Eni has started the production of alternative sustainable aviation fuels (Sustainable Aviation Fuel or SAF) which represent in the short-medium term a way to significantly contribute to the decarbonisation of air transport. Eni SAFs are produced exclusively from waste and residues, in line with the strategic decision not to use palm oil from 2023.
Eni expects to double, within the four-year period, the current biorefining capacity of 1.1 million tons / year and its increase to 5/6 million tons / year by 2050: the so-called biojet will play a significant role in the product mix , in line with the sector scenarios and market trends, and the goal is to achieve a production capacity of at least 500 thousand tons / year of biojet by 2030.
Eni's Chief Executive Officer, Claudio Descalzi, said: "This is a very important result in our decarbonization process, which includes innovative technologies already available and concrete industrial initiatives, and fully reflects our pragmatic approach to the energy transition: using technology to reduce emissions in sectors which, such as aviation, have the greatest impact on emissions but which at the same time must be fueled as they are essential for growth and development. We want to establish ourselves as a technological leader in the energy transition, also using traditional skills and assets, and this is a new step in that direction, as well as an important contribution at the system level ».
The first SAF productions are carried out in the Eni refinery in Taranto, with a 0,5% share of UCO (used vegetable and frying oils), which anticipates the 2% share of the organic component proposed under the EU package ' Fit For 55 '. This is a first step, which confirms the decarbonisation path of all Eni products and processes by 2050 and for all the sectors involved, including the most challenging ones, such as aviation, heavy vehicles and marine.
The SAF of the Taranto refinery is currently produced through a co-feeding process, co-feeding the conventional plants with UCO shares equal to 0,5%. The bio share present in the product allows a typical reduction of GHG compared to the feedstock used of more than 90% compared to the reference standard of the fossil mix, according to the Renewable Energy Directive II. This product, already available in the tanks of the Taranto refinery, will be marketed to the main airlines, first ITA, also thanks to the support of leading operators in the sector such as Aeroporti di Roma.
The growth of Eni's SAF production will continue with a progression that will see the start of production of over 2022 thousand tons / year of SAF in the Eni refinery in Livorno, through the distillation of bio-components produced in Eni's biorefineries. in Gela and Porto Marghera (Venice) thanks to the proprietary Ecofining ™ technology. The raw materials used will be exclusively waste such as UCO or animal fats. This product, called “Eni Biojet” will contain 10% biogenic component and can be used in mixture with conventional jet up to 100%.
The growth will continue with the start, in 2024, of the production of "Eni Biojet" in the biorefinery of Gela, where a project is already underway that will allow the placing on the market of an additional 150 thousand tons / year of 100% SAF from renewable raw materials, able to meet the potential obligation of the Italian market for 2025.