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Ecofining™, a proprietary biofuel technology
The process that uses biogenic raw materials to produce high-quality biofuels.
What is Ecofining™?
Processing biogenic raw materials into high-quality biofuels. This is the innovation at the basis of the Ecofining™ process, that we have developed with Honeywell UOP. Technology contributes to the decarbonisation goal, especially for the mobility sector. The process, given its great flexibility, allows to treat different types of feedstocks, animal fats and vegetable oils from waste, as well as from the agri-food industry and used cooking oils. The raw materials thus become advanced biofuels, such as HVO (Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil), marketed as HVOlution, the first biofuel of Enilive produced with 100% of renewable raw materials (pursuant to EU Directive 2018/2001 on Renewable Energy, also known as REDII).
Bioenergy
Industrialisation
Biofuels
Honeywell UOP
What is it for?
Biofuels are already available and can be used immediately on almost all heavy vehicles and on some passenger vehicles that have been validated for XtL fuels: a solution to help reduce CO2 emissions from transport, a sector that is currently still more than 90 per cent dependent on fossil fuels and emitted almost 8 Gt CO2 in 2022, more than 20 per cent of global emissions from energy consumption (source IEA 2022). For them to be truly sustainable, however, it is important that they are produced from raw materials that do not compete with the food chain. Thanks to the proprietary EcofiningTM technology, advanced biofuels are produced, which, as defined by the Renewable Energy Directive REDII, are produced from raw materials that guarantee high CO2 emission savings as they are obtained from residues and/or waste from the agro-food chain.
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Seeds for processing into biofuels.
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Gela raw material processing plant
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With Ecofining™ organic raw materials become biofuels.
How does it work?
Biofuels are obtained by subjecting raw materials to a series of processes. Wastes, refuse and oils arrive at the biorefinery in ships and tankers and are stored in tanks before being subjected to two treatments:
- a physical one to remove impurities
- a chemical one that leads to the actual transformation into biofuels.
During the first (physical) treatment, components critical to the Ecofining™ section are removed from the raw materials. In particular, solid residues and gums are eliminated through washing and centrifugation procedures (degumming), and subsequently metals are removed via a bleaching earth filtration system (bleaching). The resulting oil, free of metals and solid residues, then passes to the second (chemical) treatment, which involves the use of hydrogen for the biofuel transformation process and consists of two stages:
- hydrodeoxygenation (to eliminate oxygen)
- isomerisation (to transform n-paraffins into isoparaffins with suitable cold flow properties).
Oils are primarily composed of triglycerides and fatty acids which, through these two stages, are transformed into hydrocarbons that are entirely similar (isoparaffins) to those of fossil diesel. Thanks to hydrogenation — which involves the use of hydrogen produced within biorefineries by plants such as Steam Reformers — total oxygen removal is achieved. Its presence in products derived from biogenic raw materials would otherwise promote the formation of bacterial colonies and slime.
HVO biofuel is therefore unaffected by these issues. This is also why HVO can be used in its pure form, in compatible engines, without having any particular impact on vehicle maintenance. Moreover, pure HVO has a high calorific value, similar to that of fossil diesel, and a much higher cetane rating than fossil diesel, which permits excellent combustion, especially during cold starts, reducing engine noise and ensuring high thermodynamic combustion efficiency. HVOlution is free of aromatics and polyaromatics and meets the EN15940 European specification for synthetic paraffinic and hydrotreated (XTL) diesel.
Ecofining™ is the technology that has enabled us to convert two of our conventional refineries into biorefineries: Venice-Porto Marghera (the first refinery in the world to be converted into a biorefinery in 2014), Gela (where operations begun in 2019) and the SBR plant in Chalmette (USA). Furthermore, we plan the total conversion of the Livorno refinery, the partial conversion of the Sannazzaro de’ Burgondi refinery and the construction of new biorefineries in Priolo, which will be managed in a joint venture with Q8 Italia), in Malaysia and South Korea.
Features and performance
Thanks to Ecofining™ technology, we were able to convert the two traditional refineries in Venice and Gela into biorefineries. By exploiting the flexibility of the process we are increasing the use of alternative fillers.
Technological partners
The EcofiningTM technology was developed at the Eni Research Centre in San Donato Milanese in collaboration with Honeywell UOP, a multinational leader in technological innovation for refineries.
Learn more about our technologies
Last update: 10 July 2023
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