Eni begins coprocessing SAF at conventional oil refinery in Taranto, Italy

Italian petroleum refiner and renewable diesel producer Eni S.p.A. has launched the production of coprocessed sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), the company announced Oct. 15.

Initially, coprocessed SAF is being produced at Eni’s conventional petroleum refinery in Taranto, Italy, with a 0.5 percent share of used cooking oil (UCO) contributing to the 2 percent share of the biobased component proposed as part of the EU “Fit For 55” package. The coprocessed SAF is available now and will be sold to major airlines, first to Italia Transporto Aereo S.p.A., according to Eni.

Eni stated it will continue to grow SAF production in early 2022 with the start of more than 10,000 metric tons per year of SAF at Eni's Livorno refinery through distillation of products manufactured from UCO or animal fats at its biorefineries in Gela and Venice, using its proprietary Ecofining™ technology.

In 2024, Eni plans to begin making “Eni Biojet” at the Gela biorefinery, where the company says a project is currently underway to add 150,000 tons per year of SAF production capacity.

Eni plans to double its current biorefining capacity of 1.1 million tons per year within a four-year period and increase its total renewable diesel and SAF production to between 5 and 6 million tons per year by 2050. SAF will play a significant role in this long-term goal, and Eni intends to reach 500,000 tons per year of SAF capacity by 2030.

The company plans to stop using palm oil feedstock by 2023.