Eni S.p.A. announced a €500 million loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to fund the conversion of selected units at its Sannazzaro De’ Burgondi refinery into a biorefinery. The 15‑year term financing will support the installation of new biorefining equipment and the integration of renewable feedstocks.
The conversion focuses on the Hydrocracker (HDC2) unit and a new pre‑treatment plant that will process renewable feedstocks such as used cooking oil and animal fats. Production of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is expected to begin in 2028, with an annual capacity of roughly 550,000 tonnes. This project follows a similar EIB‑backed financing for the Livorno refinery in July 2025.
The €500 million loan is part of Enilive’s broader strategy to scale biorefining capacity to over 5 million tonnes per year by 2030 and to meet Enilive’s 2025 EBITDA target of about €1 billion. By adding the Sannazzaro biorefinery, Enilive will strengthen its position in the low‑carbon fuel market and support the group’s transition portfolio.
Financing from the EIB reduces the need for Eni to fund the capital outlay from its own balance sheet, allowing the company to allocate resources to other growth initiatives while still maintaining operational control of the refinery. The project aligns with EU directives such as RED III and the ReFuelEU Aviation mandate, which create structural demand for SAF and encourage domestic biofuel production.
The Sannazzaro conversion is the second major EIB‑backed biorefining project for Eni, following Livorno. Together, the projects demonstrate the company’s commitment to feedstock diversification, circular economy principles, and the expansion of renewable fuel production across its portfolio of refineries in Italy and abroad.
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