2 days ago
- Business
- Business News Wales
£100m Green Bond Programme Launched to Fund Biochar Innovation
ReGenEarth, initially borne out of Stephen Lansdown's former PE vehicle Earth Capital, a business that creates and manages ventures dedicated to sustainable renewable energy and circular economy processes, is launching a £100 million Green Bond Programme in conjunction with circular economy energy specialists RER.
The bond programme will fund the deployment of technologies that integrate innovative biochar generation solutions into existing anaerobic digestion (AD) and biomass plants, each of which will include sophisticated feedstock and provenance tracking to ensure maximal pricing in the voluntary carbon credit markets.
An Investor Day to formally launch the bond will be held at the Institute of Engineering & Technology in London from 6pm on Tuesday June 10. The event will feature partners BeZero and Onnu, and research partner Brunel University's Chemical Engineering Department. In addition to unveiling the Green Bond, the event will discuss carbon credits, carbon capture and Brunel's SeaCure CO2 capture project.
Biochar, a form of organic carbon, is produced by heating organic matter in a low oxygen environment through a process called pyrolysis. By converting organic waste into renewable energy and valuable products such as biochar, ReGenEarth promotes resource efficiency and environmental sustainability, contributing to a greener economy, while reducing waste and sequestering carbon in the UK.
The Bonds will be issued by RER Capital PLC, a special purpose financing vehicle (SPV) that was established specifically to finance businesses operating in the circular economy and CleanTech sectors. RER Capital PLC will channel capital into enterprises that prioritise resource efficiency, waste reduction, and sustainable innovation. The programme will be aligned with the ICMA Green Bond Principles.
The proceeds of the Bonds will be secured against hard assets, including the existing AD sites and will be lent to a wholly-owned subsidiary of ReGenEarth, on the issuance date of the deal. The three-year Bond will pay a coupon of 12.5% and is due in 2030.
Biochar closely resembles charcoal but also has additional, valuable properties. By locking carbon in the soil for centuries, it has proven value for soil regeneration, water retention and carbon sequestration, mitigating climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Its porous structure also retains nutrients very well, making fertilisers more effective. It also enhances the water retention of capacity of soil, supporting crop resilience. Biochar also fosters beneficial soil microbes, boosting ecosystem health and crop yields, essential for feeding a growing global population.
ReGenEarth is working with a number of pioneers in the biochar space, including Onnu, its trusted partner in the development of biochar solutions from its engineering stable. Together with Onnu, ReGenEarth is pioneering innovative solutions that harness the power of biomass to create cleaner, more sustainable energy.
Mickey Rooney, CEO of ReGenEarth, said:
'We're turning waste into climate wealth, pyrolysis has never been this cool. With 12.5% returns, locking carbon away for centuries, offering fertile ground for crop, climate and cash generation. The question you would have to ask yourself is why would you not want to be part of it?'
