where suitable microorganisms carry out the digestion process and produce biogas (composed of methane and carbon dioxide). After this, the biogas undergoes an upgrading, or purification, phase using pressurised water: the carbon dioxide dissolves and separates from the methane. The result is biomethane, a gas with a methane content above 95%, and a completely renewable source of energy. Not only that: at the end of the digestion process, lignocellulosic material is added to the outgoing solid fraction, producing a compact mass that then undergoes composting to create high-quality compost, which can be used as potting soil or agricultural fertiliser.

Biomethane is therefore another revolution rooted in the circular economy, one that we at Hera Group are committed to advancing. We do all this with the goal of creating shared value, as Andrea Ramonda, CEO of Herambiente, emphasises: “The direction we have taken looks towards the industrial sector with an increasing focus to creating shared value and partnerships. We are aware that sustainable waste management, focused on recovery and in full compliance with regulations, is essential in today’s world and generates benefits for the entire community.”

Working together for a circular city

At Hera Group, we have joined forces with Bologna Airport and Tper to launch a circular economy project that contributes to decarbonising urban mobility and improving air quality.

What does this partnership involve? The Airport delivers its organic waste to Hera, which collects it at the Sant'Agata Bolognese plant together with similar waste produced by citizens and transforms it into biomethane that Tper purchases to feed the fuel tanks of a significant part of its bus fleet.

This is an important step forward for our Group and for two major organisations in our area, which, like us, serve hundreds of thousands of people. We share a commitment to improvement and sustainability, in line with the UN 2030 Agenda.

Biomethane - Herambiente

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Public lighting becomes smart

Making cities more sustainable does not always mean adding new technologies.
Sometimes it translates into rethinking those that already exist, such as public lighting, a widespread network that can be transformed from passive infrastructure into a connected and responsive system.

Hera Luce, together with Plug and Play and the Hera Group’s Innovation Management Department, has started a collaboration with TrailsLight, a start-up that has developed a lighting management system based on artificial intelligence and acoustic sensors. The aim is to make street lighting adaptive, i.e. able to adjust in real time depending on traffic, to reduce energy consumption and light pollution without compromising safety.

From streetlight to smart node

At the heart of the project is the LCS (Light Control System), which turns each lighting point into a connected and intelligent element.
Through electronic modules integrated into lighting fixtures, streetlights communicate with each other and with a control unit. But they do not just adjust light intensity: thanks to anonymous acoustic sensors, they collect information about the surrounding environment. An artificial intelligence system processes real-time data on vehicle traffic, weather conditions and pedestrian flows to support dynamic road management.
The result is a lighting network that is no longer static but dynamically adapts to local needs.

The test in Ferrara with TAI

The trial started in Ferrara, in Corso della Giovecca, where 36 devices compatible with Zhaga/Zhagio international standards were installed in June 2025. The system tested is called TAI (Traffic Adaptive Installation), an innovative device that adjusts light intensity based on the actual traffic detected by the sensors.
How does it work in practice? Acoustic sensors capture environmental sounds - vehicles in transit, but also wind and rain - and artificial intelligence processes them to estimate vehicle flow in real time.
When traffic is intense, the light increases to ensure maximum visibility and safety. When there is little traffic on the road, the light is dimmed, thereby reducing energy consumption and light pollution.
The system is currently being configured and validated: acoustic data are compared with phonometric surveys to verify the accuracy of the measurements. The next step will be to activate fully automatic mode, transforming the network into an intelligent and adaptive system. Less energy, more safety
The advantages of this solution are multiple and go beyond energy savings. From an environmental point of view, reducing light intensity when it is not needed means reducing electricity consumption and light pollution, an often underestimated problem that has a significant impact on nighttime biodiversity and sky quality. In terms of road safety, lighting that adjusts to real conditions delivers higher illumination when traffic increases and avoids unnecessary output during off-peak hours.
Another key aspect is that the data collected by the sensors, which are fully anonymised, can be used to develop innovative urban services. Monitoring traffic flows, detecting adverse weather conditions, mapping the area in real time provides useful information for lighting and for the management of urban mobility as a whole.

Towards a widespread Smart City

The project with TrailsLight is part of a broader vision: that of a widespread Smart City, where existing infrastructure turns into platforms for innovative services.
Public lighting is one of the most pervasive infrastructure networks across the areas it serves.
Transforming it into a smart network means multiplying the possibilities of data collection and service optimisation, without having to install new dedicated infrastructure.
The partnership between Hera Luce, TrailsLight and the Municipality of Ferrara represents an example of how technological innovation and skills can come together to build more efficient, safe and sustainable cities.