Grants for biogas plants and the green transition (Call for Applications 2026)

In order to promote the green transition and the circular economy in the agricultural sector, investment aid is granted for projects aimed at utilising livestock manure and reducing pollutant emissions. The 2026 Call for Applications provides incentives for:

• Category 1: Construction of plants for the recovery and anaerobic treatment of livestock manure and plant products for energy production (including plant, equipment and ancillary facilities necessary for this purpose, as well as for the storage of digestate). Grant of up to 50 per cent.
• Category 2: Construction of facilities, plants and equipment for the drying of digestate. Grant of up to 60 per cent.
• Category 3: Modernisation of existing plants, including the facilities required for the management and storage of input materials and digestate leaving the energy production plant. Grant of up to 50 per cent.

Conditions and requirements

To be eligible for grants, the following requirements must be met:

• Holders of their own electronic business file (validated at least once during the calendar year in which the application is submitted and, in any event, prior to submitting the application).
• You must be the owner (or holder of a real right, or a concessionaire appointed by a public body) of the land parcels covered by the project.
• You must hold an agricultural VAT number and a Certified Email Address (PEC).
• You must not fall within the definition of a ‘firm in difficulty’.
• Demonstrate the economic viability of the investment through a positive assessment by a credit institution (granting of a loan or financing covering at least 50 per cent of the expenditure).
• Work on the project must commence only after the grant application has been submitted.
• There is an obligation to maintain the intended use of the financed immovable property for at least 10 years and of movable property for at least 3 years.

Energy production plants (Category 1) must comply with specific technical and environmental parameters: the maximum capacity must not exceed 150 m³/h of biogas, and the feedstock must consist primarily of livestock manure (with a minimum proportion of 70 per cent by weight if the plant is located in an agricultural area). Finally, to prevent emissions from escaping into the atmosphere, digestate tanks must be fitted with dedicated gas capture and recovery systems.

Only one grant application may be submitted, which may include multiple projects eligible for funding. The eligible expenditure claimed must be at least 200,000 euros (excluding VAT) at both the grant award stage and the final settlement stage. The maximum eligible expenditure per application is €5,000,000 for categories 1 and 2, and €600,000 for category 3.

The call for applications is aimed at agricultural enterprises that have formed an association for the joint management of livestock manure, established exclusively as a co-operative or consortium. Such entities must also meet the size criteria for micro, small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Applications for funding must be submitted exclusively online, by logging into the provincial agricultural information system SRTrento (at https://srt.infotn.it) using your own login details. The forms generated by the portal must be signed by the legal representative using a valid digital signature.

To submit your application correctly, the following documents are required:

For projects relating to construction works:

• a complete and approved project, including a technical report and a bill of quantities (drawn up in accordance with the PAT price list) signed by a qualified engineer;
• an explanatory report describing not only the objectives of the initiative but also the specific environmental improvements expected from the investment. Specifically:
  • For Category 1, it must detail the types and quantities of input materials, the method used to calculate the plant’s capacity, and demonstrate compliance with the specified percentages for livestock effluent.
  • For Category 2, it must certify compliance with the requirements for the circular economy and the efficient use of resources.

For the purchase of machinery, plant and equipment:

• Valid cost estimate: this must be submitted on letterhead bearing the supplier’s logo, dated and signed. It must include the supplier’s company name, VAT number/tax code and Chamber of Commerce registration number. The technical specifications of the goods must be clearly stated.
  (Note: for plant, a bill of quantities may be submitted as an alternative to the quotation).

The procedure concludes with a decision by the Head of the Agriculture Department to grant or refuse the application, within 45 days from the day following the approval of the ranking list. 

Should further funds become available within 18 months of the date of approval of the ranking list, it will be possible to move down the list to consider applications that were included but not funded due to the exhaustion of the previously allocated funds. 

Completion timescale: The works must be completed and the final accounts (for the balance) must be submitted within 24 months of the date on which the grant award decision is issued.