Reticulum Investment Group Launches the Largest Biomethane Plant in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Technological Transformation from a Biogas Plant Executed by Italy’s AB.

Reticulum has successfully completed the transformation of the biomethane plant in Horovce. It can ensure a supply of up to 57,000 MWh of biomethane per year to the gas pipeline, making it the largest biomethane plant in both Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The methane in Horovce is produced from biodegradable waste, primarily from the food industry. Such biomethane production supports the circular economy, directly replaces the need for fossil resources, and, last but not least, increases the energy security of the region.

The project in Horovce is an example of transforming an existing biogas plant into a biomethane plant. It can produce not only electricity and heat from waste and otherwise unusable biodegradable raw materials but also purify biogas into biomethane, which is subsequently injected into the gas distribution network and used in households and industry.

The installed electrical capacity is 3 MW, it produces 1,553 Nm³/h of raw biogas, and the total annual production potential reaches up to 57,000 MWh of biomethane. Horovce will cover the consumption of a smaller town. The connection to the high-pressure gas pipeline is located approximately 650 meters from the plant.

"I believe that we can transform every biogas plant into a more efficient and ecological biomethane plant, just as we did with our plant in Horovce. We offer know-how and can also help with financing the transformation and development," comments Jan Koudela, Project Director of the investment group Reticulum, which chose the Italian technology supplier AB Energy for the transformation of its biogas plant.

"At AB, we are proving that decarbonization can progress at a pace that rivals the most advanced markets in Europe. We commissioned the technology in Horovce within 11 months of signing the contract," states Mauro Bonera, Vice President of Sales at AB, noting that the company utilized the membrane gas upgrading system BIOCH4NGE® for the transformation.

The realization in Horovce stands out not only for its speed but also for its technical parameters. It is the most powerful biomethane plant in the Czech and Slovak region. In Slovakia, it is the fourth biomethane plant to be launched; in the Czech Republic, 14 biomethane plants are already producing green gas. According to the European Biogas Association report, both the Czech Republic and Slovakia are among the "emerging biomethane markets"—markets in the early stages of development. Their current production accounts for less than 1% of biomethane European production, yet both countries have significant untapped potential given their size and agricultural sector. [1]

"The biomethane plant in Horovce is today a technological benchmark in the Central European region and shows a concrete path toward the decarbonization of the gas industry. I am pleased that right here in Slovakia, we have a facility that ranks among the leaders in the field," said Vladimír Šošovička, Chairman of the Slovak Biogas Association. The SBA visited Horovce with its members during the April general meeting.

Reticulum currently operates seven modern biogas plants and one biomethane plant. It plans to transform its own plants as well as support and assist with the transformation of other biogas plants into biomethane ones.

The cooperation between Reticulum and AB Energy brings stability and experience to the market, which are key to the successful implementation of such complex energy units. Our goal is to replicate this successful model in other projects in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

[1] Source: EBA Statistical Report 2025