Qualitas Energy, a leading global investment and management platform with a dual focus on both funding and developing renewable energy, energy transition, and sustainable infrastructure, announced today the inauguration of its first renewable biomethane facility in the United Kingdom: Three Maids, an anaerobic digestion (AD) plant developed through its portfolio company Acorn Bioenergy.
The plant, located at Three Maids Hill, Winchester, has already created 15 jobs and is expected to support up to 50 positions within the wider engineering, rural and infrastructure supply chain. Designed to process 83,600 tonnes of local agricultural wastes, residues, and break crops annually, the site will produce more than 120 GWh of biomethane per year, enough to meet the entire heat demand of more than 9,000 homes.
Qualitas Energy is rapidly expanding its renewable energy footprint in the UK, leveraging its expertise across the full project lifecycle – from acquisition and development to construction and operation. Through Acorn Bioenergy, which is set to become a leading platform for biomethane and green CO₂ in the UK, Qualitas Energy is developing a nationwide network of AD plants that convert agricultural feedstocks into renewable gases. The Three Maids facility is the first of a dozen planned plants across England and Scotland to become operational. Together, they will inject more than 1.5 TWh per year of biomethane into the UK’s national grid via four gas injection hubs.
Oscar Pérez, Managing Partner and CEO of Qualitas Energy, said: “This launch marks an important milestone in our mission to accelerate the UK’s energy transition. Biomethane is a mature, locally sourced renewable fuel that delivers immediate carbon reductions while strengthening energy security. Through Acorn Bioenergy, we are scaling reliable renewable gas infrastructure across the UK that complements intermittent sources like wind and solar, while providing tangible benefits to farmers and local economies.”
Sarah Jones, UK Minister for Industry, stated: “Acorn’s development will deliver secure, clean energy for thousands of homes and provide jobs for the local community in Hampshire. Biomethane can play an important role in reducing our reliance on imported fossil fuels, boosting our energy security and helping us accelerate to net zero.”
By converting farming by-products such as slurries, manures, and rotational crops into renewable energy, the plant prevents approximately 30,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year – the equivalent of planting 1.2 million trees or removing 15,000 cars from UK roads. The process also generates nutrient-rich digestate that is returned to local farms, improving soil health and reducing reliance on imported synthetic fertilisers.
Alister Veitch, Head of Business Development at Acorn Bioenergy, added: “A true flagship hub for Acorn Bioenergy, we were delighted to launch the Three Maids facility to demonstrate how renewable biogas generation can power homes, strengthen food security, and support the UK’s net zero ambitions. Alongside our dozen sites in development, it is a major step towards our ambition to supply 25% of the UK’s biomethane.”
About Qualitas Energy
Qualitas Energy is a leading global investment and management platform with a dual focus on both funding and developing renewable energy, energy transition, and sustainable infrastructure. Since 2006, the Qualitas Energy team has dedicated over €14 billion to the energy transition worldwide. These investments have been deployed through six vehicles: Fotowatio / FRV, Vela Energy, Qualitas Energy III, Qualitas Energy IV, Qualitas Energy V, and Qualitas Energy Credit Fund I. Qualitas Energy’s existing portfolio currently comprises 11 GW of operational and development-stage renewable energy assets – including solar PV, concentrated solar power (CSP), wind, energy storage, hydroelectric power, and renewable natural gas – across Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Poland, Chile, and the United States. Over the past five years, Qualitas Energy has generated enough energy to supply 1.2 million homes and has successfully avoided the emission of 1 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent. The Qualitas Energy team consists of c.530 professionals across fifteen offices in Madrid, Berlin, London, Milan, Hamburg, Wiesbaden, Trier, Cologne, Stuttgart, Warsaw, Wroclaw, Santiago, Durham, Bristol, and Edinburgh.
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