Eni S.p.A. (Rome, Italy) said that it is investigating the opportunity to build a new biorefinery at Eni’s industrial site in Livorno, Italy. The feasibility study involves building three new plants for the production of hydrogenated biofuel: a biogenic feedstock pre-treatment unit, a 500,000-ton/year Ecofining plant and a plant for the production of hydrogen from methane gas. The construction of the new biorefinery – located in an industrial area which houses fuel and lubricant production facilities – would maximize synergies from the infrastructure already available and secure the site’s future as an employment and production hub.
Eni is the second-largest biofuel producer in Europe with 1.1 million ton/year capacity and targets to increase the share to 2 million by 2025 and to 6 million in the next decade. Its bio-refineries in Venice and Gela transform waste raw materials, residues and waste resulting from the processing of vegetable products and oils from crops that do not compete with the food chain into high-quality biofuel – biodiesel, but also bio-LPG and bio-Naphtha, also for use in the chemical industry.
From 2023, Eni will no longer process palm oil and will make available pure hydrogenated biofuel containing a 100%-biogenic component, which can reduce GHG (GreenHouse Gas) Well to Wheel by up to 90%, i.e. along the entire logistics and production chain, up to its final use.
The design of the three new plants in Livorno will be completed by 2023 and construction could take place by 2025.
The transformation plan for the Livorno refinery will be discussed with local institutions and trade unions within the framework of a participatory and inclusive industrial relations model.