EIB and Eni sign €500mn deal to convert Livorno refinery for HVO
The project is part of Enilive's strategy to reach more than five million tonnes of biorefinery capacity by 2030.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Eni have signed a €500 million 15-year finance contract to support the conversion of Eni's Livorno refinery in Tuscany into a biorefinery. The agreement was signed today at Eni’s headquarters in San Donato Milanese by EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti and Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi.
Eni's project involves the construction of new plants to produce hydrogenated biofuels at the Livorno refinery site, including a biogenic pre-treatment unit and a 500 000-tonne/year Ecofining plant.
“This virtuous approach is now leading us to convert a third refinery into a biorefinery in Italy, following the examples of Venice and Gela,” said Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi.
Eni’s company dedicated to sustainable mobility, Enilive produces HVO from renewable raw materials such as used cooking oil and agrifood waste. Pure HVO can now be used in approved engines and is distributed through existing infrastructure.
“The EIB financing is key to delivering a project of high environmental, technological and strategic value, helping to promote the decarbonisation of the transport sector,” said EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti.
The conversion of the Livorno site is in line with Enilive's strategy to increase the production of biofuels in response to growing demand in Europe and Italy, in order to meet both emission reduction targets under RED III and the obligations to release pure biofuels for use as defined by Italian legislation.
The Livorno biorefinery will be able to treat different types of biogenic charges, mainly waste and residues of plant origin, to produce HVO diesel, HVO naphtha and bio-LPG.
