Eni and Saipem forge path for biorefinery advancements

In a significant move towards sustainable energy, Eni, led by Chief Operating Officer for Energy Evolution Giuseppe Ricci, and Saipem, under the guidance of Chief Executive Officer Alessandro Puliti, have formalised a collaboration for biorefinery development. This partnership aims to revolutionise traditional refineries and spearhead the creation of new Eni biorefineries.

This strategic alliance aligns with both companies’ commitment to decarbonisation, focusing on the preliminary studies and potential establishment of facilities dedicated to producing biojet—a sustainable aviation fuel—and HVO diesel, a biofuel derived entirely from renewable sources in accordance with the EU Directive 2018/2001 “REDII”. HVO diesel, marketed at Eni’s Enilive service stations as HVOlution, is versatile for use in road, maritime, and rail transport.

The collaboration will leverage Eni’s proprietary Ecofining™ technology, which has been instrumental in transforming traditional refineries into biorefineries, as seen in Venice Porto Marghera and Gela, Sicily, in Italy. These facilities now process waste feedstocks like used cooking oil, animal fats, and other residues, with Saipem having provided critical support in both projects.

With an ambitious target, Eni is set to increase its biorefining capacity from the current 1.65 million tons per year to more than five million tons by 2030, marking a significant stride in the company’s green transformation.