Eni has approved the final investment decision (FID) to convert part of its Sannazzaro de’ Burgondi refinery in Pavia, Lombardy, into a new-generation biorefinery, marking a significant step in the company’s biofuel expansion strategy.
Scheduled to begin operations by 2028, the transformed facility will be capable of producing both hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
The decision follows government approval granted in September 2025 by Italy’s Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security, allowing Eni to repurpose specific refinery units for biofuel operations.
The project forms part of Eni’s Enilive portfolio, which consolidates biofuel production across its network and aims to support Italy’s broader energy transition goals.
According to Eni, the Sannazzaro conversion will utilise the company’s proprietary Ecofining technology within the refinery’s existing hydrocracker unit.
The technology allows for the efficient processing of waste, residues, and second-generation feedstocks, materials crucial to Enilive’s strategy of producing low‑carbon fuels from renewable, non‑food resources.
A new pre‑treatment unit will be constructed at Sannazzaro to handle these feedstocks, while existing hydrogen plants on site will support hydroprocessing operations.
The project also includes significant infrastructure upgrades to improve feedstock logistics and strengthen outgoing fuel distribution, extending connectivity to regional airports in Lombardy for SAF supply.
Once operational, the biorefinery will have an annual production capacity of around 550,000 tonnes, with the flexibility to shift output between SAF and HVO diesel based on market demand.
Notably, the conversion plan has been designed to operate in parallel with existing traditional refining processes, ensuring no disruption to the site’s current energy production.
The Sannazzaro project complements another major biofuel development currently underway at Eni’s Priolo site in Sicily.
Announced in 2024 and carried forward through an agreement with the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy in March 2025, the Priolo initiative is being developed in partnership with Kuwait Petroleum Corporation’s Q8 Italy subsidiary.
It will replace a decommissioned cracking unit at Versalis’ industrial complex and is expected to deliver a production capacity of about 500,000 tonnes per year.
Engineering work for the Priolo biorefinery has been completed, and preparatory activities (including procurement, demolition, and site preparation) are progressing ahead of full construction. The project remains on track for completion by 2028, pending final authorisation.
Together, the Sannazzaro and Priolo developments signal a substantial expansion of Eni’s domestic biofuel output and underscore its commitment to decarbonising transport fuels, particularly in hard‑to‑abate sectors such as aviation.
Both projects will supply renewable fuels into the Italian and European markets, supporting Eni’s target of increasing its biorefining capacity and achieving net‑zero emissions by 2050.
By leveraging existing infrastructure and advanced processing technologies, Eni aims to strengthen its position as a leader in sustainable fuel production while contributing to Italy’s industrial transformation toward a circular, low‑carbon energy system.
