The Energy financial group (EFG) is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. From what was originally a pioneering project in Rapotín, which many experts viewed with skepticism, the company has grown into the Czech market leader in biomethane. Today, it is driving the development of the entire sector at the intersection of low-emission energy and circular waste management. The group has succeeded in getting residents of more than 45 cities and municipalities to sort food waste. In ten years, it has processed over 317,000 tonnes of biodegradable waste and generated energy for tens of thousands of households. By 2030, it plans significant expansion and aims to have an installed biomethane production capacity of up to 500 GWh per year.
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From a Single Biogas Plant to an Entire Ecosystem
When EFG began developing a biomethane production project at the biogas plant in Rapotín ten years ago, it was a bold business move into an industry that was then underdeveloped and lacked any legislative support. Gradually, however, a broader ecosystem of activities began to form around it, which today includes the collection and processing of biodegradable waste, the production of biomethane, electricity, and heat, the construction, servicing, and technological support of biogas plants, as well as the trading of the energies produced.
It is precisely the interconnection of these areas and their mutual synergy that have become the foundation of the group’s long-term growth and its competitive advantages. In many areas, EFG was present at the very beginning of the market and the regulatory environment.
“In the early days, we often encountered a market that wasn’t ready and a lack of a legislative framework. That makes us all the more pleased that today, conditions in the Czech Republic are steadily improving to support the further development of the entire sector of biomethane production from waste,” says Tomáš Voltr, CEO of the EFG Group.
In addition to the station in Rapotín, which was built from the ground up, EFG also owns the EFG Vyškov BPS biomethane station, one of the most modern facilities of its kind in Europe. The group purchased it in 2020 as a biogas plant producing electricity and heat. However, thanks to the know-how and experience of the EFG Engineering team, the station was expanded, modernized, and equipped with a biomethane production unit within just 12 months of the building permit being issued.
The result was a significant increase in the facility’s processing and production capacity and further diversification of revenue sources. The plant in Vyškov can thus serve as a reference project setting the direction EFG is taking as part of the further expansion of its energy portfolio. This involves additional acquisitions and the subsequent development of biogas plants, during which, thanks to internal synergies, the company will achieve significant operational and investment savings while maintaining the highest technological quality of the installed equipment.
10 Years of EFG’s Work in Numbers: Energy for Tens of Thousands of Households
Since its establishment, the group has achieved significant results:
- more than 11 million m³ of biomethane produced (approx. 115 GWh);
- nearly 200 GWh of electricity generated, which corresponds to the annual consumption of approximately 80,000 households;
- more than 317,000 tons of biodegradable waste processed.
The results achieved illustrate not only the growth of the group itself, but also the potential of the entire industry in the areas of decarbonization and the circular economy.
EFG’s “Třídím gastro” collection project: food waste from more than 45 municipalities does not end up in landfills
One of the group’s projects that has a direct impact on people’s daily lives is “Třídím gastro”—a service that enables cities and municipalities to separate food waste from households and subsequently send it for ecological processing at EFG’s biogas plants in Rapotín and Vyškov. The project is fully in line with developments in Czech waste legislation, which has long sought to minimize the amount of waste sent to landfills with the goal of banning the landfilling of recyclable waste by 2030. Today, more than 45 cities and municipalities across the Czech Republic are involved in the project. Thanks to them, food scraps do not end up in landfills but are used to produce clean energy.
“Food waste represents untapped energy potential for the Czech Republic. So far, it remains a relatively underestimated resource. Every year, we send hundreds of thousands of tons of it to landfills, even though it could serve as a low-emission energy source, thanks to which we reduce not only the carbon footprint of the Czech energy mix but also our dependence on fossil fuel imports. Few people realize this,” adds Voltr.
Different professions, one team: the people behind EFG’s success
Behind the growth of the EFG group is a compact and experienced team that combines expertise in energy, waste management, technology, and business. It is precisely this persistent collaboration and the combination of different professions and perspectives that has enabled the company to build comprehensive solutions across the entire value chain—from waste collection to energy production and utilization.
“We’ve come a long way in ten years. It has always been key for us that our team brings together people from different fields who can find practical solutions and move the entire project forward. This has allowed us to grow even in an environment that was still taking shape,” says Tomáš Voltr.
Goals for 2030: Increased Capacity and Production
With the legislative and market environment gradually improving, the EFG group is planning further significant expansion, during which it will fully leverage the experience gained over its 10-year history. By 2030, it aims to expand its portfolio to at least 12 biogas plants, achieve annual production of 400 to 500 GWh of biomethane, and process up to 370,000 tons of waste annually.
