BIOFOS

What BIOFOS does

BIOFOS is Denmark's largest wastewater utility, providing mechanical, biological, and chemical treatment of municipal wastewater from approximately 1.2 million inhabitants across 15 owner municipalities in the Copenhagen metropolitan area. The company operates three large wastewater treatment plants — Renseanlæg Lynetten (Copenhagen/Refshalevej), Renseanlæg Avedøre (Hvidovre), and Renseanlæg Damhusåen (Valby) — treating roughly 99.7 million m³ of rainwater and wastewater annually (2025) and discharging treated effluent to the Øresund and Køge Bay. Founded in 2014 through the merger of two predecessor utilities, BIOFOS is wholly owned by the 15 municipalities and operates as a regulated municipal utility under an income framework (indtægtsramme) administered by the Forsyningssekretariatet (Supply Secretariat), with revenue from wastewater treatment fees, biogas sales to HOFOR (~60% of Copenhagen's city gas supply), district heating, and electricity sales.

The company's underlying technology stack centers on advanced biological treatment with resource recovery: bundled (submerged) aeration across all three plants, Thermal Hydrolysis Process (THP) for sludge treatment commissioned at Damhusåen in 2024, the Hubgrade automated process-control system for aeration and chemical dosing, ICDAM joint-control optimization with seven partner drainage utilities, and pilot-scale nanobubble aeration (winner of VUDP Project of the Year 2024) at the Avedøre Living Lab. Complementary infrastructure includes a new bicarbonate-based bag filter at Lynetten for sludge-incineration emissions, the Tranestien 2 underground stormwater basin (16,000 m³) under development for flood prevention, and partnerships with Clean Matter on phosphorus extraction and the University of Copenhagen on fourth-stage micro-pollutant removal.

BIOFOS's business model is a regulated subscription-style utility: tariffs on municipal customers are set by the Forsyningssekretariatet, and additional revenue comes from transaction-fee off-take of biogas, heat, and electricity. In 2024 the company sold 114,024 MWh of energy (a 221% energy balance) and achieved climate-positive status one year ahead of its 2025 target, displacing 104% of its CO2e emissions. The current strategic focus is a +1 billion DKK expansion plan to ensure treatment capacity through 2045, addressing population growth, increasingly extreme rainfall events, EU micro-pollutant requirements, and long-term placement planning for the metropolitan treatment-plant footprint.

Name

BIOFOS

Legal name

BIOFOS Holding AS

Website

https://biofos.dk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

BIOFOS is Denmark's largest municipally owned wastewater utility, treating wastewater from approximately 1.2 million inhabitants across 15 Copenhagen-area municipalities through three treatment plants, while selling biogas (60% of Copenhagen's city gas supply), district heating, and electricity from resource recovery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Wastewater Treatment Services

NAICS

Sewage Treatment Facilities (221320)

SIC

Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Anaerobic Treatment & Resource Recovery (Biogas/Co-digestion) (EUANADAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wastewater Treatment Plant Biogas & CHP (EUACAIAE), Biosolids Beneficial Use & Land Application (Agricultural/Forestry, Soil Amendment) (EUANAHAE), PFAS & Emerging Contaminants Removal (AFFF/Trace Organics) (EUANADAJ)

Keywords

• Municipal wastewater treatment
• Biogas production
• Resource recovery utilities
• Climate positive operations
• Sewerage services

Headquarters

HQ city

Copenhagen

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Wastewater Treatment Fees: BIOFOS operates as a regulated municipal utility under an income framework (indtægtsramme) set by the Forsyningssekretariatet, which caps the amount that can be charged to customers for wastewater treatment services. This is the primary revenue stream, determined by regulatory pricing rather than market competition.
2. Biogas Sales: BIOFOS produces biogas from sewage sludge digestion and sells it to HOFOR for the city gas network. In 2024, BIOFOS sold 114,024 MWh of energy in the form of biogas, district heating, and electricity combined. BIOFOS supplies approximately 60% of the gas used in the Copenhagen metropolitan area's city gas network. In 2024, Renseanlæg Lynetten alone sold 6.6 Nm3 of biogas to HOFOR.
3. District Heating Sales: BIOFOS recovers excess heat from sewage sludge incineration and sells it to the district heating network, contributing to the overall positive energy balance and revenue diversification.
4. Electricity Sales: BIOFOS generates and sells electricity to the power grid from biogas and other energy production processes, supplementing the main revenue streams.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BIOFOS provides municipal wastewater treatment services for approximately 1.2 million residents across 15 municipalities in the Copenhagen metropolitan area through three major treatment plants (Lynetten, Avedøre, and Damhusåen). The company treats nearly 100 million m³ of wastewater annually while recovering valuable resources including biogas (60% of Copenhagen's city gas supply), phosphorus, district heating, and electricity. Services are delivered under a regulated utility framework with operations driven by municipal contracts and compliance with environmental standards.

Product overview

BIOFOS is Denmark's largest wastewater company, providing comprehensive wastewater treatment services through three interconnected treatment plants (Renseanlæg Lynetten, Renseanlæg Avedøre, and Renseanlæg Damhusåen) that collectively serve 1.2 million residents in the Copenhagen metropolitan area. The company operates a unified portfolio centered on core wastewater treatment services, supplemented by specialized infrastructure such as the Tranestien 2 underground stormwater basin, the Hubgrade digital monitoring and control system that automates treatment processes across all plants, the Living Lab innovation facility for testing new technologies, the bag filter flue gas treatment system at Lynetten, and the Kloaklab educational outreach program. BIOFOS also extracts resources from wastewater in the form of biogas, recovered phosphorus (via partner Clean Matter), and district heating.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wastewater Treatment Services
• Bag Filter (Posefilter) Flue Gas Treatment System
• Hubgrade Process Control System
• Living Lab at Avedøre
• Tranestien 2 Stormwater Basin

Quantifiable outcome

• Achieved 221% energy balance in 2024 (producing 2.21 MWh for every MWh purchased), the highest in company history
• +12 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SwecocoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 December 2025BIOFOS engaged consulting engineering firm Sweco to prepare an 'Analysis of Future Placement of Wastewater Treatment Plants in the Metropolitan Area.' The report examines socio-economic, technological, and environmental conditions for three selected scenarios for the future placement of Renseanlæg Lynetten, delivered in December 2025.
• Clean MattercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024BIOFOS partnered with startup Clean Matter to extract phosphorus from sewage sludge. Clean Matter developed a method where sludge is dried and incinerated, after which phosphorus is recovered from the ash. This prevents harmful substances like heavy metals and microplastics from spreading to agricultural soil. In 2024, Clean Matter announced that Denmark's first phosphorus factory is imminent, potentially reducing Denmark's dependence on phosphorus imports.
• Techras NanocoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024BIOFOS collaborates with Techras Nano on the development and testing of nanobubble aeration technology. The project, supported by VUDP, tests nanobubbles in full-scale installation at Damhusåen WWTP and in a pilot plant in BIOFOS's Living Lab at Avedøre WWTP. The technology has potential to improve aeration efficiency by up to 25% and reduce energy consumption while increasing treatment capacity.
• Play CircleminorOthers · 1 January 2023BIOFOS collaborated with game company Play Circle to develop a dialogue game (klimaspil) about climate challenges for older primary school students. The educational game teaches students about environmental challenges and decision-making in wastewater management over a 30-year period.
• HOFOR (Greater Copenhagen Utility)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHOFOR is BIOFOS's key energy off-take partner. BIOFOS supplies approximately 60% of the city gas used in the Copenhagen metropolitan area through biogas production. HOFOR distributes the biogas through its city gas network for use in cooking and heating by household consumers. In 2024, Renseanlæg Lynetten sold a record 6.6 Nm³ of biogas to HOFOR.
• Krüger (part of Veolia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBIOFOS partnered with Krüger and seven Danish water utilities on the N2O Control project, supported by VUDP. The project focuses on developing algorithms for biological processes that can be implemented in BIOFOS's Hubgrade monitoring and control program as dynamic control tools to automatically minimize nitrous oxide production and emissions.
• Seven Supply Companies in BIOFOS Catchment AreacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBIOFOS collaborates with seven supply companies in its catchment area on joint optimization and intelligent control (samstyring) between drainage systems and treatment plants. Through real-time data exchange, the partners can automatically control selected points in the sewer network and at treatment plants to retain wastewater as long as possible without compromising discharge permits, maximizing treatment volumes and reducing bypass events.
• VantecominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBIOFOS partners with Vanteco on upcycling of used components. When BIOFOS replaces or retires components, Vanteco assesses whether they can be reused. Reusable components are sent for a new life, with components so far sent to Ringsted and Bayern, Germany, contributing to sustainable water environmental outcomes beyond the Copenhagen area.
• LAB (French Supplier)minorOthersBIOFOS worked with French supplier LAB to install a new bag filter at Renseanlæg Lynetten. The new bag filter uses bicarbonate (baking soda) instead of the previous lime-based system, improving worker safety by eliminating the need for caustic soda (lud) and providing better emission control. The installation was completed on schedule and within budget.
• AySA (Buenos Aires Water Utility)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBIOFOS participates in a peer-to-peer collaboration with Argentina's AySA (the second-largest utility in South America with approximately 15 million population equivalent) through the Strategic Sector Cooperation between Denmark and Argentina/Copenhagen - Buenos Aires, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. The cooperation focuses on process and energy optimization, startup and operation of digesters, and biogas production.
• Danish Water Association (Spildevandsteknisk Forening)minorOthersBIOFOS hosted the annual meeting of the Danish Water Association (Spildevandsteknisk Forening) in 2021, welcoming over 1,800 guests to Renseanlæg Lynetten for a day of professional development, facility tours, and exhibitions.
• VUDP (Vandsektorens Udviklings- og Demonstrationsprogram)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVUDP (Water Sector Development and Demonstration Program) supports several of BIOFOS's innovation projects including the N2O Control project (with Krüger and seven water utilities) and the nanobubble aeration project (with Techras Nano). VUDP funding enables BIOFOS to develop and test new technologies that can benefit the entire Danish water sector.
• Københavns Universitet (University of Copenhagen)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBIOFOS participates in the DAWN research project together with VandCenter Syd and Københavns Universitet, examining efficient treatment methods for the fourth treatment stage to remove micro-polluting substances from wastewater in preparation for EU requirements. The project, led by business postdoc Alba Rodríguez Otero, runs for three years from 2025.
• VandCenter SydcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBIOFOS partners with VandCenter Syd in the DAWN research project, examining efficient treatment methods for the fourth treatment stage to remove micro-polluting substances in preparation for EU requirements.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Others

• Kemira: Finnish-listed chemicals supplier specializing in water treatment chemistry and sludge management. Comparable as an enabling technology partner for chemical dosing and phosphorus-related processes relevant to BIOFOS's resource recovery roadmap.
• Sweco: Nordic engineering consultancy already engaged by BIOFOS to prepare the future placement analysis for Lynetten. Comparable as a peer engineering and infrastructure advisory firm serving municipal wastewater utilities across the Nordics, with direct delivery relationship to BIOFOS.
• Rambøll (Water): International engineering consultancy with a large water and wastewater practice serving Danish and Nordic utilities. Comparable as a consulting and design partner for BIOFOS-adjacent capital projects (expansion plans, climate adaptation), though not an operating utility peer.

Regional players

• Grundfos: Danish-headquartered global pump and water technology company serving municipal and industrial water/wastewater applications. Comparable as a Danish-based water technology peer with overlap on aeration, pumping, and energy efficiency at municipal WWTPs, though operating on the equipment supply side rather than as a utility.

Direct peers

• Aarhus Vand: Denmark's second-largest municipally owned water and wastewater utility, serving Aarhus municipality. Highly comparable in business model (regulated municipal wastewater utility), technology adoption (biogas, sludge treatment), and Danish regulatory framework.
• VandCenter Syd: Municipal water and wastewater utility serving Odense and surrounding municipalities. Comparable as a Danish regulated utility and an existing BIOFOS partner in the DAWN micro-pollutant research project, with similar treatment plant and resource recovery profiles.
• HOFOR (Greater Copenhagen Utility): HOFOR is the integrated water, district heating, and gas utility for the Copenhagen area and BIOFOS's primary biogas and heat offtake partner. Both are municipally owned utilities serving the same 15 municipalities and overlap on water-cycle and energy infrastructure, making HOFOR the most directly comparable peer.

Emerging players

• AySA (Argentina): Buenos Aires water and wastewater utility serving ~15 million population equivalent and a current BIOFOS peer-to-peer collaboration partner under the Danish-Argentine Strategic Sector Cooperation. Comparable as a major municipal wastewater utility focused on biogas and process optimization, though operating in a different regulatory and geographic context.

Broad incumbents

• Suez Water Technologies & Solutions: Global water utility and wastewater treatment operator with European municipal utility operations. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering biogas, sludge, and advanced wastewater treatment solutions at scale, competing for technology and operating contracts in BIOFOS's innovation areas.
• Veolia Water Technologies (Krüger): Global water and wastewater services incumbent whose Krüger subsidiary supplies BIOFOS's Hubgrade control system and partners on the N2O Control project. Comparable as a technology supplier and operator in advanced municipal wastewater treatment, albeit at much larger scale and across multiple geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/biofos

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BIOFOS