Eni, ANPG and Sonangol enter MoU on agro-biofuel initiatives in Angola, as part of decarbonization push

Luanda (Angola), 5 October 2021 – In the occasion of the meeting held yesterday between the President of the Republic of Angola João Gonçalves Lourenço and the CEO of Eni Claudio Descalzi, Eni Angola, ANPG and Sonangol signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the joint development of the agro-biofuel sector in the country.

Under the MoU, Eni, ANPG and Sonangol will develop a de-carbonization path for the Republic of Angola through a circular economy approach, assessing in particular the development of low-ILUC (indirect land‐use change) cultivations such as castor beans on degraded lands and cover crops in rotation with cereals. As part of the MoU, the parties will also evaluate business opportunities in the areas of waste-collection, with the purpose of valorizing the organic fraction, and bio-refining.

The MoU is in line with Eni’s commitment to accelerate the energy transition in fossil-fuel producing countries, promoting the integration of the African continent into the biofuel value chain through agribusiness and industrial development initiatives aimed at the production of advanced biofuels, helping the decarbonisation of the transport sector and promoting development opportunities.

As part of the meeting, Mr Descalzi also updated President Lourenço on the New Gas Consortium which is now approaching FID, a milestone allowing the valorization of non-associated gas reserves in the country, accelerating local development through the utilization of domestic gas, and contributing significantly to Angola’s path to de-carbonization.

President Lourenço and Mr Descalzi also reviewed the progress of Eni’s activities in the country, and particularly the key targets for 2022: the start-ups of the Gasoline production increase project at Luanda Refinery, and of the Caraculo photovoltaic plant in Namibe province, and a major FID for the development of a third production hub in block 15/06.

Angola plays a key role in the strategy for organic growth of Eni, which has been present in the Country since 1980.