Alvus and the EIC Accelerator: Sold Before the Work Began

Alvus, a biomethane project developer at the NOI Techpark in Bolzano founded by Christof Erckert, proposed building biogas digesters from mechanically stabilised earth instead of steel or concrete. Its EIC application promised "55% CAPEX savings compared to traditional concrete digesters", up to 85% lower CO2 emissions and quicker construction, and said the grant would let it "develop, validate and commercialize a disruptive innovation, revolutionizing the entire biomethane market", according to CORDIS.

The European Innovation Council signed a grant of €2,500,000 towards a €4.06 million project in May 2023, to run from September 2023 to August 2025. On 12 October 2023 VORN Bioenergy GmbH acquired all of Alvus's shares. The project was terminated on 29 January 2024. The only report reads, in full: "No work carried out. Early termination by beneficiary due to acquisition of all participations of Alvus S.r.l. by VORN Bioenergy GmbH on 12th October 2023. Loss of SME status." VORN bought Alvus for its pipeline of more than ten biomethane projects in Italy, Bioenergy International reported.

Where Alvus Stands Now

Alvus has been folded into VORN, whose Italian arm now develops and runs biomethane plants; alvus.it opens VORN Bioenergy's website. VORN itself was launched in February 2023 by Macquarie Asset Management's Green Investment Group after it bought BayWa r.e. Bioenergy, and at that point it was already working with Alvus on a 1,000 sm3/h plant in Ferrara, Macquarie said. In September 2026 VORN announced it had bought five biogas plants in northern Italy from Enerfarm. There is no public record of VORN building digesters from mechanically stabilised earth.

The Idea: Earth Instead of Concrete

Alvus wanted to use mechanically stabilised earth to build larger digester volumes more cheaply and blend plants into farmland. The EIC funded its validation. Because no work was carried out, the claimed savings were never tested under the grant.

What the EIC Project Promised, and What CORDIS Shows

Once Alvus became part of a larger group it lost its SME status, and the beneficiary ended the project. VORN's cooperation with Alvus was public in February 2023, before the grant was signed in May, and the acquisition followed less than five months after signature, Alto Adige Innovazione reported. Whether any pre-financing was paid and returned is not published.

1. Develop MSE digesterMissedNo work carried out.
2. Validate cost and CO2 claimsMissedProject terminated.
3. CommercialiseMissedNot under the grant.
4. Grant repaidUnverifiedNot published.

The Money

The purchase price was not disclosed. VORN said it wanted Alvus to exploit Italian recovery plan subsidies for biomethane, which the plan expects to raise Italian production tenfold by 2026. The EIC grant, if any of it was paid, and any EIC Fund equity under the blended award, are not reported.

What Cannot Be Checked

Why Europe Should Care

The EIC selected Alvus for a technology meant to cut the cost of biomethane plants. Weeks after the project started, the company was sold for its project pipeline and the technology work stopped. The case raises the question of what the EIC checks about ownership plans before it signs a grant.

The Verdict

Alvus, VORN Bioenergy and the EIC have not been asked for comment for this article. It is based entirely on public records and published statements, linked throughout.