Our story

Our story

Ever since our beginning in 1982, we’ve worked relentlessly to explore and expand the opportunities within biogas and circular energy. Learn more about our story here.

It all began on the local farms

The Bigadan story is a tale deeply rooted in the pursuit of sustainability and technological opportunities. From our start, the vision has been to harness the circular power of biogas, transforming challenges into economic prospects. Today, our journey continues with innovation and a responsibility that resonates in everything we do to uncover the future of circular energy.

The Bigadan timeline

1982

Already in 1978, Bigadan began developing farm-scale biogas plants. This development resulted in 1982, Bigadan were founded as a formal company. Bigadan is an abbreviation of Biogas Danmark (Danmark is “Denmark” in Danish).

1984

After two years, Bigadan has now grown to 10 employees and operates two farm-scale AD plants, 1 large-scale AD plant (40 tonnes per day). This is also when Karsten Buchhave (current Chairman) is employed.

1986-1989

Karsten Buchhave takes over as CEO and changes the strategic focus in Bigadan from farm-based plants to large-scale biogas plants. The first overseas EPC contract is also secured.

1989

Bigadan is now recognised as the Danish world leader in biogas technology. This leads to Krüger (a large Danish waste water engineering and EPC firm) acquiring Bigadan to form the company: Krüger-Bigadan.

1990-1998

Krüger-Bigadan now spans 30 employees and continues to work on the Bigadan platform and philosophy. The focus on large-scale co-digestion plants as well as Source-Separated Municipal Solid Waste and export leads to success — in Denmark, Sweden and Germany.

1999

Krüger is now a subsidiary in the French company; Violia Group. This marks a shift away from biogas as a core business and leads to the entire biogas team getting dismissed.

2000

Staying ambitious on behalf of biogas, Karsten Buchhave buys the Bigadan brand from its French owners and establishes a new and rejuvenated Bigadan. Farmatic enters as 51% shareholder.

2001

Bigadan acquires Fangel Bioenergi ApS to expand its operations and coverage.

2004

The majority stake shareholder, Farmatic, goes bankrupt. Karsten Buchhave buys their shares and is now the sole owner of Bigadan.

2005-2008

Bigadan thrives in its new structure and experiences steady growth in EPC contracts, mainly in export markets.

2009

Bigadan buys Herning Bioenergi containing two biogas plants in Denmark. This marks a major boost to owning and operating plants.

2010-2014

Until now the ownership and operation business has been on acquiring existing biogas plant but Horsens Bioenergi ApS marks a new milestone where Bigadan now development, construction, and commissioning biogas plants from a green field.

2014-2017

Development, construction and commissioning of Kalundborg Bioenergi A/S, done in collaboration with worldleaders; Novo Nordisk, Novozymes, and Ørsted.

2020

Bigadan exceeds 1TWh p.a. of energy production — a major milestone in the journey towards circular energy. 

2021

Arjun Infrastructure Partners joins as a large minority shareholder in Bigadan, offering new opportunities for expansion and development in ownership nationally as well as abroad.

2022

Bigadan commissions a biogas plant to SBS Aabenraa K/S – capable of treating 1 million tonnes of waste and a biogas production of more than 450 GWh p.a.

2023

We’re currently constructing and commissioning cryogen plants that liquefies methane and CO2, primarily for heavy transportation and the food sector.

2024

As the first in Denmark, Bigadan will store CO2 in the ground. By capturing the readily accessible CO2 from the biogas plant in Kalundborg, a reduction of 25,000 tons of CO2 annually is expected.

Do you want to learn more?

Our dedicated team of sourcing experts are ready to inform you or help you move further in your journey. Reach out today and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.